Country of origin:

France

Description:

Two-seat light sport cabin monoplane

Power Plant:

One 63 kw (85 hp) Continental C-85 four-cylinder horizontally opposed air-cooled engine

Specifications:

History:

The GY-201 Minicab, which was designed by M Yves Gardan, a well known French light aircraft designer, made its first flight in February 1949 and, with no major modifications, won three distinctions in its first year: the Coup de Deauville, the Grand Prix Aerien de Vichy, and the Concours d’Elegance de Biarritz.  In 1951 it set a new FAI category long-distance non-stop record of 1,824 km (1,134 miles) from Paris, France to Rabat, Morocco.

Subsequently a small production line was set up by Constructions Aeronautiques de Bearn, and the aircraft was known as the de Bearn Minicab. At that time the Minicab was regarded as the best within its class in Europe.

Stressed to 4.5 G, the Minicab was semi-aerobatic, safe and economical. Production aircraft had the wingspan reduced slightly, and split trailing-edge flaps were fitted to improve low speed manoeuvrability and stalling characteristics. Dual controls were fitted. Plans were made available and a number were successfully built and flown before the manager of the manufacturing company was killed in a Minicab and the company closed down. Interest in the type waned for some years until an English enthusiast drew up a new set of drawings with English notes, retaining the metric system for measurements.

The wing was of cantilever structure made in one piece, and comprised a laminated spruce and plywood main box spar located at 25 per cent chord.  From the leading-edge to the spar ply covering was used, forming a torsion box.  An I-beam diagonal drag spar and false rear spar of similar section were also employed.  Split trailing-edge flaps ran from the ailerons to the wing roots, and the wing was attached to the fuselage by four bolts.  The fuselage was a spruce box, the forward half of which was lined with plywood.  The rear half was open-girder braced.  The fin was integral with the fuselage.  The tailplane was a one-piece ply-covered structure while the rudder and the one-piece elevator were both fabric covered.  The outside of the entire fuselage was fabric covered.  Side-by-side seating was provided and the usual capacity of the fuel tank was 50 litres (11 Imp gals).

A number of Minicabs have been completed in Australasia with about ten completed in Australia and about 15 in New Zealand. A variant known as the Hawk BM4 was marketed in kit form by Maranda Aircraft in Canada and one of these was completed in New Zealand. Another variant completed in New Zealand as ZK-CON became known as the Bennett Condor, having a 50 cm (20 in) fuselage extension, an enlarged cockpit, a modified undercarriage and a Power 260I engine of 75 kw (100 hp). A number of Minicab projects have been commenced in Australia over the years but only a few have been completed, builders moving on to more modern designs.