11 March 2026
Hélicoptères Guimbal has unveiled the Cabri G5, a new five-seat turbine helicopter designed to expand the French manufacturer’s product line beyond its successful Cabri G2 trainer.
The aircraft, revealed ahead of the Verticon trade show, represents the company’s first turbine-powered model and is intended to bridge the gap between light piston trainers and larger single-engine utility helicopters.
Often described as the ‘big sibling’ to the two-seat Cabri G2, the G5 has been under development for several years. According to company founder and CEO Bruno Guimbal, customers began asking for a larger helicopter almost as soon as the G2 entered service.
“We started to think about the Grand Cabri many years ago,” Guimbal explained, noting that the goal was to retain the distinctive design philosophy of the original aircraft while creating a more capable platform for a broader range of missions.
The new helicopter is designed as a clean-sheet five-seat aircraft with a strong emphasis on versatility. In its highest-density configuration the G5 will accommodate five occupants, although Guimbal believes many operators will favour a four-seat layout that provides greater comfort and flexibility for missions such as law enforcement, military observation or VIP transport.
Mission adaptability has been a key design driver. The cabin features a modular layout with reconfigurable seating and door arrangements to support roles such as aerial filming or surveillance.
Technically, the G5 retains many design cues from the Cabri family. It will feature a Fenestron shrouded tail rotor — an approach Guimbal has long championed — as well as a larger four-blade composite main rotor derived from the G2’s rotor system. The additional blade is intended to reduce vibration and noise while improving ride quality.
Noise reduction has been a major priority during development. Guimbal has stated that the company aims for the aircraft to be “the quietest helicopter ever,” with the multi-blade rotor configuration playing a key role in achieving that goal.
Mathilde Royer-Germain, Airbus Helicopters Head of Strategy & Sustainability, Bruno Guimbal, Hélicoptères Guimbal CEO and Cédric Goubet, Safran Helicopter Engines CEO, at the reveal of the Cabri G5. Photo: Safran
Power for the new helicopter will come from Safran Helicopter Engines’ Arrius 2D, producing around 450 shaft horsepower. The engine incorporates a dual-channel FADEC system designed to reduce pilot workload and will offer a 3,000-hour time between overhauls.
The engine selection marks the first partnership between Hélicoptères Guimbal and Safran Helicopter Engines. Safran says the Arrius family of engines — already widely used in light helicopters — was chosen for its maturity, reliability and global support network.
Avionics will include Garmin’s G500H integrated flight display, alongside Guimbal’s own vehicle management system, continuing the manufacturer’s focus on modern cockpit technology.
Development of the G5 is already well advanced. The aircraft’s main design configuration has been frozen, tooling production has begun, and negotiations with key component suppliers are underway.
While Guimbal has not provided a firm certification timeline, the company expects the helicopter to enter service before the end of the decade.
The manufacturer also believes the aircraft could play an important role in the light turbine helicopter market by creating a stepping-stone between training helicopters such as the Cabri G2 and larger multi-mission aircraft like the Airbus H125.
More than 400 Cabri G2 helicopters have been delivered worldwide and over seven million flight hours accumulated.
