Game Composites GB1 GameBird

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GB1 GameBird
Role Two-seat aerobatic monoplane
National origin United Kingdom
Manufacturer Game Composites
Designer Philipp Steinbach
First flight 15 July 2015
Number built at least 49

The Game Composites GB1 GameBird is a British single-engine, two-seat, aerobatic aircraft that was designed by Philipp Steinbach and the first prototype was built by Game Composites.

Steinbach is a German aircraft designer, but not an aeronautical engineer, so he enlisted the aid of two engineers, Jing Dai and Robert Finney, to complete the design. The design work was done in the United Kingdom under Game Composites Limited of London. The aircraft is built under licence by Game Composites LLC in Bentonville, Arkansas, United States.[1][2][3]

Design and development[edit]

The GameBird is a composite structure tandem two-seat, low-wing, cantilever monoplane powered by a 303 horsepower (226 kW) Lycoming AEIO-580-B1A piston engine. The GameBird has a fixed conventional landing gear with a steerable tailwheel.

The prototype GameBird first flew on 15 July 2015.[1]

The GameBird was certified by European Aviation Safety Agency in the CS-23 Aerobatic category on 12 April 2017 and by the US Federal Aviation Administration under FAR 23 on 29 August 2017.[4][3] Game Composites received a production certificate from the FAA in June, 2019.[5]

As of 26 September 2021, there were 32 GB1 aircraft registered in the US.[6]

Specifications[edit]

Data from European Aviation Safety Agency, Federal Aviation Administration, Flying.[1][3][4]

General characteristics

  • Length: 6.9 m (22 ft 8 in)
  • Wingspan: 7.7 m (25 ft 3 in)
  • Height: 2.56 m (8 ft 5 in)
  • Wing area: 11.3 m2 (122 sq ft)
  • Gross weight: 998 kg (2,200 lb)
  • Fuel capacity: 311 litres (68 imp gal; 82 US gal)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Lycoming AEIO-580-B1A horizontally opposed, six-cylinder aircraft engine, 226 kW (303 hp)
  • Propellers: 4-bladed MT-Propeller MTV-14-B-C/C190-130, 1.9 m (6 ft 3 in) diameter clockwise rotation

Performance

  • Cruise speed: 370 km/h (230 mph, 200 kn)
  • Stall speed: 102 km/h (63 mph, 55 kn)
  • Never exceed speed: 433 km/h (269 mph, 234 kn)
  • Range: 1,900 km (1,200 mi, 1,000 nmi)
  • Service ceiling: 4,572 m (15,000 ft)
  • g limits: +/- 10g[1]

See also[edit]

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d Bergqvist, Per (31 October 2016). "We Fly:GB1 GameBird". Flying. Retrieved 30 July 2019.
  2. ^ Game Composites. "Contact". www.gamecomposites.com. Retrieved 10 November 2017.
  3. ^ a b c Federal Aviation Administration (28 March 2019). "Type Certificate Data Sheet No A00073CE" (PDF). faa.gov. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  4. ^ a b "EAS Type-Certificate Data Sheet A.610" (PDF). European Aviation Safety Agency. 13 April 2017.
  5. ^ Aviation Pros (12 June 2019). "Game Composites Receives Production Certificate from Federal Aviation Administration". Retrieved 26 September 2021.
  6. ^ Federal Aviation Administration (26 September 2021). "Make / Model Inquiry Results". Retrieved 26 September 2021.

External links[edit]