We've both flown for over fifteen years — Marc as a competition aerobatic pilot, Hélène as a pure VFR traveller with a passion for landscape. We wanted an aircraft that took both of us seriously: precise enough for Aresti programmes, calm enough for trips along the Côte and into Italy.
The Gabriel was the only answer we'd sign after three demo flights. The Lycoming IO-320 with constant-speed prop delivers the torque Marc knows from competition; the tandem view turns the landscape into Hélène's main act.
We share the aircraft on two tracks. Weekday mornings usually go to Marc, who climbs out of Fayence into the Var aerobatic box — segregated airspace, +6/-3 g sequences, clean re-entry. Weekend trips we fly alternating: Hélène out, Marc back, or the other way around.
Fayence-Tourrettes LFMF is a hilltop field in the Var with deep gliding tradition — asphalt and grass strips, restaurant on the apron. From there Cannes-Mandelieu LFMD is twenty minutes and Rome-Urbe LIRU just under three hours.
At 296 km/h cruise and full tanks, our typical legs sit under two and a half hours — the Gabriel isn't a range wonder, but it's more than enough for our routes. We refuel at Mandelieu or Rome-Urbe.
Fayence LFMF is one of the loveliest addresses in the region — hangars between vines and pines, sailplanes, a restaurant under plane trees. Cannes-Mandelieu LFMD we use for fuel stops and short beach days; the noise discipline you either accept or fly elsewhere.
Rome-Urbe LIRU is our Italian gateway — English-speaking tower, customs by prior notice, twenty minutes by taxi into the centre. Occasionally Bolzano LIPB for a mountain-air break.
We weighed the Gabriel Lycoming against the Blackshape Prime BK160 at length. The Prime would have given us more range and a Rotax 915iS, but no aerobatic certification. Marc wouldn't sign — and Hélène understood why.
Today we run Aresti mornings and Tuscan afternoons on the same airframe. Pilots who need competition performance fly an Extra anyway; we live in the world in between.
“The Gabriel is honest enough for competition and quiet enough for the weekend.”
If we decided again, we'd buy the second G3X Touch in the back seat from the start. Anyone serious about the rear position wants the same picture as up front — and that's exactly the spec line we initially saved on.
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