GB1 Gamebird
Category-defying aircraft
It’s an unlimited aerobat rated to plus- or minus-10 Gs and a head-snapping roll rate of more than 360 degrees per second. Yet it’s also an exceptional cross-country traveler with a 200-knot cruise speed and 1,000-nautical-mile range.
The basis of this category-defying performance is the GB1’s all-carbon-fiber construction. There’s no metal frame. Carbon-fiber materials are incredibly light and strong, and they can be formed into complex, curvaceous aerodynamic shapes that promote agility and efficiency.
The GB1 was designed by Philipp Steinbach, a German pilot and entrepreneur with a history of building extreme airplanes. For the GB1, Steinbach joined forces with Steuart Walton, an accomplished pilot and Walmart heir who founded Game Composites in Bentonville, Arkansas, and transformed the local airport, Bentonville Municipal/Louise M. Thaden Field, into a center for aerobatic, warbird, and backcountry flying.
The two-seat GB1 received its FAA production certificate in 2019 and more than 81 have been built to date.
Dave Hirschman
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