French manufacturer Guimbal Helicopters announced it has received FAA certification for its Cabri G2 two-seat rotorcraft. The light helicopter, which saw its first flight a decade ago, earned EASA approval in December of 2007, and saw its first delivery in 2008, just around the time that the global financial downturn flooded Europe with hundreds of discounted used single-engine helicopters.

Since then the company has delivered 96 G2s to operators in 22 countries around the world, including 16 to Germany, 14 to New Zealand, even a pair each to Vietnam and China. The fleet, which is used mainly for training, has achieved 50,000 loss-free, injury-free flight hours, with the leader tallying more than 4,300 hours in little more than four years of operation.

The helicopter made its U.S. debut at last year’s Heli-Expo in Anaheim, with the first model going to Oregon-based operator and training provider Precision Helicopters, which has been flying it under an experimental certificate. At this year’s show, Guidance Aviation, which has training locations in Prescott Ariz. and Baton Rouge, La. confirmed the purchase of its first Cabri G2, made last year and pending U.S. certification.

Guimbal had more than $10 million in sales last year, which equates to an increase of approximately 60 percent, and with a current backlog of 75 firm orders spread over 13 countries the company has doubled its workforce over the past year to 70 employees, while slowly ramping up production. In 2013 it delivered 17 aircraft, and that number increased to 27 last year.