Bearhawk Companion Flies

Bearhawk Builder · May 26, 2021

I'll post here the latest project for your viewing enjoyment. This is the first Bearhawk Companion, a 2 place side by side new model that Bob Barrows designed after getting many requests for a 2 place side by side. This is serving as the prototype since it's the first one built from a kit and Bob didn't build a proof of concept as he normally does. Although it's a new model, it's an amalgam of known former designs - A modified 4 place fuselage and Patrol wings. The fuselage is modified with no rear baggage door and the rear bulkhead moved one station forward. This allows a 6 inch shorter engine mount for the O360.
The kit was delivered to me in July and after about 1000 hrs build the first flight was on April 20th. As of now I have 32 hours on it and working through phase one testing.
Some details -
Empty weight - 1130
Gross weight - 2200
CG range from 11.9 to 19.8 inches and 18 to 30 percent of the 65.5" cord. Design limits the rear baggage to 225 lbs for now but seems to be some left.
I've done stability testing to 20.1 CG and there seems to be plenty of margin left.
Speed flat out at 2600 RPM is 126 KIAS at 3000 ft., Clean stalls at 41 KTS, Full flap stalls at 38 KTS. O360 and Catto 76/62.
Normal take offs and landings about 600 feet. View attachment 55910 View attachment 55911 View attachment 5591252 Gallons total fuel.

JimParker256 · May 26, 2021

The attachment links aren't working for me, but the pictures look great! It's hard for me to fathom only 1000 hours for any Bearhawk build. You are THE MAN! (I had over 1000 hours into mine when I sold the kit, and the quick-build fuselage was only about 90% complete... But I did quite a few things "the hard way" as a first-time builder...)

Dirt911 · May 26, 2021

Congratulations, nice looking build, and the weights are nice. Are you going to bring it to the Keene fly in?

wireweinie · May 26, 2021

I'd like building that panel. Lots of realestate to work with.

Web

Bearhawk Builder · May 26, 2021

I’ll be there Dirt.
The panel choices are not my preference but yes plenty of real estate.

mvivion · May 26, 2021

Well, I don’t think there’s any question that you deserve the title “Bearhawk Builder”. Yow! One thousand hours?

Nice looking machine.

MTV

Dan Gervae · May 27, 2021

Very very impressive! Your plane is a beauty!

bcone1381 · May 28, 2021

225 pounds of cargo, 300 pounds of fuel, and your left with 545 pound for its two front seats. That design has uncommon Utility without looking at how fast it is.

Can we see a photo of the rear baggage area?

Farmboy · May 28, 2021

bcone1381 said:
225 pounds of cargo, 300 pounds of fuel, and your left with 545 pound for its two front seats. That design has uncommon Utility without looking at how fast it is.

Can we see a photo of the rear baggage area?

And designed in the utility category at +4.5 G, -3G.

Transmitted from my FlightPhone on fingers...

Bearhawk Builder · May 28, 2021

Thanks all, here is a picture of the cargo area, the front seat back is folded forward.

Utah-Jay · May 28, 2021

That is a beast of a plane, and the side by side is awesome

Shame about the panel, but I know it was not Bearhawk Builders choice

Cub junkie · May 28, 2021

I guess I don't get it. What is shameful about the inst. panel? Thats a beautiful airplane as is.

RVBottomly · May 28, 2021

Cub junkie said:
I guess I don't get it. What is shameful about the inst. panel? Thats a beautiful airplane as is.

I agree. I like the simplicity.

I'd probably want some kind of attitude indicator, though. There is plenty of room. Maybe the tablet looking device already has that? I can't make out what it is.

Farmboy · May 29, 2021

Looks like an iFly GPS for those that don’t have a tablet device.

https://www.iflygps.com/iFly-GPS/740b-Aviation-Portable

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CharlieN · May 29, 2021

Out of curiosity, what is the cabin width at the shoulders?

Farmboy · May 29, 2021

Charlie, 42” not including any window space.

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CharlieN · May 29, 2021

Farmboy said:
Charlie, 42” not including any window space.

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Cool, only a few inches less than what I am building and should be acceptably comfortable for most.

Farmboy · May 29, 2021

Yup. I’m looking forward to the Patrol at 32”. American sized. [emoji849]

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Bearhawk Builder · May 30, 2021

Farmboy is correct with the numbers. The panel is okay, the engine gauges are VDO automotive type which work better than I expected, actually they are fine. It has a small MGL Vega TC4 to monitor CHT and EGT and that works well too. The Ifly GPS is okay too, not my favorite GPS as the functions are clunky to me but when you get used to it it works fine. Trig units are great, I'm using the internal intercom with a switch on the panel to shut the intercom function off/on. I'm not happy with this yet, I'm getting constant squelch with a passenger at anything above 1500 rpm due to the noise. There are internal settings to adjust so I'm working that out. I'm using Trig's ADSB / Transponder bundle with Stratux for IN, that's all working well.
Using the blade style fuses with forward facing mount and lighted fuses was requested and I think that turned out pretty well using a modified fuse block from Blue Sea Systems. The seats are from Daniel at Sport Aircraft Seats, very well done and comfortable. It's a good, simple VFR day only plane that performs real well, side by side and plenty of baggage and useful load. The numbers show it can almost carry it's own weight.

Bearhawk Builder · May 30, 2021

Correction, the fuse block is a Bussman. Couple more shots of the interior.

Cub junkie · May 30, 2021

Last I knew VDO gauges are made in Germany. Lots better than that other country that makes junk. The downside I guess is they don't look aircraft but I haven't seen their entire line, they may have some that do look at home in an aircraft.

skukum12 · May 30, 2021

Is there provision for extended baggage?

Bearhawk Builder · May 30, 2021

There's plenty of room, the Companion uses a modified 4 place fuselage with that station moved forward so I guess you could extend the baggage as long as the CG is respected. Bob's design number for rear CG is set at 19.8, I brought this one back to 20.1 and the stability was still acceptable so there may be some room left for more baggage area.

CharlieN · May 30, 2021

Cub junkie said:
Last I knew VDO gauges are made in Germany. Lots better than that other country that makes junk. The downside I guess is they don't look aircraft but I haven't seen their entire line, they may have some that do look at home in an aircraft.

For more than 50 years VDO gauges are made in Mexico. Most of the coils for the internals had been made in Plainville Conn, in the mid '80s I helped move that production to Bloomfield Conn.
A bit over a decade ago My friend that owned the company sold it and retired to the shore of Carolina. I have not paid attention if the coils are still made in country or moved offshore.

Cub junkie · May 30, 2021

Thank you professor. Might go straighten them out on the Wikipedia page and let them know.

CharlieN said:
For more than 50 years VDO gauges are made in Mexico. Most of the coils for the internals had been made in Plainville Conn, in the mid '80s I helped move that production to Bloomfield Conn.
A bit over a decade ago My friend that owned the company sold it and retired to the shore of Carolina. I have not paid attention if the coils are still made in country or moved offshore.

CharlieN · May 30, 2021

I am not sure VDO wants it known where there factories are for pride and marketing reasons. I am not even sure if there products are even marked where they are made, I do not use them since I prefer mechanical gauges.

skywagon8a · May 30, 2021

Farmboy said:
Charlie, 42” not including any window space.

Farmboy said:
Yup. I’m looking forward to the Patrol at 32”. American sized.

The Bearhawk series of airplanes appear to cover all the bases of a majority of "off roading" aviators.
For comparison purposes my widebody -18 clone is 28". I am not a widebody person, the Patrol's 32" is attractive.

Now, let's see what we can do about reducing the ground run and increasing the climb performance. :wink:

Hmm? I have some ideas.

courierguy · May 30, 2021

IF the Bearhawk LSA had flaps I'd have one by now.

skywagon8a · May 30, 2021

courierguy said:
IF the Bearhawk LSA had flaps I'd have one by now.

What is to prevent you from installing flaps on your Bearhawk LSA? You are a clever mechanically inclined guy.......just do it. There is ample guidance on building a flap system just here on SC.org, if nowhere else.

Dirt911 · May 30, 2021

Bearhawk Builder said:
The numbers show it can almost carry it's own weight.

What accounts for the difference in gross weight between this (2200#), and the patrol (2000#)?

Fuselage structural differences ?

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