Tell us what you did today on your Bearhawk Project

[spinningwrench]

Autopilot installation proceeding nicely in the Patrol. Roll axis done, on to pitch and yaw.

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[dutchmaster36]

It has been about a month - have you installed either pitch or roll servos. Really interested in your success as I will put the same system into my Patrol - whenever I get my kit! Don

[Gerhard Rieger]

Wingtip leading edge progress, getting there slowly. 09860BD1-18FF-43B0-A051-5A7706F3E842.jpeg31FEC4AC-900F-4F6F-9ABE-748A093BF779.jpeg843A90DC-53CA-459E-9EA0-7464BEB0BEB8.jpegF5427C78-4AC0-49AA-A899-03E12E4E24BF.jpegC97D443E-6E61-4788-81DD-E162625017C7.jpeg

[Bcone1381]

Very Very Nice!!!

[jcowgar]

What did I do today on my Bearhawk? I took delivery of my LSA QB Kit!

[Nev]

Woah, a memorable day !!

[AKKen07]

Let the fun begin!

[Nev]

I mounted the seatbelts to try them out in the front right seat, and rear right seat. The front one has the tongue from a lap only belt fitted. This has made it able to be easily adjusted when un-fastened.
When it’s fastened it locks the lap part in position to keep a person firmly in their seats during turbulence.

We removed the ball bearing, so it should only lock under acceleration, but I won’t be able to test that part out until inflight.

Currently it gives very good access to the flap handle and fuel selector.

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[Gerhard Rieger]

Looking great Nev, I also plan to use auto seatbelts. Where is the ball bearing you took out?

[Nev]

Looking great Nev, I also plan to use auto seatbelts. Where is the ball bearing you took out?

It’s inside the inertial reel, but easy to access. Actually the guy that sells the seat belts is coming over to see my plane, so I’ll see if I can get a pic of how to do the ball bearing, You need to remove it because otherwise it will lock the belt on most angles other than level, and also when it gets moved.

The really good thing so far is that the lap belt locks when you plug it in - unlike a car belt. And when you unplug it, it’s fully adjustable.

[Gerhard Rieger]

Thanks Nev, I will look at mine and take it out

[Nev]

Incidentally, the lap-belt type latch can be fitted to the diagonal belt easily without having to be sewn it.

[quadra]

It’s inside the inertial reel, but easy to access. Actually the guy that sells the seat belts is coming over to see my plane, so I’ll see if I can get a pic of how to do the ball bearing, You need to remove it because otherwise it will lock the belt on most angles other than level, and also when it gets moved.

The really good thing so far is that the lap belt locks when you plug it in - unlike a car belt. And when you unplug it, it’s fully adjustable.

the old car belts ( without shoulder restraints ) did that and I remember a few late 70s cars that had static lap belt ( but adjustable length ) and inertia reel shoulder restraints.. people hated them! but for an aircraft that is an ideal setup. why .. or how, did you decide to choose the shoulder ( 3 point ) over the 4 point ( centered vs lateral inertia reel ) style restraint Nev?

[Nev]

why .. or how, did you decide to choose the shoulder ( 3 point ) over the 4 point ( centered vs lateral inertia reel ) style restraint

It was a simple decision for me - the Bearhawk airframe was already engineered for the shoulder harness. I would have preferred a 4-point harness by a small margin, but not enough to have to modify the airframe. In cars, diagonal shoulder belts are well accepted. I won’t be doing aerobatics etc. So by and large it seemed a small trade off and one that I’m willing to accept in return for a huge convenience factor. For a 4 point harness to be more effective over a single shoulder belt, an accident has to still be technically survivable and there are some accidents that just aren’t, no matter how many belts you add.

With the back seat however, it’s only engineered for lap belts. In hindsight, I do wish that I had installed inertia reels for a shoulder strap from the top center cluster. At the time I believed it would require additional engineering, but actually I now realise that my logic was wrong. The fixed lap belt is already deemed safe (enough) and adding a shoulder belt therefore makes it even more so. The strength of that cluster then, is only an issue for the serviceability of the aircraft afterwards.

Just my thought process - don’t take it as gospel

[Nev]

Installed a Ground Power plug, removed the Vendertherm oil screen, installed the USB charging port, installed the oil temperature sender, and tried to figure out why my ADSB isn’t working properly.

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[Nev]

I would get the Vans FWF kit again, definitely. There are so many small parts that you don’t think of, or don’t know about. Huge help.

[JimParker256]

Nev,
Here in the US, when you're sitting on the ground, you may not have a tower near enough to your position for ADS-B to receive data. That would give you the ADS-B indications you're seeing. Does NZ use ground stations or satellite-based ADS-B?

[Nev]

Thanks Jim - I believe that is exactly what is happening. I think both ground and satellite here in NZ. When I searched the registration database and found my aircrafts “Hex code” and entered it into the Dynon, I was also able to see my Bearhawk on AvPlan, so my ADSB out and in are both working. We’ve now tested the radio, Emags, EMS etc, and all operational.

[Gerhard Rieger]

Left wing nose ribs riveted both top and bottom, assembling the fuselage so that I can make up the control cables when done riveting the wings.

[jim.mclaughlin924]

Got an AW cert and repairman cert. Should not be too long now.

[Chewie]

Admittedly not directly Bearhawk related, but I've been having a blast flying the 140, even around the pattern and always learning. I finally took up my first passenger, my son and soon-to-be autopilot, a couple weeks ago. Even with me at the controls he doesn't hate flying so I'd consider that introduction a success.
The Patrol wing framing is underway. Spars and the first few ribs are coming together. This step offers great visual gratification.

[m.mooney]

He looks like a natural

[TimTall]

Fabric on the fuselage and control surfaces is complete! That was actually a pretty enjoyable process. I'm happy with how it turned out. Now hopefully I can do it justice with a decent paint job.
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[Nev]

Got a lot done on my skylight. All ready to be screwed into place now.

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[svyolo]

Interesting, what is the purpose of the aluminum angle? I was going to use aluminum angle different - I was going to pop rivet some angle to the outside to hold nut plates on the underside of the 1/2 inch steel tube. I couldn't figure out how to rivet the nut plates in place any other way other than maybe bonding.

I am about to attach my skylight as well.

[Nev]

The aluminium angle is capturing the sides of the Lexan. I’ve put rivnuts in the steel former underneath. Theyre supporting a shear load, so should be plenty strong enough. I’m also using rivnuts on the two center stringers. Actually where the bulk of the lifting force is, there’s probably no need for the screws at that point because the way the Lexan curves over the stringers seems to lock it firmly in place, although I’ve got them anyway. But further aft the skylight is prone to lifting. So I’ve got two rows of M4 machine screws on those stringers and the outside edges of the skylight are captured all the way around.

The only point I’m still pondering is if I should wrap the front and rear edges in felt (or something - what ??). It does need something to pack it out and I’d rather not silicon it in permanently.

Any ideas welcomed.

[Paul Johnston]

I used felt that’s intended for pool tables on front and rear sides

[svyolo]

How are you going to attach the wing root fairing to the piece of angle that is capturing the sides of the skylight?