Tell us what you did today on your Bearhawk Project

[Bdflies]

Really nice work Brooks! Looks great.

Bill

[Chewie]

I actually welded something together.

[davzLSA]

nice looking welds!!

[N3UW]

Nice work Mark. can you now come up and teach me?

[Chewie]

It's definitely a work in progress. Most of my education so far was over youtube and text message; not sure I would make the best teacher. Practice practice practice. But do check these out if you're gas welding:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0uHBCkics8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7Vv_gZfHgo

[Bcone1381]

One could make an access thru the top. I like the idea of making the instrument panel with removable sections and accessing the area behind the panel from the front, or from the sides with the side boot cowl skins removed. Top access would be very easy to install at this point.

[svyolo]

One could make an access thru the top. I like the idea of making the instrument panel with removable sections and accessing the area behind the panel from the front, or from the sides with the side boot cowl skins removed. Top access would be very easy to install at this point.

Yeah, I was going to make the structural part of the panel a frame, and have a cosmetic (CF) sandwich laminate "face" screwed in place so I can access electrical and electronic stuff. Maybe 1 piece, or maybe 2. It would be difficult or impossible to do with a panel full of steam gauges, but mine have 1 EFIS and 2 "panels" of switches. Might as well use the empty panel space to access the area behind the panel.

[rv8bldr]

Well, I didn't take any pictures of the auxiliary tank door that I made on the weekend, but here is a picture of the Maule M5-235C I bought on Friday :-) I sold my RV-8 before Christmas and was going to wait until the Bearhawk was done, but that is still a few years away. When I saw this one for sale on Trade-a-Plane, and it was already in Canada, and was IFR certified (I want to get my ticket), I had to check it out. I went out to Lethbridge last Friday (from Ottawa for those of you who care) inspected it, went through the logs, and then flew it. If the Bearhawk performs half as well when it is done, Woo Hoo!

I've now joined the "Bought a Maule while I build a Bearhawk" club. Maybe I'll see you other members at Osh this year :-)

Mark

[rodsmith]

Looks just like the one I used to own, a great airplane.

[Chris In Milwaukee]

Welcome to the club 😁

[rodsmith]

Finished up a couple items today. Easy one was Cessna style vent installation. I bought C185 flange and elbow pieces on EBAY. Bought Cessna vent tubes from aircraft spruce. Used a piece of 2" x .049 aluminum tube to tie them together. That worked great as the al tubing was a tight fit in the elbow and the vent tubes were a tight fit in the al tubing. When I reinstall the wings will just need to cut a 2" hole in the interior panel and insert the vent tube into the al tubing. Will glue the flange of the vent tube to the interior panel to keep it from working out as the vent portion is opened. Probably a tight enough fit that it wouldn't come out anyways. I used Bob's template in the July 96 Beartracks to locate and cut out the wing opening. The Cessna nose flange when fitted to the Bearhawk wing leaves about a 1/8" gap a little below the chordline. I used silicone sealant to seal this area when I riveted the flange in place. The nose flange has to be moved out about 1/2" on the elbow piece to allow the vent tube to fit through the lightning hole in the rib. Fortunately there was enough material on the elbow piece to allow that.

[rodsmith]

Completed installation of Aerosun landing lights in the wing leading edge. Took me awhile to decide how I was going to do this. I decided to semi-permanately install the lexan lens in the wing and install the light and housing through the lightening hole in the wing tip rib. That allowed the smallest possible cut in the wing. The opening is only 2" deep into the leading edge. Of course that means any future light maintenance will require removing the wing tip. Hopefully wont be an issue with the led light. I used permatex windshield and glass sealant to seal the lexan to the wing. I tested it first for compatability Will be possible to remove and replace the lexan in the future if necessary. I formed a couple extra lens just in case. I installed the light angled 5 deg down from the wing chordline. This makes it 3 deg down in level flight. I'm hoping it will be adequate for a taxi light but not sure. I will install a taxi light in the nose bowl if I have to. I'm happy with how the installation turned out.

[JimParker256]

Nice! Looks very clean and neat. Good job!

[whee]

My pops is very nearly done with the instrument panel. While I really wanted a classic steam gauge panel I think we are going to be very happy.

We left a spot to install a GRT Mini should we decide we want one in the future.

[Bdflies]

Wow! Pops does nice work!

Oh wait.. I forgot, it's Whee... Whee can't see! 😎

Bill

[svyolo]

Whee;
In 15 minutes, you will be comfortable with glass. In 10 hours, you will never want to go back. After 500 hours, you can no longer use steam gauges as a backup as you forgot how. The only good backup for glass, is backup glass.

[Ray Strickland]

Last week I hung the engine on my 4-place for the last time, so I’ve been doing firewall forward hook-ups, wiring, plumbing, attaching accessories, etc, which will probably continue for another 2 or 3 weeks; then it will be time to hang the wings...starting to get a little excited about this 13-year project getting ready to fly.

Last Friday I discovered that the typical dynafocal engine mount ring is not compatible with the Lycoming IO-360-A3B6D; the ring blocks access to a necessary engine oil port...had to spend part of today using a torch and some big pliers to reshape the ring slightly to provide clearance...got ‘er done!

[rv8bldr]

That's the same engine i had in my RV-8. Never had any issues with it in 600 hours, then i sold the airplane. I put a 3 blade Catto prop on it and it was smoooooth. And looked cool, which is way more important :-)

[fairchild]

I made 13 of my 15 nose ribs (one side). 2 of those were test ribs which I prob wont use. I can make one now in
about 15 min. Next I am making a "little" brake to fold the rib stiffeners. also making a "plug die" to push the circular
flanges from 20 degrees to 30 degrees. My rubber pad doesnt get it quite all the way. Have to buy more .025 sheet next week.
I am looking at that like progress :-)
Tim

[Chris In Milwaukee]

Well done!

[Sebastian]

Haven't posted any progress in awhile but I now have a few things that I have accomplished.

#1 I got my fuel primer plumed.

#2 Finely figured out my panel layout and had it water jet cut. (that is an awesome piece of equipment would recommend it to anyone) had to do a few modifications myself since I forgot that the slots I had them cut weren't the size of the nuts that hold the controls.

#3 Started putting the tail feathers on today. Unfortunately I didn't have all the right size hardware. Figures I have a pretty good selection but there is always something I'm missing.

I'm attaching some pictures of the above mentioned. IMG_2059.JPGIMG_2049.JPGIMG_2052.JPGIMG_2050.JPGIMG_2051.JPGIMG_2053.JPGIMG_2057.JPGIMG_2051.JPGIMG_2055.JPGIMG_2050.JPGIMG_2061.JPGIMG_2060.JPG