Tell us what you did today on your Bearhawk Project

[Ejs014]

If the patrol is like the 4 place the two trim horns bolt together. There is a T5 tube from each side that bolts to the trim horn. The hole in the center is not needed but I also do not think it’s a problem. It will have enough strength and be plenty stiff from the welded tube. You could double check that with Bob.

[Gerhard Rieger]

Riveted 40 nut plates to flaps and ailerons for the hinge brackets.

[Nev]

The sign writer came today and applied the decals. I've applied to the Civil Aviation Authority for a personalised call sign, based on having an identifiable paint scheme, which has been provisionally approved. This allows me to not have to display a registration, or display it in my choice of size, hence the much smaller than regulatory registration lettering.

I gave the sign writers some initial ideas, but left the overall design up to them. This is what they came up with.

0C171549-1E26-421F-8D07-0F8D47D594A6.jpeg

C5A11978-CD60-4E4D-BEB1-CED364C39DAE.jpeg

8B57CCE9-664A-4BA1-8046-D3136B29F52F.jpeg

A048E3BE-D07D-45AF-952C-8D9B0A080698.jpeg

AB9A81B2-1FB4-46E7-9012-D23597319D81.jpeg

243065B3-90EE-4674-9D27-098F72D51033.jpeg

7DAABB7F-9DD2-4676-A88C-AEB4265B3C3F.jpeg

[N942VT]

Nicely done, little details make a difference. Fuel gauge markings?

[Nev]

Thanks guys. Fuel gauge markings will have to be calibrated first, which I'll do on some tape. A friend is able to make placards similar to the engraved pax warning so we'll do it that way. One small issue was that the vinyl transfer letters don't adhere well to Kydex due to the rough surface. Hence why we engraved it onto an aluminium placard and used strong double sided tape.

[davzLSA]

really beautiful work Nev!!!

[Mark Dickens]

Very nice! It's really coming together

[Utah-Jay]

Looking good Nev

[Gerhard Rieger]

Aligning flap and aileron to get to drill the rivet holes to fix them in place

[spinningwrench]

07C49AFD-33FB-4457-AF18-383DE82910F2.jpeg
Made a simple double sided drilling jig for match drilling all the holes on the aileron and flap hinge brackets.

[robcaldwell]

I may be wrong, but I think the newer kits have these holes pre-drilled.

[Nev]

I don't think they do - at least mine were not pre-drilled. It's an area that would be greatly improved by pre-drilling. I ended up having to re-make one hinge, which involved getting a local machining shop to do the bend. I took a lot of care, but had difficulty aligning two of them. The pockets that they install into are difficult to access with hands.

[AKKen07]

I think Mark mentioned the factory doing that with the latest kits.

[spinningwrench]

I’ll use a metal spacer when drilling them to the flap and aileron spars so all the alignments should work out well.

[rodsmith]

Painted the dark green trim on the tailfeathers. Will be painting the first wing this week if the weather holds.

DSCF1404.JPGDSCF1411.JPG

[Gerhard Rieger]

Looking great

[Bcone1381]

I like all the light you have in your paint booth, Rod!!!!

[jaredyates]

I made my first set of cowl plugs, definitely learning how to do it better if there is a next time.
IMG_20211104_200429510.jpg
I should have made the side panels about twice as thick (I used 2") and on the first one I didn't route the connecting webbing properly.

[robcaldwell]

When will these be on the Bearhawk Store? I'll take a set!

[Utah-Jay]

Me as well

[jaredyates]

This was kind of a test case for that. Building them makes it easier to decorate them, since we can do that before assembly. The question is whether it will be worth it to train my young workers to be able to sew well enough, and whether they will be interested.

[marcusofcotton]

...and the new build has begun!

[Nev]

The fuselage was trucked to my friends hangar today. Another milestone. Wings ready to paint now and should follow soon.

1520C221-9B57-4AFA-B919-248937C2442A.jpeg

574AFC48-25E4-43AC-891A-B4F155160A12.jpeg

[Gerhard Rieger]

Well done Nev, your project is coming along at a serious pace.

[alaskabearhawk]

That's pretty sweet!

[RobinDeMarco]

Looks great, Nev! Looking forward to watching your next monthly update on YouTube.

[AKKen07]

Dude! How. Are. You. So. Fast???? And it looks great, too! I’m throwing a digital “high five.”

[Nev]

Wings all done now. Planning to add the top coat to flaps and ailerons tomorrow, and the numerous access port covers and hinge pocket covers.

6B7921F1-1CF1-4F30-B08A-413673BDE9E6.jpg
8CA6545F-97DD-48C8-832A-C611DE968084.jpg
572083BA-98A6-4C75-BD1A-66573B6EBFA6.jpg

[BravoGolf]

I’m along way behind Nev, but I am closing in on finishing the wings.

[Nev]

OK that makes it easy to understand. I think I have those fittings. Thanks !

[jaredyates]

I started with mine with flared ends and everything but they both cracked and leaked. This could have been more a reflection of poor execution than a bad idea. But when the first one started leaking the avionics shop caught it, and they had a much easier solution. We just left the pitot outlet as it came from dynon, and slid a soft rubber line over that and also over the 1/4" hard plastic pneumatic line. It was much lighter, cheaper, and more durable.

[Nev]

That sounds simple and effective Jared, I'll try it that way.