Tell us what you did today on your Bearhawk Project

[Dpearson]

Working through first builder’s rudder rigging. The rudder pedals seem to have been mounted too far aft (5” behind centerline of firewall station). With this condition it’s impossible to depress the brake pedal with the rudder pedal at its forward-most travel. Unbolting the pedal assembly and clamping it as far forward on the support plates as possible seems to correct the geometry and result in good brake behavior.
Before:
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After:
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[DBeaulieu]

Started riveting up the wing skin on my left wing. Think I've got the A/P roll servo figured out on the right wing. Using a base plate from Virgil to prototype in the Patrol along with a Dynon servo wing mount for an RV-6. The servo is the Dynon SV-42 with the extra long control arm which allows for 4.4" of total linear travel according to the spec sheet. Moved the base plate toward the forward wing spar to allow clearance of the control arm to clear the support frame tube of the aileron drive assembly. Base plate required notching on one side to clear wing stiffener.

AP wing servo mount assembly.jpg AP long arm roll servo side view.jpg AP long arm roll servo.jpg AP wing roll servo.jpg

[U2fletch]

Here is the A/P roll servo mounted in our wing. Similar idea using a plate riveted to the ribs. The pushrod is bolted just below the aileron pushrod. Checking the aileron travel throws at the bellcrank shows only 1" cable each way from center required for full deflection.

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[DBeaulieu]

Slow going, but making progress on closing up the left wing. Was thinking I could squeeze all the wing to pocket skin rivets, but can only squeeze the top skin to pocket skin due to curvature of the pocket skins. The bottom wing skin had to be bucked. Hope I never have to drill out any of the CCP42 rivets called out in the wing manual for the pocket skin to rib fasteners. Also got my pitot mount mostly riveted in. Have two problem rivets that seem to defy proper setting...not sure what's going on. Will reassess another day when fresh.

Trailing edge and pocket skins.jpg bottom skin trailing edge.jpg Pitot tube mast.jpg

[DBeaulieu]

Finally finished up the left wing except for a couple "problem" rivets...waiting on a more experienced sheet metal friend to give it a look. There are quite a few more rivets than I was expecting when estimating how long it would take to completely rivet up a wing! Got the AP servo assembly painted, installed and wired on the right wing. Should have the right wing riveted up over the weekend and into the paint shop by end of the month!
Left wing riveted closed.jpg AP installed 2.jpg AP installed 3.jpg

[fairchild1934]

laying out horizonal stab drawing on build table. making a bending for for the LE tubing out of 2 pieces of hard wood ply wood. About to make the little towers to support tubes 1 inch off of table.

[DBeaulieu]

Second wing getting riveted up. Can use the pneumatic squeezer for most of the trailing edge

Wing #2 getting closed.jpg

[SpruceForest]

Carlo headed to Oshkosh next week while I head down to Tampa to close out my GPS disruption resiliency work at the airport and enjoy that refreshing Gulf Coast mid-summer weather. Did get a few shots of the elevator trim servo mount after the airplane got wings removed and moved back to home hanger for final pre-cover work. Carlo did a single tab versus the split tab plans version based on his experience with his Mustang II which has been operating without any issues for the past 12 years. Will be taking a break later in the summer to do some of his covering work and try to learn that skill-set from a couple show plane pros. You don't know what you don't know until you know it, so only one way to remedy that deficit.

Along with the lightening holes to keep weight down on the elevators and rudder and a light-weight servo and mount, removal of the tubing and cable needed for the plans-built elevator trim system helps on overall weight reduction aft of the CG. (Carlo already moved EarthX battery and a couple other systems closer to front seat based on weight savings). Case on engine mount in background of shot borrowed from some cool dude on a short grass strip NNE of Roanoke, VA. Will be returned to owner at the fly-in this year.

CC Elevator 4.jpg CC Elevator 3.jpg CC Elevator 2.jpg CC Elevator 1.jpg CC Elevator 5.jpg

[Nev]

Very interested to hear how your trim servo installation goes - I very nearly did this myself. Should work well and eliminate any trim tab movement during normal elevator use.

[DBeaulieu]

Forming wing light lens...eventual success. Wings are done, back in the rack and going to paint in a few days. Took longer and more rivets than I had anticipated...like most of my projects





lens forming in progress.jpg ready for paint.jpg

[rkennell]

IMG_6013.jpg IMG_6014.jpg IMG_6012.jpg IMG_6015.jpg IMG_6016.jpg I have been working on the electrical system and avionics over the last couple of months. I started in the tail and have worked forward installing servos, ELT, ADAHRS, beacon, and making pitot - static connections. Fuel pumps are in and connected for the SDS EFII system. The electrical system has designed redundancy in it with two separate feeds to the essential buss. There is a switch to shed the non-essential buss to reduce load incase of alternator failure. I am using a Monkworkz generator for backup power. The electrical system and panel were designed by my friend Dean, laser cut by a local fabricator and the vinyl overlay was printed and applied by a local printer. I have two switches to wire and will be making connection between the different avionics elements. Hopefully that will be completed in the next week or two and I will begin to work on covering and painting. This whole experience has been filled with new learning and discoveries.

[kuss]

really like the removable breaker panel!

[rkennell]

The breakers on each side are on removeable panels. The panel is also designed to be able to tip out to make it easier to work on components behind it. The trays that some of the items are attached also are hinged back at the firewall to help access. We tried to make it as easy as possible to access components but there will be some tight areas.

[U2fletch]

Testing my seat templates for accuracy. Using my big laser cutter to cut out the foam and fabric. Made a Bearhawk graphic for the seat back for fun. Once I am happy with the design and fit, I will switch to leather.

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[DBeaulieu]

Finally getting the wings to the paint shop

on trailer to paint.jpg

[DBeaulieu]

Getting schooled on rib stitching...almost as tedious as fuel tank bay nut plates! Rib stich right stab.jpg Rib stich right stab 1.jpg

[Bcone1381]

I liked stitching.

[Skyward II]

Getting schooled on rib stitching...almost as tedious as fuel tank bay nut plates! Rib stich right stab.jpg Rib stich right stab 1.jpg

I used rivets. Makes clean installation.

[svyolo]

Phase one complete for N776BE at 63.9 hours. I started flying in the dead of winter last year, and went for hours over quality hours. I wanted 40. But I had CHT issues, even in winter. It took me over 20 hours, after the intial 40 hours. .6 at a time, to sort the temps. The last stumbling block was #6 CHT sensor was reading at least 50 F high. I swapped in #4 and did a short flight. Perfect.

So cowl flaps open, 65 KIAS, max CHT was 360 F with an OAT of 71 F. Cowl flaps closed still good.

No one thing fixed it. A dozen little things. But I did have one last thing that kicked my butt for a few weeks and it was a CHT sensor..

It now cools so good I wonder if it needs the the cowl flaps.

Experimental Aviation. Love it.

[Bcone1381]

Congratulations! A dozen little things...I'm curious. I want to see the list. And did you give any thought to refine each cylinder attempting to get them equal? Pass along what you found out.

Second. When I hit 40 hours I felt like things were proven and I went to Oshkosh. But today I feel I am still building. I don't think I'll ever be done. When we keep refining things our ships get better and better. I keep thinking of stuff I want to try, measure, and know.