Bearhawk video footage

[LukeS]

Found a nice video on Youtube today that has some takeoff and lading footage of a couple of Bearhawks in it. Just in case anyone needs to satisfy their video fix.

[Battson]

Looks like Blackrock

[Standin]

STOL is beautiful to watch. But I have a question, is a 4 seater Bearhawk a candidate of this type flying? I know it's not perfect but...

[JimParker256]

Bearhawks may not land quite as short as the outright winners in the 4-place category, but they are not far behind. Watch some of Battson's videos, and you'll quickly realize that you'll be able to land just about anywhere you'd seriously entertain going... And if I remember correctly, the difference between the numbers posted by the 2015 Llano STOL Competition winner's results and those posted by the Bearhawk 4-place were around 300 feet (combined distance, so average of 150 feet for either takeoff or landing). In the real world, that's so much better than the C-170/C-180 class machines that virtually any backcountry strip would be available to you.

The other thing to note is that most of the STOL competitions are done single-pilot and light on fuel to get the best possible performance. In the real world, you're flying into remote strips with camping gear, camping partners, and enough fuel to get back home. That's where the Bearhawk 4-place shines. Again, check out Battson's videos for "real world" performance. Some of the places he lands nearly give me a heart attack just watching!

I'm more familiar with the Patrol, which is a great example of Bob's design for "all around" performance. Van calls it "Total Performance" and designs his planes to maximize the airspeed range between stall speed and max cruise. An RV-3, for instance, stalls at 51 kts and has a max cruise of 207 kts for a ratio of 4.06:1. For the Patrol, ratio is about 4.29:1 (33 mph stall, 150+ mph max cruise).

So the Patrol can't quite match the outright STOL performance of the SuperSTOL and Carbon Cub crowd that are hyper-optimized for STOL performance, but it consistently places in the top 1/3 of the competition, with Takeoff and Landing distances that are pretty impressive. But when the competition is over, and you start flying home, you're going almost 50% faster than the "STOL winners", some of which fly cross-country at 80-90 mph...

Most surprising to me was the results Wayne Massey posted at the 2016 Llano STOL Competition in the LSA! He placed in the top 3, beating a bunch of folks with "hyper-specialized" STOL ships.

I know one thing for sure: When my Patrol is finished, the airplane will be far more capable in terms of STOL performance than THIS pilot...

[Gerhard Rieger]

If I really want to land short, I will get me a super stall, but my need is to have a aircraft that can land/take off in 300', but also have a decent cruise speed, Mine will run with a IO540, all this taken in consideration the Bearhawk is what will make me happy. what Battson do is just amazing.

[LukeS]

Here's another one with two Bearhawks.

[Battson]

Bearhawks may not land quite as short as the outright winners in the 4-place category, but they are not far behind.

What types are winning the 4-place category over there?

[Chewie]

But when the competition is over, and you start flying home, you're going almost 50% faster than the "STOL winners", some of which fly cross-country at 80-90 mph...

Touche Jim. Don't get me wrong, I understand the motivation for good stol performance, but I've always felt it a tiny bit ironic that folks will invest so much to optimize their airplane for the ground.

[whee]

What types are winning the 4-place category over there?

Take a look at the 2016 Valdez results: http://www.valdezflyin.com/wp-conten...al-Results.pdf

Rules for Classing of Aircraft:
1. Classes are defined below by model. If model is not indicated, then gross weight will be used, as defined by the aircraft’s airworthiness certificate.
Exception: All Experimental SEL will be in the “Alternate Bush Class”.
2. A class will not run without a minimum of 4 entrants in that class.
3. Note that classes below may not necessarily accommodate all aircraft.
4. NewentrieswillNOTbeallowedafterSTOLregistrationclo ses(seeScheduleof
Events).
5. Competitions Director will make all determinations, which are final.
“Light Touring Class”:
ï‚· C-150, C-152, C-170, C-172, C-175, and C-177; Stinson 108-2; Maule M-4, M-5, M-6,
and M-7
ï‚· Otherwise, other FAA certified ASEL models as determined by gross weight from
2,301 to 2,499 lbs gross weight.
“Heavy Touring Class”:
ï‚· C-180, C-185, C-182, C-206, and C-210; Maule M-9-230
ï‚· Otherwise, other FAA certified ASEL models as determined by gross weight from
2,500 to 3,600 lbs gross weight.
“Alternate Experimental Bush Class”:
ï‚· Aircraft FAA licensed as Experimental Single Engine Land.
 Also, FAA certified ASEL models as determined by gross weight from 1,321 to 1,499 lbs. “Bush Class”:
ï‚· PA-12, 14, 18, and PA-22; Stinson 105; Citabra; Huskies; Tern; Scout
ï‚· Otherwise, other FAA certified ASEL models as determined by gross weight from
1,500 to 2,300 lbs gross weight.

So the BH would line up with the Light Touring class or the Heavy Touring class. Seems they get lumped in the with Maules in the Light Touring class. C170/172s were the winning aircraft in Light Touring class in 2016 with scores (combined takeoff and landing distance) less than 250ft. C180s win the Heavy Touring class with scores under 300ft. It would be awesome to see Blackrock, Battson or any BH pilot that is truly into STOL flying compete at Valdez just to see how it compares with the other "benchmark" airplanes.

[JimParker256]

Mark G and I were discussing this once, and we decided there needed to be an "all around" competition, where the takeoff/landing distances were 1/2 the score, and cross-country cruise performance was the other 1/2. The Bearhawks would do really well in THAT competition!

[Bcone1381]

In that X-C compartment, one could add a component, or a secondary event for lowest fuel burn. That would help us all evaluate the cost/benefits of different engine, prop, and fuel delivery configurations.

In the short field T.O./Landing event, they ought to define categories by how much weight one choses to carry ...something like empty category, 250lb, 500lb, 750lb. and 1000lb categories. It also would be interesting to perform a pull test of each contestant and publicize the results so everyone can learn about engine and prop combinations that maximize that part of the performance regime.

[Bdflies]

I'm picturing tractor pulls, with airplanes! Somehow, I imagine there would be beer involved....

Bill

[Battson]

With slotted flaps, I think the Bearhawk 4-place is capable of going well under 250ft combined distance. It can already get close.

It will beat any common Cessna with mods, just as it was designed, and as a kit straight out of the factory with a weight-sensible build.

[LukeS]

More Bearhawk video

[Baloo]

Thanks for sharing my video. I was going to do it but couldn't figure out how to embed the YouTube video.

[JimParker256]

Nice video, but it would have been a lot more interesting with the camera facing forward... (We're all pilots, after all...)

[Baloo]

Here you go Jim, I pointed the camera a little more forward for you yesterday.