Bearhawk STOL mods

[svyolo]

You might be able to also offset the actuating arm attach point on the flaps, and keep the stock bell crank.

[whee]

Yeah, the husky’s are scalp slicing headache making implements of blood sourcing. 😬

Bear in mind that the greater the hinge offset, the greater the throw is required for the control arm. So to get the same angle of flap deployment you’ll need to adjust the bell crank size. This will also affect the pull required on the flap arm. It’s a typical snowball that just requires forethought. Easily achieved.

The Husky hinges are dropped significantly, like a really long way. That dropped hinge would interfere with the rear passenger door on a BH. The Maule hinge appears to be dropped about an inch. I think maybe I could make that hinge clear my door, and hopefully I won’t scalp myself on it.

Also worth noting, the max deflection of Husky flaps is 30deg. Sometimes, depending on the flaps design, a large deflection angle is not necessary.

[500AGL]

Yeah, the husky’s are scalp slicing headache making implements of blood sourcing. 😬

Bear in mind that the greater the hinge offset, the greater the throw is required for the control arm. So to get the same angle of flap deployment you’ll need to adjust the bell crank size. This will also affect the pull required on the flap arm. It’s a typical snowball that just requires forethought. Easily achieved.

[schu]

I never realized that the husky has this. My good friend just bought a husky. This article shows how far down the hinge point is.... https://aviataircraft.com/wp-content...yRevisited.pdf

[500AGL]

Unless I'm mistaken, you guys are talking about doing the same thing I mentioned that Shane Madson had done with his cub, with designing a lower hinge point, allowing the flap to roll back as it deploys. Both the Maule and the Husky use this dropped hinge point.

[schu]

Well, when someone can get to it, we can look and see what it will take to redesign the hinge. It's just an alternate mount that can be fabricated and we loose a few degrees of deck angle on landing, that would be for sure worth it.

I have access to a bunch of actual aeronautical engineers that I do contract IT work for, so I actually have what I need to go down this road, except for my wings on the table as they are still crated. Pehaps in a few weeks.

[zkelley2]

If you want to do a wheel landing or a true 3 pt instead of tail first, a couple degrees will be a few knots which will be many 10s of feet shorter rollout. But most importantly you'll be able to see that log or that big hole.

[zkelley2]

Uh... ya that's not true at all. Just about anyone would benefit from a lower deck angle on landing.

[Battson]

I can see a little difference, but not gobs as you can see the upper windshield of both aircraft all the way down, though the bearhawk seems to have gotten into a deeper flare.

It would be much easier to tell with a cockpit camera or even better flying the approach in both.

schu

I have video of the Bearhawk with the double slotted flaps landing in a deep flare, you can easily see the difference in that case. At least 8 or 10 degrees flatter deck angle and a wonderful sight picture all the way in.

I have also flown slow approaches in both planes in that last video, as PIC, and the Maule is better - but not 8 to 10 degrees better. Just a handful of degrees. But then again, that does make a difference, especially given there is no weight penalty with that design of flap hanger - it should bolt straight on.

There is a small weight penalty, I think, with the double slotted flaps. However it was very small. You make up for that very small weight penalty by how much it lightens your wallet...

[schu]

I can see a little difference, but not gobs as you can see the upper windshield of both aircraft all the way down, though the bearhawk seems to have gotten into a deeper flare.

It would be much easier to tell with a cockpit camera or even better flying the approach in both.

schu

[Battson]

I see what's going on, but it would be hard to tell how much it would help without actually trying it, and it could absolutely end up being not worth the time/effort.

Here is a video of a Maule and a Bearhawk flying the same speed, similar wingspan, similar weight, and within 30 seconds of each other - same conditions.

The main difference is the flap design, barn door Bearhawk vs slotted as shown above. Look at the difference in deck angle.... there is a noticeable difference.

The Maule pilot can see where he's going over the nose, the Bearhawk pilot has to look around the nose or use a little sideslip. Having flown both planes, I there is a difference in deck angle.

[whee]

I see what's going on, but it would be hard to tell how much it would help without actually trying it, and it could absolutely end up being not worth the time/effort.

Your totally right, it might not be worth the effort. I’ve been digging into texts that are focused on flap design and the difference in lift at the trailing edge between a slotted flap and a plain flap appears to be significant. To me this is what matters. I don’t need the plane to fly slower; being able to land at minimum speed without the tail touching first is what I’m looking for.

[Sir Newton]

I reviewed some flap modifications with 71yr old aerial spray applicator with 17k+ hrs spraying fields in the Alberta /BC foothills. My friend knows how to fly heavy low and slow. He looked at the flaps on the bearhawk model B wings & said there is no need to change anything. Plenty of flap for that little plane. You will not be able to use what you have. No need for more.

[schu]

I see what's going on, but it would be hard to tell how much it would help without actually trying it, and it could absolutely end up being not worth the time/effort.

[whee]

Maule Flaps :


E4C67A01-9A38-45B2-8E15-FC07D924B4A5.jpeg08F1CEAB-AF6D-4820-B05E-12E9C42C4D92.jpegFC859557-007F-40F9-B49D-7E061BE3F477.jpegD785F098-3E19-4D63-A215-F090C90F07D8.jpegA98BCE7D-0C96-4397-AC87-B30D6E9B0E4F.jpeg

Awesome! Thanks. Those pics are massively helpful to me.