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Bearhawk 4-Place C-GGUB first flight May 1, 2022

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  • Bearhawk 4-Place C-GGUB first flight May 1, 2022

    Quickbuild serial number 111 arrived in my garage on April 5th, 2019. I couldn't start working on it right away so I'm calling June 1, 2019 as the official start date. That makes it just shy of 3 years to complete this project. Sometimes it feels like it took forever, and other times it seems like yesterday that I was unboxing all those parts.

    On May 1st I flew C-GGUB for the first time. That feeling will be hard to beat. I found it more exciting, more nerve wracking, and more intense than my first solo. Sitting at the end of the runway and pushing that throttle all the way in for the first time is something that I've been visualizing for over three years. It was actually a little tough to do it. Not out of fear or the worry that something would go wrong so much, more of a sense that it was the final step in making an airplane and I was about to find out how well it works.

    Holy crap it works! The thing is a beast. I haven't done any really aggressive take offs or landings yet but its off in a few hundred feet and lands about the same.

    My engine is freshly overhauled so the first flight was just under an hour at 80% power. CHT's were fairly even in the 360-370 range for the first half of the flight and then they all dropped over the next 20 minutes to the mid 340's.I was sweating the cooling system because I've read plenty of posts about people having cooling problems but I'm very happy with the numbers I'm seeing. My front right cylinder (#5 - it's a Continental) is running a little cooler than the others but that's an easy fix.

    The performance of this plane is pretty phenomenal. The speed range is massive. When I tell people that 77% power gives us 164 mph TAS they don't believe me. I haven't explored the bottom of the range too much yet but it looks like it's stalling clean at around 52mph and full flaps in the lower 40's. Mellow stall with a clean but gentle break so far. I've got VG's painted and ready to go but I want to get a really good baseline before I install them.

    Most of my fixed wing time is in a Murphy Elite so this plane is a step up in weight class for sure. The Murphy's controls are as light as a helicopter - i felt right at home. The Bearhawk is heavier but well balanced and still a lot lighter than the 182 I've spent a bit of time in. It'll take a bit to get used to the extra weight but so far so good. One thing I have to mention, I LOVE THE TRIM system. I've read comments that it is too sensitive - and I've not flown it with a full aft CofG yet - but at 2400 lbs and a mid range CofG it works great. I've never liked Cessna trim systems where it feels like you're winching a bucket out of a well to pull the nose up a few degrees. Overall, the rigging seems to be pretty good. The right wing gets a bit heavy over 140mph but below that it flies straight hands off. I'll deal with correcting that later.

    My instructor buddy signed me off for the insurance company today so now it's time to really explore the envelope while I fly off the 25 hours testing phase. I'm looking forward to getting to know this thing and finding out what it's really capable of.


    5D4_0014_Bearhawk_resized.jpg
    IMG_5961.jpg (I've got an alternator issue - that's tomorrows job to figure that out)
    Last edited by TimTall; 05-04-2022, 10:42 PM.
    4-Place QB kit #111. First flight May 2022.
    IO-470 - 260hp

  • #2
    Wow, fantastic report. Congratulations!
    Mark
    Scratch building Patrol #275
    Hood River, OR

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    • #3
      Congratulations,

      Comment


      • #4
        Congratulations Tim, a great looking aircraft!!

        Regarding the right wing being heavy - it might be an optical illusion, but is your right flap reflexed a bit ?
        Also, if you were to reflex both ailerons a bit, it makes them much lighter, and reduces adverse yaw. I had mine set level with the wingtips at first and it was pretty heavy in roll, much lighter now.
        Last edited by Nev; 05-05-2022, 03:09 AM.
        Nev Bailey
        Christchurch, NZ

        BearhawkBlog.com - Safety & Maintenance Notes
        YouTube - Build and flying channel
        Builders Log - We build planes

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        • TimTall
          TimTall commented
          Editing a comment
          I do need to tweak the flaps. I adjusted them so they would sit even with the aileron and wing root fairing on the ground but as soon as they get airflow over them the go to that reflexed position. They're both about the same so I'm not sure that the cause of my problem. Could be though for sure.

          I just read about the aileron reflex thing too. That's an easy tweak so I'll try that this weekend.

        • Nev
          Nev commented
          Editing a comment
          When I first flew mine I had the flap cable tight so the flaps didn't retract fully onto the dampeners. The cable stretch allowed them to reflex under load too. I must have adjusted them about a dozen times until I realized the issue

        • TimTall
          TimTall commented
          Editing a comment
          Good call on the flaps. That was the issue. The right flap was reflexing about a 1/2" more than the left. Fixed now and it flies straight hands off.

      • #5
        Congratulations

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        • #6
          Congrats, that is awesome.

          Keep the reports coming.
          N678C
          https://eaabuilderslog.org/?blprojec...=7pfctcIVW&add
          Revo Sunglasses Ambassador
          https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQ0...tBJLdV8HB_jSIA

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          • #7
            That is just awesome! Congrats. From the picture....I guess you are a helo pilot by background ? :-) All helo pilots I know want to fly from the rights seat....
            -------------------
            Mark

            Maule M5-235C C-GJFK
            Bearhawk 4A #1078 (Scratch building - C-GPFG reserved)
            RV-8 C-GURV (Sold)

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            • TimTall
              TimTall commented
              Editing a comment
              I took the picture. That's my flight instructor friend sitting in the plane. I don't mind flying from either seat but I set it up to be flown from the left so it's not an oddball in the airplane world. My favourite heli to fly is the Hughes 500 and that's flown from the left. Makes way more sense to lean over the collective to look out the door than to lean away from it.

            • rv8bldr
              rv8bldr commented
              Editing a comment
              I didn't know that about the Hughes, Tim. Cool. All of the helo pilots I know are ex-military tactical and SAR pilots...

          • #8
            Good job Tim! Congratulations. You must have been working like a machine.

            Are those controllable cowl flaps, or are they fixed? I really enjoyed your pictures. I’m guessing that’s Gibson’s-Sechelt airport? Nice backdrop anyway.

            Comment


            • TimTall
              TimTall commented
              Editing a comment
              They are controllable cowl flaps. I'll do a post on them soon. They work really well. They create so much suction on the low pressure side of the engine that they actually pull the top cowl between the hinges down if they are open at higher speeds.

          • #9
            That looks like a phenomenal job, a solid accomplishment nailing the 3 year build.
            Enjoy the Phase One,

            One question. What / how was the technique for the panel label?

            Congratulations

            Kevin D
            KCHD

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            • TimTall
              TimTall commented
              Editing a comment
              I'll post about the panel soon too. That's printed vinyl like you'd wrap a car with. Exterior grade. They say it's good for at least 5 years on the exterior of a car so it should last a really long time in a clean, low UV environment. Turned out really good and was pretty easy to do.

          • #10
            Congratulations, it looks great!

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            • #11
              Looks outstanding! What engine/fuel system is that?

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              • TimTall
                TimTall commented
                Editing a comment
                Continental IO-470 with the stock contintental FI.

            • #12
              Congratulations! Great looking Bearhawk!
              Bill Duncan
              Troy, Idaho
              Bearhawk Five - Plans #5053
              Builders-Log

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              • #13
                What a beauty. Love the color.

                Comment


                • #14
                  Great job! Love your colors!

                  Squamish?…..looks like the Chief in the background

                  exciting to have more Bearhawks in BC

                  am going to give my daughter an aerobatic flight at glacier air for her birthday, mind if we come take a look?

                  Dan
                  Kamloops BC
                  778-220-8001

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                  • TimTall
                    TimTall commented
                    Editing a comment
                    That's the spot! Definitely get in touch when you come to town. I'll give you the tour for sure.
                    Tim 604 892 4058

                • #15
                  Congratulations...very big accomplishment!

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