New Bearhawk Model 5 - first flights

[svyolo]

Especially with a heavy engine, 3 bladed prop, and full skylight. That would be sub 1400 with a PV 540, 2 bladed composite prop, and no skylight. I am assuming it has full electrical as hand starting a big 6 cylinder with a 3 bladed composite prop is supposedly "unpleasant".

That thing has "Floatplane" written all over it.

[Nev]

Awesome Mark, congratulations. Really looking forward to hearing further test results in due course.
I can’t see the mouse door. Has the lower door sill been raised ?

[Nev]

Actually I can see now the lower door hinge line is angled. Good idea.

[svyolo]

Mark;
Are the tail feathers the same as the 4 place B model? Gear legs? Is the only difference the wider/longer fuselage, and probably a wider firewall?

[Mark Goldberg]

No John. Neither the tail surfaces nor the L/G legs (and the attach fittings) are the same as the 4 place. All the material is upsized for the higher gross weight of the Model 5. There is some commonality of parts in the fuselage. The rudder pedals and stick assy come to mind. But most everything is different. Mark

[Smokyray]

Nicely done! Look forward to more performance numbers!

[Rudder]

Can’t wait. This is going to be great. Anyone want to buy two and have me build them one?

[Westward_Flyer]

Looks amazing! As someone with 2, soon to be 3 kids this looks like it could be a God-send. Very eager to hear about the CG envelope and seating arrangements that people are planning with it.

I'll add that I was very reluctantly starting to contemplate getting a murphy moose kit due to my family size and am so glad I get to keep my bearhawk dream alive.

[Mark Goldberg]

Maybe we can find a Murphy Moose to do a wingtip to wingtip test flight. High speed cruise and low speed stall contest. I doubt it though because when we try and find other planes tp fly next to - no one wants to do it because they know how bad their planes will compare. It would be interesting though as these two are the only 6 seat experimentals that I can think of. Mark

[Russellmn]

There's a guy up here in Superior, WI (KSUW) with a Moose. I wouldn't doubt he'd be up for a side by side video...

[zkelley2]

I bet that would come out incredibly favorable to the bearhawk.

[Rudder]

That's what I was thinking a better moose and way more builder support. Id love to see a progress report on the kit from Avipro....

[whee]

Ah, crap. My bank account isn’t going to like this.

Mark, Is the cabin any taller in the rear area?

[schu]

Mark, it might be helpful to note that the 180 and 185 have the same dimensions. The 185 isn't any longer or wider. From what I understand it has stronger/longer gear, beefed up wings, beefed up wing mounts, bigger vertical stab, and other things that make it able to deal with the much larger engine and higher gross weight.

[schu]

So many people just love the idea of a car engine in an airplane, and while I'm not an advocate of a car engine (not because of the engine, but because of the fuel system and PSRU complexities), this airplane would be one of the first viable candidates I've seen in the experimental world. With the weight of an IO-580 or IO-540 on the nose, you actually would be able to swap it out for a small block v8 without immediately hosing your useful load or CG.

[schu]

I completely disagree that 500HP is easy for a 6.0 or 6.2 LS3 and thus suitable for aircraft.. That's a LOT of camshaft and requires a lot of RPM. Maybe 400hp, which is still way too much. Don't get me wrong, I'm not advocating for a car engine unless you want to be a mechanical engineer and test pilot, I'm just saying that the engine weight profile for an angle valve lycoming is MUCH closer to what an aluminum v8 weighs than the parallel valve lycoming the 4-place uses.

[Russellmn]

500 crank isn't much. 500 wheel is. RPM is up there a bit, but nothing it can't handle.

Ultimately, I think suitability is a matter of opinion, as well as how much power/rpm that particular engine can reliably produce/withstand. As well as getting one of the few well tested gearboxes for it.

[Russellmn]

Another quick thought on this. 400hp is stock for the car 6.2, actually I think that would be detuned slightly..

[SimonNicholson]

After squeezing a fifth seat in my cargo area I see this post. Timing was never my thing, but my kids are getting older and I am becoming less and less cool every day.

congrats on the new addition to the stable.

[Bdflies]

I had the same thought!