MidGenerationAL
Well-known member
Hello all. I am halfway between exploring and committing to completing a Bearhawk 4.
My father has been an engineer/builder in the auto racing business since the early 1970s. He started a scratch build about 15 years ago - progressing slowly but steadily between race car jobs - until a few years ago he felt he was no longer mentally sharp enough to fly and the Bearhawk build stalled.
I work in health care but I've always had some kind of building/making project going on - guitars, tube amplifiers, a kit car - so I have a smattering of skills but no true expertise in any one relevant area. I was interested in flying as a teenager, did ground school and passed the test, but was not supported by my mother or stepfather and by the time I had control of my own destiny I'd moved on to other things.
Enter my teenage daughter, who has always been mechanically gifted and over the past few years has become increasingly interested in aviation mechanics and flying. Her current fascination is to become a missionary pilot which happily for her requires both flying and maintenance certifications.
A much smaller project I know, but last year Taylor and I rehabbed a go-kart that had been sitting in the barn for 30+ years and I was impressed by her persistence and tolerance for disappointments/setbacks along the way. The broccoli-to-dessert ratio in that project was pretty steep for a teenager but she stuck with it and got it done.
What we have now:
Fuselage frame complete, needs to be blasted primed and painted after sitting in the barn for several years.
A Lycoming engine that was getting close to rebuild hours 10+ years ago and has been sitting in the interim
Wings and flaps - parts all built, cleco'd together - need to be dimpled prepped painted and riveted.
Fuel tanks made beautifully by my father - his fabricating and welding are master-level - but I don't think they've been leak tested yet.
In addition to my father's expertise, shop, and flying experience Taylor has a preposterous number of aviation-themed aunts and uncles including an air force pilot, an air ambulance helicopter pilot, a commercial pilot, an amateur pilot, and an aircraft maintenance instructor.
Next steps:
Taylor and I are going to an EAA sheet metal workshop in a couple weeks.
We'll need to help dad rearrange his shop to make working space.
Then I suppose finishing the wings will be first on the agenda.
I'm sure I'll be back with 10,000 specific questions along the way but would appreciate any observations or feedback on the above.
My father has been an engineer/builder in the auto racing business since the early 1970s. He started a scratch build about 15 years ago - progressing slowly but steadily between race car jobs - until a few years ago he felt he was no longer mentally sharp enough to fly and the Bearhawk build stalled.
I work in health care but I've always had some kind of building/making project going on - guitars, tube amplifiers, a kit car - so I have a smattering of skills but no true expertise in any one relevant area. I was interested in flying as a teenager, did ground school and passed the test, but was not supported by my mother or stepfather and by the time I had control of my own destiny I'd moved on to other things.
Enter my teenage daughter, who has always been mechanically gifted and over the past few years has become increasingly interested in aviation mechanics and flying. Her current fascination is to become a missionary pilot which happily for her requires both flying and maintenance certifications.
A much smaller project I know, but last year Taylor and I rehabbed a go-kart that had been sitting in the barn for 30+ years and I was impressed by her persistence and tolerance for disappointments/setbacks along the way. The broccoli-to-dessert ratio in that project was pretty steep for a teenager but she stuck with it and got it done.
What we have now:
Fuselage frame complete, needs to be blasted primed and painted after sitting in the barn for several years.
A Lycoming engine that was getting close to rebuild hours 10+ years ago and has been sitting in the interim
Wings and flaps - parts all built, cleco'd together - need to be dimpled prepped painted and riveted.
Fuel tanks made beautifully by my father - his fabricating and welding are master-level - but I don't think they've been leak tested yet.
In addition to my father's expertise, shop, and flying experience Taylor has a preposterous number of aviation-themed aunts and uncles including an air force pilot, an air ambulance helicopter pilot, a commercial pilot, an amateur pilot, and an aircraft maintenance instructor.
Next steps:
Taylor and I are going to an EAA sheet metal workshop in a couple weeks.
We'll need to help dad rearrange his shop to make working space.
Then I suppose finishing the wings will be first on the agenda.
I'm sure I'll be back with 10,000 specific questions along the way but would appreciate any observations or feedback on the above.
