bearhawk patrol vs. carbon cub ex

[Curtis]

I am a Canadian private pilot from Manitoba. I currently own and operate a Cessna 150 and an RV-10 from the grass strip on my farm.
I am planning to upgrade my C-150 to a modern conventional gear aircraft for the following missions:

1. Economical Local flights – crop inspection, sightseeing
2. Commuting from our lake property approx 80 miles away – utilizing a neighboring unimproved pasture (c/w rough terrain, rocks, bush) for a runway
3. Perhaps someday doing a dream trip to Alaska along the Rockies

I have narrowed down the search to the Carbon Cub EX and the Bearhawk Patrol. Looking for input...

1. What would be your opinion on the suitability of either or both of these aircraft for what I have in mind. Based on the research I have done so far, I think that the Carbon Cub is a “slicker”, more cosmetically appealing aircraft with a more comprehensive kit(similar to the RV’s) established reputation and resale market, and a very strong STOL performance. I believe that the Bearhawk Patrol is able to carry more, fly farther and faster, but the kit is more reliant on the builder’s skills, it will have a slightly inferior STOL performance, and the reputation and resale market is not established.
2. What kind of performance have you seen in areas such as STOL, fuel burn, and speed?
3. How did you equip the aircraft? and what would your recommendations be?
4. What was your build experience – time and/or expense required? Extra items that you had to acquire to complete the build?

Any advice you would have would be appreciated.

[Chewie]

Hi Curtis! Funny you should ask, there is another discussion underway on a similar topic. For the record, would you be setting the carbon cub gross at 1865 lbs?
I believe you will get some lively feedback here, and of course it will be biased toward the Patrol. I personally can't speak for kits but I am VERY glad I went with the Patrol. I'll let others with more build experience elaborate!

[jaredyates]

Looking at the Carbon Cub website, it seems like CC and the Patrol are two different projects. The CC looks to be a much more complete kit with a lower advertised build time, but also a significantly higher cost. The Patrol has an aluminum sheeted wing instead of a covered wing, which might be a consideration. I'd suggest getting in touch with Hatcher Ferguson, since he has built two Patrols with different end missions. Don Aldridge is his building partner, and Don's email address is don@k4pk.com. Don can also tell you more about their performance and costs. I don't think either of them is likely to see your message here.

[Curtis]

It would have to be the EX model with the high gross weight, as Canada does not have the LSA class

[Zzz]

You have 2 considerations here: The building experience and the flying experience.

The CC-EX kit is definitely more complete with many parts ready to just bolt on. There is one currently being built at my airport right now and I am very impressed with the kit. I used to think completeness of a kit was an important thing, until I actually started building my Bearhawk and realized how I was glad that Mark decided to let builders spec their own hardware, wheels, tires, fabric, etc etc. Whatever was included would likely not satisfy everyone. You'd end up with a bunch of parts you realize you want to upgrade part way through. There is a lot to be said though for having known components tested and documented that they work well together. The CubCrafters people are great to work with, though my experience is not as a customer. The Bearhawk kit is testing my skills in a few areas, and since you're required to fit some of the parts and drill holes for mounting/attaching things like the controls, it's not totally bolt-on. It's not hard, and it is rewarding.

Do you care if your wing is all-metal or fabric?

The flying experience is probably the most important consideration, and something that is a must-do before you can commit to either model based on other criteria. Flying a Cub of any kind is a joy, the controls are just so harmonious and they tend to be quite forgiving. I don't think I've flown a more docile taildragger, though the Bearhawks have a good reputation in that area too. The low end of the airspeed envelope of a Cub is hard to match without a modded wing with slats and slotted flaps. I have yet to fly a Patrol but I have spent a little time at the controls of a 4 place. It was also very good, just different. Slightly sportier in the feel. The other considerations are roominess and the ease of entry. Getting into and out of a Cub, while not an issue for a flexible youngster like me can be a little gymnastic. If I was building a Cub I would make a full height up-swinging door like a Rans S-7 to prevent the step-over. I'm not even sure it's structurally possible, but getting into the Patrol, similar to an Scout/Decathlon/Citabria, is much easier. The CC along with most Cubs is also a bit tight for tall guys. My wife hates riding in the rear sling seat of the Sport Cub (which I fly often) but I think she would enjoy the back seat of the Patrol or a Scout much more.

The speed range of the Patrol is impressive. With a constant speed prop you can completely dust a Cub in cruise. For STOL ops though, light weight is the name of the game. Big tires that let you get higher AOA on takeoff helps if you have enough engine and prop to power it off the ground. A less complete kit lets you make decisions like that. It will also let you bloat and add unnecessary goodies and weight whereas the CC EX might keep you closer to their lightweight recipe.