Bearhawk Patrol Belly Pod

[Ladybearhawk]

Does anyone recommend a specific place to get a belly pod made for a patrol? Anyone with a mould? Im in Canada and I can't seem to find a company that will make them to spec.
Id love to get one as not much room in the cargo area for back country camping.
Oriana

 

[Bcone1381]

I have considered this. I want to encourage you, but want a belly pod that is very useful for the Patrol Fleet. The Patrol, and I think all Bearhawks, dont have as much room between the ground and the belly as a Cub. So, I recommend you measure how much space you Patrol has between the belly and the floor in the hangar. Then decide how deep the pod should be. Big Tires will lift the belly up. I believe that Virgil's Five Belly pod penetrates up into the fuselage area. Our Patrol has a the elevator push-pull tube there though.

What do you want to carry? I am starting to design an aft baggage area and think I will fabricate it from 1" webbing. It will hang from the tubing at the ceiling and carry light weight bulky stuff like sleeping bags, coats, pillow. I think if I also made a second baggage net that served as a shelf behind the seat and lid to the main baggage area then it might make useful more space.

Our Patrols have plenty of load carrying capability without going aft of CG, so an aft baggage area makes a lot of sense.

 

[m.mooney]

I’ve tried to convince a friend that makes cub pods to make them for Patrols….no luck, not enough prospective buyers. In my opinion, the Patrol desperately needs a pod to fully realize its utility. If someone gets this figured out, count me in for the purchase.

 

[500AGL]

Anyone that would make one will need drop off a Patrol to create the mold. Names that come to mind is Lewaero, Carbon Concepts, Airglas, Firmin..., none of which will be near someone for logistics.

 

[m.mooney]

Anyone that would make one will need drop off a Patrol to create the mold. Names that come to mind is Lewaero, Carbon Concepts, Airglas, Firmin..., none of which will be near someone for logistics.

Lewaero is who I’ve chatted with about this, Eric didn’t seem very interested. I live close to him and would definitely offer my patrol for the mold, heck, I’ve already offered…multiple times. My Patrol is scratch built, not that it should matter, but? If we could get a bunch of commitments, that might change his mind. His pods are absolutely gorgeous. It would be expensive, I’d say $5k minimum but I’m guessing.