Bearhawk

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[edit] Bearhawk

The Bearhawk is a 4 place, high wing plans built airplane designed by Bob Barrows. The cockpit is somewhat larger than that of a Cessna 172 and the plane has excellent utility and visibility. It is a taildragger (conventional) landing gear airplane that can accept a wide variety of engine options. According to the designer, there have been just over 1000 sets of plans sold. The success of the plans has prompted the creation of a fast build kit, which is available from Avipro.

In general, the Bearhawk fills a niche in the experimental aircraft market. It's a four seat airplane capable of carrying four people, cargo, and full fuel. Searching the Experimental Aircraft Association database of over 700 experimental aircraft designs will result in roughly a dozen other planes capable of making that same claim.

Perhaps the largest claim to fame for the Bearhawk is its flying performance. A Bearhawk builder has many engines to choose from within the 150 to 260 hp range so the actual specifications on the plane vary widely. According to pilot reports posted on the Avipro website the common thread is that no matter what the hp you choose, the plane has excellent performance.

The numbers from Bob Barrows indicate that a 260-hp Bearhawk has a climb rate advertised at 1700 feet per minute and a cruise speed of roughly 150 mph, but a Bearhawk built and flown by Pat Fagan has reported cruises at 160 mph. Speed improvements can be made through prop variations, aerodynamic improvements (such as wheel covers and speed fairings), and by reflexing the flaps. Landing speed is roughly 40 mph. The plane can also be fitted with floats, although only one builder in Oregon is confirmed to have done so.

Building a Bearhawk from plans is estimated to take over 2000 hours, but there is help with the building process. You get the support of the designer, newsletters, a builders group on Yahoo and a community of builders who believe they have the absolute best aircraft on the planet. Some special tools are required to build the plane because the Bearhawk design makes use of several construction techniques; the wing is riveted aluminum, while the fuselage and tail are welded 4130 tubular steel with fabric covering. The control surfaces use aluminum ribs and are also fabric covered.

The total estimated cost for the materials to build the Bearhawk from plans is $6000 to $8000 not including the engine, prop or avionics. The available quick build kit reduces the time to build significantly.