Does any one have any info or opinions about a Bearhawk Aircraft? Looks like a Maule.

Here's there web site http://www.bearhawkaircraft.com/

I know where you may be able to pick up a very nice one in ca.

I looked at them ,but unless you are really into the building part ,I dont see any advantage over a maule. It will cost you at least 90 000 so why not (I hate to say it)just go buy a maule. seems to me you could spend the same, or less, money and just get in shut the door and go flying.

There are three guys who belong to my float flying club here in Ontario, that are building one. Went out to their place to look at it last month. Looks interesting, but as was mentioned, building a plane is a time consuming thing. So far they have put 3 years into it and even though the last one retires in less than a year, it will be some time before it will be completed. Buying an older C180 , Maule or Stinson, would be instant gratification. I guess in my mind it just depends if you are building because you would enjoy it or because you are trying to save money. If you are interested, PM me and I will send you one of their e-mail addresses. I am sure they would be happy to share info with you. Steve

If you find your way to Lakeview, OR, the guy that runs the airport is working on one, and likes to show it off.
tom

If you like to build, then it's a great plane. You have a brand new plane when you're done for much less money than you could buy a brand new plane of similar capability. However, it is time consuming. I'm about to start building my second airplane because I enjoy the building aspect. I'm also going to be flying a friends plane while I'm building!

svanarts wrote:If you like to build, then it's a great plane. You have a brand new plane when you're done for much less money than you could buy a brand new plane of similar capability. However, it is time consuming. I'm about to start building my second airplane because I enjoy the building aspect. I'm also going to be flying a friends plane while I'm building!

Hello. This is my first post to backcountry. I own and fly a Bearhawk and am one of the owners of the kit company. While the overall size & appearance of the Bearhawk might look like a Maule, it is very different in the way it flies.

I don't want to offend anyone who owns a Maule however. I will just say the Bearhawk has the advantage of being a new, modern design with all the advantages of engineering improvements since the 1950's when the Maule was designed. Yes, you have to build it. But if you look at what guys say who have flown the plane, they all love it. Check out the testimonials section on our website www.bearhawkaircraft.com. I would be happy to answer any questions about the plane - both building and flying it. I have about 275 hours in mine. It has an O-540 and is a real beast. All the best to you all. Mark

Mark,
Any Bearhawks that you know of that are on big bush wheels and get worked off of gravel bars/rough terrain?

Is the gear designed for big tires (33-35")?

How light can you build one with an 0-540 if you keep equipment/interior minimal?

Thanks,
Brent

Won't cost $90,000 if you stick build it. Buy a wire welder, chop saw, and a good 4" angle grinder and have fun while saving money. The biggest advantage I can see for building one vs. buying a maule is if you're the builder you do the servicing, anuals, etc. (saving money) and only carry liability insurance(saving more money). If you bend it you fix it

highroad wrote:Mark,
Any Bearhawks that you know of that are on big bush wheels and get worked off of gravel bars/rough terrain?

Is the gear designed for big tires (33-35")?

How light can you build one with an 0-540 if you keep equipment/interior minimal?

Thanks,
Brent

Hi Brent. I am not very familiar with the format of this site. So I hope I don't screw up too badly. There is one BH on 26" Goodyears. They fit with no problem. I kind of doubt the bigger tires would clear all the parts of the L/G leg. But a set of landing gear legs could easily be done that would accomodate the big tires. The man who flies on the 26" Goodyears is a corn farmer in Indiana. He tasked himself with learning to take off and land his BH at full gross in 600 ft. He does it every time.

My BH weighs 1545. One BH flying in Salt Lake City has the same engine/prop as me, and his weighs 1420. One could be built even lighter if that is your goal. The take off max weight is 2700 with landing max weight of 2500 lbs. These are max weights calculated for utility category strength requirements. No normal category for this plane per the design engineer.

There are six or seven Bearhawks being built in Alaska. I know that the gravel river beds etc. is where those guys will be flying. I think we are going to take my BH up there in May for the Alaska Airman's show. Mark

wirsig wrote:Won't cost $90,000 if you stick build it. Buy a wire welder, chop saw, and a good 4" angle grinder and have fun while saving money. The biggest advantage I can see for building one vs. buying a maule is if you're the builder you do the servicing, anuals, etc. (saving money) and only carry liability insurance(saving more money). If you bend it you fix it

Please excuse me for correcting something you wrote, but we don't wire weld anything nor do we recommend anyone else wire weld a 4130 tube fuselage. We oxygen/acetelyne weld it all up. A few parts are tigged. I know Maule's are wire welded. But no one should weld a BH that way.

It is true it can be scratch build at less cost than a kit. No question about it. But some folks have more resources than others. It is all a time vs money consideration. Mark

What do you have against using a wire welder?

Tadpole and I both managed to get some stick time in the Bearhawk demo at OSH this past year. Pretty darn incredible bush plane. Got off the ground in no time with 3 of us onboard and had a nice cruise up around 130kts. I did a stall series and the thing just seemed to not want to break. Very docile handling plane. I would have loved to get my hands on the Bearhawk Patrol (2 seat version). If I was going to build one, it would probably be on the top of my list.

wirsig wrote:What do you have against using a wire welder?

I am not an expert on the subject by any means. But I have learned a bit helping set up our kit factory and translating for the experts that taught our workers to weld. Wire welding on 4130 heats up a very small area where the weld is. This very small area is full of little cracks that make it prone to failure. TIG is not quite as bad. But old style gas welding heats up a wide area. A gas weld never breaks at the weld. A wire welded 4130 part breaks at the weld

It has to do with the properties of 4130. This is not true for all metals. Mark

My build partner and I were curious about that before we started our project so we welded up a couple clusters, locked 'em down in a vice, and proceeded to attempt to destroy 'em. When it was all said and done the welds didn't fail and the tubing was wadded up.
Sorry I got sidetracked from the thread. The bearhawk is a good looking machine. You might also want to look at the widebody super cub.

Hey, thanks for all the replies so far!! I should have mentioned that I was asking for a friend so I'll have him check this thread out.

Thanks again and I'm sure my friend will be looking forward to more info and opinions.

bmurrish wrote:Tadpole and I both managed to get some stick time in the Bearhawk demo at OSH this past year. Pretty darn incredible bush plane. Got off the ground in no time with 3 of us onboard and had a nice cruise up around 130kts. I did a stall series and the thing just seemed to not want to break. Very docile handling plane. I would have loved to get my hands on the Bearhawk Patrol (2 seat version). If I was going to build one, it would probably be on the top of my list.

That was my personal plane you were flying at OSH. Glad you liked it. The two place Patrol is a very sweet flying bird. I am going to build one next myself. Mark

wirsig wrote:My build partner and I were curious about that before we started our project so we welded up a couple clusters, locked 'em down in a vice, and proceeded to attempt to destroy 'em. When it was all said and done the welds didn't fail and the tubing was wadded up.
Sorry I got sidetracked from the thread. The bearhawk is a good looking machine. You might also want to look at the widebody super cub.

Pre heat and post heat will take care of the cracking when using a wire feed but could you imagine doing that on all of those short welds?

bcpstudent wrote:

wirsig wrote:My build partner and I were curious about that before we started our project so we welded up a couple clusters, locked 'em down in a vice, and proceeded to attempt to destroy 'em. When it was all said and done the welds didn't fail and the tubing was wadded up.
Sorry I got sidetracked from the thread. The bearhawk is a good looking machine. You might also want to look at the widebody super cub.

Pre heat and post heat will take care of the cracking when using a wire feed but could you imagine doing that on all of those short welds?

We only use a wire welder to tack tubes & parts together. Then we go over them with the gas torch when putting down the weld bead. Heats up the "heat affected zone". Mark

I live in Alaska and I'm building a bearhawk. While building is not for everybody, here is why I'm doing it:

1. Get the panel exactly the way you want.
2. Get the engine/fuel tanks/tires/tailwheel exactly the way you want it.
3. The FAA doesn't restrict you from putting on longer gear, different tires, etc.
4. Can use more modern gear such as light weight glass panels, gel batteries, etc.
5. You get a brand new airplane.
6. Building is a ton of fun. (my 9 and 7 year old sons are out in the shop with me building)

Reasons why I picked the bearhawk over a maule:

1. It has a stick instead of a yoke.
2. It can be a bit lighter if you go with a 0-360 and standard fuel tanks. As light as 1100 lbs.
3. The bearhawk has 5 square feet more wing than a m7 and is a little longer with bigger stabs allowing it to fly slower while still having plenty of control.
4. The construction of the wings in the quick build kit is better than typical maule, and the fuse is up to you.
5. More useful load.
6. Handles crosswind better.
7. Lands slower.

Now keep in mind that I've not flown mine yet (I have flown Marks), and I don't have any time in a maule, so some of it is subjective, and a lot of it is based on what all the guys around here say (they all fly super cubs), but none the less, that is why I picked a bearhawk instead of buying a maule.

Once it takes a moose out of the back country I'll be able to comment how it works for me, but until then, those are the reasons why I'm building one.

schu