Alright. I want to hear some dirt on the Bearhawk Patrol. I'm sure that there are some "lurkers" here that are flying one of these mythical creatures.

I am especially interested in real world cruise numbers and off airport performance, load hauling ability, CG stuff, etc. Everything that pertains to the stuff we do here.







If anyone has even flown in one, let me know, post up your thoughts!!! Any info is good. My needs are changing and I am considering a Patrol for my next airplane.

Thanks!

I'll just get this out of the way right now. Just buy a Maule... haha!

You should give Bob a call. He is easy to talk to and will give accurate information.

whee wrote:You should give Bob a call. He is easy to talk to and will give accurate information.

I actually already did! I'm gonna head down to his place at some point in the near future to check his Patrol out. He's a super nice guy.

Nothing against him at all, but I want to hear others perspectives. I have talked to one other person that has flown one (actually Bob's) and he was impressed with the performance, but he only flew it one time. I would like to hear what its like living with one. It sounds like its right up my alley.




Patrol Specifications
Top speed 165 MPH
Cruise Speed 140 MPH
Landing Speed 35 MPH
Take-Off Roll (Gross Wt.) 250 feet
Range (55 gal. @ 35%) 900 miles
Empty Weight 950+ lbs.
Gross Weight (Utility Stds.) 2,000 lbs
Wing Span 33 feet
Wing Area 180 sq. ft.
Length 22 ft, 8 in.
Height (3 pt.) 6 ft, 4 in.
Cabin Width 32 in.
Cabin Length 9 ft. 5 in.

Engine Applications 115 hp to 210 hp

The wide speed envelope is what makes it an attractive prospect. I don't think it can hang on the low end with Super Cubs and the like, standard non-slotted flaps etc, but as an all-a rounder I bet it can come really close. It will absolutely dust a Cub in cruise.

Finish weights are pretty light from what I have seen in the annual calendar, around 1000-1100 with O-360 if I remember correctly.

The roomy cabin is very attractive.

I think the gear are similar to the Husky, probably very similar to mine haha.

There is one guy here on BCP who is flying a Patrol, but I don't remember his username. It can be hard to find a builder and pilot who are also capable of the kind of flying you to see it proven with. Good luck.

Good. Also good you want to hear from others. Bob shoots straight but he has his opinions and he sticks to them. I really like the patrol and if I wanted a two place that is likely the route I'd go. Give us a report after you fly Bob's.

This might help you find resources: http://www.bearhawkbuilder.com/

Also, there is a fly-in at Frederick, MD next weekend that Bob and Mark Goldberg will be at with their Patrols.

Without having done any real research on the Bearhawk Patrol, it looks like a formidable bush plane....big wing, big engine, tall stout gear, and good visibility. I wonder if one could extend the wings/flaps a tad and improve(reduce) the stall speed a bit to get closer to cub speeds on the low end. I know the high end would suffer a bit from extended wings, but still would probably dust a cub in cruise. After all, we don't buy bush planes for their excellent cruise numbers.

It's really really really fun to land and takeoff from short and rough spots in a supercub, but man are they painful when it comes to X-C flying. A 10mph headwind with turbulence is punishment from the flying gods for having so much fun

What kind of baggage capacity does the Patrol have? Any room for improvement there?

I think it would be a good candidate for a set of Keller double slotted fowler flaps. Baggage is a hybrid between super cub and American champion.....I think

bart wrote:. I know the high end would suffer a bit from extended wings, but still would probably dust a cub in cruise.

Hey Bart. This line is very curious for me. WingX claims speed increases with their wing extensions for the 180/185. Would extending the wings on a patrol not have the same effect?

I haven't read about the WingX claims, but I can't imagine longer wings improving cruise speeds, but then again I'm no rocket surgeon.

What if the wing extensions were 15 feet on each end, would that make the plane faster or slower?? Thats the way my feeble brain sees it.

I'm no rocket scientist either. Just a humble farmer. But 15 feet on each side should technically make it faster. As your aspect ratio becomes higher your induced drag decreases, so you should pick up some speed...

If we have enough power to go faster, we need to bleed off lift (angular drag) for straight & level flight.

8GCBC wrote:If we have enough power to go faster, we need to bleed off lift (angular drag) for straight & level flight.

....so extensions make it faster or slower?

A1Skinner wrote:

8GCBC wrote:If we have enough power to go faster, we need to bleed off lift (angular drag) for straight & level flight.

....so extensions make it faster or slower?

Airspeed = Pitch
Altitude = Power

That's all I know right now.

There's a give and take relationship with more aspect ratio.

As you increase AR, the resultant velocity imparted on the air is less since the lift required for flight is spread over a larger area. The decreased imparted velocity results in less induced drag. However, a larger wing bets an increase in parasite drag.

So the answer to whether longer wings are faster or slower is: it depends.

I went and answered my own question(s) today.



Ill post up my thoughts soon!

I'm anxious to hear. Looks like home.

Here is my humble attempt at a video review of the Patrol.



It's a quasi Review/Trip Report.

I enjoyed that. Thanks!

What's the deal with the glass panel Patrol? Thought Bob was allergic to electricity.