BEARHAWK ~ FIRST ENGINE START !!! (Part 3 Airworthiness Certification and Phase 1 Flight Testing)

[@robertlafnear4865]

I'm bettin' that engine will do more than just 'fly' the plane.....probably make it over the 50' tree in a 100' run or less............. I like it.

[@TheBaldPilot]

I know another Bearhawk builder that has a 600' strip behind his house. He has no trouble getting in and out of there, and he has TREES on both ends!

[@robertlafnear4865]

I BET !..... besides COOL......AWESOME for sure,... hang on !

[@danielstover3029]

Wow, what a quiet giant and smooth as Tennessee whiskey... Beauty and a beast. Near perfection and very beautiful! Congratulations on your progress and thanks for sharing. 👍

[@TheBaldPilot]

Thank you kindly!

[@ericgoldstein4734]

Rob, I’ve been watching your videos since the beginning. You have done an amazing job. The Bearhawk looks fantastic and I’ve been inspired by your insistence on quality, your work ethic and your sense of design. I wish you great enjoyment and continued success as you complete testing and ultimately fly. Best, Eric

[@TheBaldPilot]

Thank you for the kind words, Eric!

[@MrBtdobie]

Excellent work Rob. You gotta be seeing the light at the end of the tunnel now.

[@TheBaldPilot]

Thanks! Yes! We're getting close!

[@LincolnMolin]

You have got to be excited! Sounds great! It was so smooth I thought something was wrong with it at first. Can't wait to see it in the air! Great job all the way around.

[@TheBaldPilot]

Much smoother than I expected. Pleasantly surprised! Thanks!

[@TimTallevi]

Congrats! That’s a big moment. I’m getting excited to start mine now. Only a few months to go. Hopefully....

[@TheBaldPilot]

Thanks! I'm excited for you!

[@barnesandrewj]

A testament to your awesome meticulous attention to detail. well done sir!

[@TheBaldPilot]

Thank you kindly!

[@tomshelton435]

Sounded like a really well balanced engine

[@TheBaldPilot]

It really does. The roller tappets, porting & polishing really make a difference! I'm happy that it is a smooth and quiet engine. Big loud engines are cool, but not when you're sitting behind them for hours at a time.

[@davidrobins4025]

Exciting day - congratulations on the progress.

[@TheBaldPilot]

It really is! Thank you!

[@simoncorporation3]

You worked for such a good outcome, the determination is rewarded. Good job & engine.

[@TheBaldPilot]

Thank you so much!

[@wingslevel]

Love your choices of everything you've done on this bird. Great job! Can't wait to see it soar!

[@TheBaldPilot]

Very soon! Thanks!

[@freakfly23]

What a feeling that must be. Congratulations sir!

[@TheBaldPilot]

Yes it really is! Thank you!

[@daverobinsonTnT]

Smooth (two thumbs up)

[@TheBaldPilot]

It really is! Thank you!

[@danielbasovitch5087]

That engine sounds like a sleeping BEAST. Cant wait for the first flight and takeoff at full power! That is going to be a movin machine.

[@TheBaldPilot]

Thank you!

[@aerotangoBearHawk]

Great job. This is a big milestone. You’re very close to your first flight now. Mike.

[@TheBaldPilot]

So close, Mike!

[@ColbyOsborn]

Awesome accomplishment, Rob! And thumbs up Mikey!

[@TheBaldPilot]

Thanks Colby! You're next!

[@davidpearson383]

Awesome progress - she sounds like a beast. Congratulations!

[@TheBaldPilot]

Much appreciated!

[@scratchbuilder5952]

WOW...got shivers.... Congratulations....

[@TheBaldPilot]

LOL! Thanks!

[@j.muckafignotti4226]

WOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOO! HELL YA! I think I’m more excited about this than you are. Fantastic first run, if you only knew...

[@TheBaldPilot]

Glad you are as excited as we are!

[@j.muckafignotti4226]

@@TheBaldPilot Any ideas as to a first flight date?

[@TheBaldPilot]

@@j.muckafignotti4226 No way to know. I was originally shooting for a first flight date over a year and a half ago! Depends on so many factors... What squawks will we find in testing? Taxi testing? Additional "to-dos". When will the inspector be available for the airworthiness inspection? What will be the results of his inspection? How long will his paperwork take to complete? When will my APP (additional proficient pilot AC 90-116) be available? What about the weather...? Just one day, it will happen!

[@j.muckafignotti4226]

@@TheBaldPilot Well, from the looks of that “wreck” I’d say the possibility of any serious squawks are as near to zero as possible. You have produced a VERY fine looking aircraft. You might just make videos, but there are those of us who are looking at your build, not just as an aircraft, but as an airworthy item. From watching your videos (all of them), and as an A&P, I have not been able to ding anything you’ve done, except maybe your side window installation, and that’s a nothing. Everything is organized, secured, bright, in the open, and apparently just done right! Sir, take the compliment and run with it. Have you gone to high power yet on the engine? A warning, my Lycon O-540 put its builder in a grape field due to fuel starvation at takeoff full power. No harm occurred to the aircraft said the pilots seat cushion. Make sure that damn boost pump is singing like choir boy at take off. Otherwise you’ll see your rock crusher burning about 37-40 gal/hr at takeoff power and I’m thinking 13.5-15 gal/hr when she’s at altitude and properly leaned. If I’m not mistaken those Lycoming T-Bolts are running what, 9.0:1 compression. Mine was 10.0:1 and that insufferable bitch ran hotter than the face of the sun. Make sure your baffling is tight and no air leaks, it’ll go a long way to keeping you from stressing on climb out. After rotation and lift off I had enough power reserve to back off to 23-24 in/Hg for the climb and still get almost 1200 ft/min out of the super Rebel. Check your oil cooler pathway and make sure you have good flow through it. Oil temps on the Murph “occasionally” ran between 195-205 on takeoff because the guy who built her was only thinking cool weather ops, Alaska! I had much to modify and re-engineer to get my oil temps down in the mid 175-185’s, and it was a colorful bitch to do it to boot! Go slow on your taxi tests and bed those pads so you don’t have any seat cushion soiling moments, the hotter you get those little bastards during bedding the smoother they will be under heavy braking. That is all!

[@TheBaldPilot]

@@j.muckafignotti4226 Well, I appreciate the kind words. We did have a couple of squawks after running the engine some more. I was not able to get the prop to cycle. Pull the prop and found the cap still on the crank, which I swear I removed it. Reinstalled the prop, ran the engine again, prop still wouldn't cycle even at 2,400. Dug in further and discovered that the Dynon Skyview HDX EMS was configured for a 4 cylinder with mags, which gave erroneous and lower than actual RPM's (I thought it did not sound like it was making a lot of power) I changed the settings on the EMS to pulse at 1.5 instead of 1.0. and that did the trick. Prop cycles at 2000 RPM now. I have not run the engine at full RPM yet. Will try soon. It does pull hard at 2400 and I'm sure will even more at 2700 and worry some if the double puck brakes will hold it. Yeah we will run the boost pump in take off, climb and pattern work. The engine pump indicates 31psi. The boost gives it an extra 2 or 3 psi. From day 1 I've heard nothing but how these engines run HOT, which is why I built the carbon fiber plenum. I think I'm the only Bearhawk with a plenum. Yes it's a 9.0:1 compression. 5 & 6 are running hotter on the ground. Hopefully the plenum and the additional forward aluminum baffles will help. I did bed the brakes right after my first taxi test. And I think I will give them another hard bedding session again next time I have her out. Thanks for watching!

[@landsail130]

Nice looking Bearhawk , I helped build one we put a LS1 Chevrolet in it.

[@TheBaldPilot]

Thanks!

[@ODemy-qe1hq]

Hi! Congratulations! This is happening! We are waiting for First flight! Good luck!)

[@TheBaldPilot]

Thank you!! It's happening!

[@leeadams5941]

That engine sounds great. Waiting for more..good stuff

[@TheBaldPilot]

Thanks! More to come! Just working on small squawks right now.

[@edwardhasiak7961]

That is one beautiful BEARHAWK! Can't wait to see it fly. Good luck with the Mags.

[@TheBaldPilot]

Thanks so much!

[@bigmanue2291]

Great job, enjoyed watching the build, looking forward to her first flight

[@TheBaldPilot]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@dougdrinkwater1119]

Wow!! I’ve been looking forward to that moment since I started watching your awesome videos 👍 looking forward to your first flight s

[@TheBaldPilot]

Awesome! Thank you!

[@arthurpearson3407]

That engine runs and sounds so smooth. You’ve done a masterful job on the mods!

[@TheBaldPilot]

Thanks, Arthur!

[@flyingkub]

All these mile stones being walked past like going home down hill. Great stuff.

[@TheBaldPilot]

Yes they are! Thank you!

[@ExperimentalAdventure]

Congrats on a successful first run!

[@TheBaldPilot]

Thanks!

[@Parr4theCourse]

That's got to be a great feeling...good job...congrats!!!

[@TheBaldPilot]

Yes! Thank you!

[@KellyBradyPilot]

Awesome Brother!! Wow what power!!! Nice ya da man!!👍👍💯

[@TheBaldPilot]

Thanks, Kelly!

[@amp7876]

Great job., but the guys standing in line of the prop scares the heck out of me. Hopefully it was just the camera making it look that way.

[@TheBaldPilot]

Thanks Thanks! Yes, You may have heard one of the guys telling the boys not to stand in the line of the prop.

[@ToyManFlyer1100]

Yeah, even in RC , you don't do that...Seen a prop shatter..The force thuu it a 100'nerd feets... Stuckdidid in the growld...

[@thepeanutking]

Good job 👍

[@TheBaldPilot]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@Bearhawk_Life]

Congrats

[@TheBaldPilot]

Thanks!

[@Bearhawk_Life]

@@TheBaldPilot looking really good and close to getting in the air

[@clrann78]

That is so awesome....

[@TheBaldPilot]

Yeah, it was a big day! Thanks for watching!

[@mkwflyinglife5166]

Totally outstanding. Do you think you will make Sun and Fun? Hate to see someone else win...

[@TheBaldPilot]

Won't make Sun & Fun. My phase 1 flight testing will be 40 hours and no more than 50 nm from home airport.

[@danielbasovitch5087]

Hey Rob, AV gas or Car gas? WoW, Rob, congratulations. That motor and exhaust combo is QUIET!

[@TheBaldPilot]

110 LL Av Gas. Compression is too high on that engine for Mogas.

[@sonshinelight]

Ok. Extreme envy setting in here, Rob. When do you sleep!? 🛩️😁 Cuz I'm betting you didn't last night!

[@TheBaldPilot]

Ha! I sleep in the cargo hold of the Bearhawk every night! (NOT)

[@sonshinelight]

@@TheBaldPilot LOL. Being a trucker, I actually get that. However the trucking I'm doing now in Northern British Columbia I'm home every night and have not slept in my truck for over a year

[@ginacalabrese3869]

I love how the plane is coming along but can I make a tiny suggestion as far as the videos go? The transition to the intro is startling and is loud throughout until going back to the video topic footage. Not trying to be rude

[@TheBaldPilot]

Thank you for the suggestion! My hearing sucks and I don't wear ear buds. Will try to fix that.

[@nrolled2888]

Expected Horse Power?

[@TheBaldPilot]

275. Thanks for watching!

[@MyWTFName]

Congrats

[@TheBaldPilot]

Thank you!