Source: 2025 Q4 Beartracks, Jared Yates The weather was perfect for this year’s fly-in picnic at Bob’s airport in Fincastle, Virginia. We arrived by plane to find several other Bearhawkers already in position. John Bickham won the award for flying the farthest, by coming from New Mexico with 13.9 hours of flight time. This was my first opportunity to see his plane, N61XB, and it didn’t disappoint. He was up to around 760 hours total time since his first flight in 2020, but the airframe didn’t show the age. For this trip he left out the back seat, though he does have one he can put in for the grandkids. Around 74 hours prior, he installed a new set of Millenium cylinders, due to one cylinder having a cracked exhaust valve guide. His oil consumption has dropped from a quart in 4-5 hours to a quart every 14 hours. The wings and landing gear are from the kit factory, and the fuselage is scratch built. John devised an interesting lift mechanism that allows him to raise the tail of the airplane when he is camping. This makes sleeping in the plane more comfortable. Bearhawk LSA builder Sam Scott was in town from the North Carolina Piedmont, along with his very experienced building buddy. Stephen and Monica Murphey, also LSA builders, drove up from South Carolina. Repeat-builder Roy Glenn drove in from central Tennessee, and Ray Gabriel from Wisconsin also drove in. Carlo Cilliers and Todd Stock flew in with Carlo’s Aircam. They were planning to transport some parts and materials home and the Aircam was well-suited to carry them. It wasn’t especially fast though, and they had to leave fairly soon after lunch to make it back to FDK before dark. Carlo’s Patrol is getting close to flying, and Todd is following behind with a second Patrol build. LSA builders Chuck Calvi and his buddy Mack drove in. Chuck’s plane has about 26 hours on it, so hopefully we’ll get to see it fly in next year. It was also good to see Tim Weaver with his blue and white Bearhawk LSA, in from Pennsylvania. Several of Bob’s local EAA friends were also there. Pilot and mobile A&P Hiram Leon of the New River EAA Chapter brought his young girls. He’s on track to be a Bearhawk builder though he might not know it yet. Bob’s grandson Erin Terry was there with his two very young children (Bob’s great grandchildren), the youngest being a practically-new 2025 year model baby. Our daughters had a great time playing with those two and with Hiram’s kids as well. Bearhawk builder and owner Chuck Morris drove in from Michigan. Chuck usually brings some produce from his farm, and this year it was pumpkins. He offered that we should take one home, and our 11-year-old daughter Sarah thought that was an excellent plan. These were not small pumpkins. Knowing that our cargo capacity is large, but yet finite, I proposed that if Sarah could carry a pumpkin across the runway to our plane, then we could take it. A few minutes later, Sam was carrying a giant pumpkin across the runway, having undoubtedly been the victim of our young con artist. We didn’t have a scale, but I don’t think it was more than 80 pounds or so.

Overall it was a fantastic way to spend a day. We got to see Bob’s brown and white completed Companion all put together. We are thankful for Bob and Diana’s hospitality!