Noodling Bearhawk Weight and Balance, Part 2

Source: 2007 Q1 Beartracks, Rob Gaddy. Click here for Noodling Bearhawk Weight and Balance, Part 1
Before we begin, I made an error in Part I of this article. In Figure 3 the weight on the main gear should be 1,196 pounds, not the 1,271 pounds shown. The 1,196 pounds is just the measured weight on the main tires, the 600 pounds for the right gear plus the 596 pounds for the left gear. Since we were summing the moments around the main gear, the error did not affect the calculation.

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Angel Point

Source: 2007 Q1 Beartracks, Pat Fagan
Angel PointStars, stars, stars, and more st…, well, you get the picture. Angel Point is a star gazers paradise, but more about that later. Angel Point is located in the Canyonlands region of SE Utah. The coordinates are

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Noodling Bearhawk Weight and Balance, Part 1

Source: 2006 Q4 Beartracks, Rob Gaddy. Part 2 is in 2007 Q1.
What do I need to know about Bearhawk Weight and Balance? If you are still reading I will assume you have an interest in the subject also, so come along for the mental trip and we will see if we learn anything.
Let’s start with the basics; here is our Bearhawk, figure 1. Let’s assume we have finished it but haven’t flown it yet. It has all equipment installed and engine oil, but not fuel. I want to know two things, first what does it weigh, and second where does it balance, hence Weight and Balance or W&B. To answer these questions let’s put some trustworthy scales under each tire to find what the weight is on that particular tire. Let’s level the fuselage, it is important later. We will use the W&B for N33RB as given in the October 1999 Bear Tracks, page 6 for an example.

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Wing Root Vents

Source: 2006 Beartracks, David Bice
I put Cessna vents in the leading edges because Bob says they work fine. In case anyone else want to use these, I thought you might want to know the original Cessna vent has to be modified. It is an easy modification and only requires

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Getting a nicely centered hole around a bolt hole! – by Tom Walter

Source: 2006 Q4 Beartracks, Tom Walter

Tom's Daughter Focused on the Task

Tom's Daughter Focused on the Task


You can buy commercial drill bushings that will center a drill in a larger hole. While nice to have it is not always possible to have the size you need on a weekend. A quick way to make up a drill bushing is by

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Correcting a Heavy Wing- The Washer Method

Source: 2006 Q4 Beartracks
The following info was developed by Jim Clevenger, owner & builder of the just finished Florida demo Bearhawk – plans serial # 448 (prototype kit). If your plane has a heavy wing in its initial flights, after checking the flaps are inline on both sides, and you notice that when flying hands off one aileron is high and one low.

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Goler

Source: 2006 Q4 Beartracks, Pat Fagan
GolerSeek your fortune while you follow in the footsteps of the lost 49ers. Goler is a good destination for hiking and mountain biking, with lots of mining history. Spend the night in an actual miners shack or sleep out under star filled skies.

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