Bearhawk #303 flew for the first time 12/27/04. Now have 2.5 hours. The airplane flies nicely, the controls are light and well balanced, and with an O-540 there is more than enough power. We are having a typical Gulf coast winter with plenty of fog and low clouds, so it may take a while to get all the flight test done.

Bill Cox

Guys, you need to get busy, Bud's not kidding, this is a great flying bird. I am at the 6 hour mark and beginning to get past Yee Ha and into a little more evaluating things. I was able to get some altitude and work on stalls today. Power off clean 52 MPH IAS, 2 notchs flaps 46MPH IAS. There was no wing drop and the nose would drop to the horizon and go back to flying.

With the O-540 235hp 65% is showing 135 MPH IAS at 3000 feet. The GPS showed 140 - 142. 45% will show 118 to 120 and sipping fuel.

I'm a long way from being proficient. Using slow throttle application I'm off in about 300 feet. At 80 MPH the climb is 2000FPM+, but blind. Climb at 110MPH gives about 1300FPM and you can see, so a little safer in traffic. I'm approaching at 70 with 2 notchs of flap, 30 foot trees on the end and usually stopped in about 800 feet. Yee Ha!