Bearhawk Aircraft’s Model 5 Makes First Flight

Six-place, 300 hp STOL airplane also hauls big loads.

Jonathan Welsh

Friday, November 11, 2022 at 04:37 PM ET

Verified

The six-place Bearhawk Model 5 has made its first flights. [Credit: Bearhawk Aircraft]

Key Takeaways:

The new kit-built Bearhawk Model 5, a six-place backcountry aircraft, has successfully completed its first flight, offering increased hauling capacity.
The aircraft performed as expected, demonstrating agile handling and efficient cruising speeds, such as 142 knots indicated at 8,500 feet.
It is designed for versatile use, combining strong STOL capabilities for off-airport operations with reasonable cross-country travel speeds.
The Model 5 is designed to accommodate Lycoming engines ranging from 250 to 315 hp, with the tested version using a 300 hp Lycoming IO-540.

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Bearhawk Aircraft said its Model 5—a kit-built, six-place backcountry design—has completed its first flight. The new model brings increased hauling capacity to the Austin, Texas, company’s current lineup of two- and four-place airplanes.

The aircraft performed as expected, according to Rollie Van Dorn, an airline pilot who flew the Bearhawk 5 for its initial 25 hours and also flew the Model 5 prototype, along with other Bearhawk models.