Oshkosh Popularity Pushed Backlog Beyond 2022

Coming hot on the heels of a successful AirVenture showing, Bearhawk Aircraft has announced increased production at its factory to meet increasing demands for their Bearhawk quick-build kits.

The company has expanded their offerings in recent years, to plan and kit-form for 5 models in all. The original Bob Barrows designed Bearhawk 4-Place, the 2-seater Patrol, and their newest addition, the Model 5. Introduced in 2020, the Model 5’s 6-person seating and 300+ horsepower engine selections made it an attention-grabber at AirVenture. Mark Goldberg, manufacturer of Bearhawk kits, and numerous members of the community, made an appearance at Oshkosh, which he described as “very busy for us. The crowd was undoubtedly attracted to the Model 5 sitting on 31-inch Alaskan Bushwheels at the front of our booth. We had a ton of interest in all our models, and the most sales ever at the show this year.”

Goldberg presented an oral history of the Bearhawk, its evolution from the initial collaboration with designer and engineer Bob Barrows and development into their portfolio today. His first presentation was “Homebuilts in Review”, hosted by Joe Waltz of EAA’s Homebuilt Aircraft Council.

The presentation featured the Bearhawk Model 5 in a starring role, and an interview with Goldberg. The presentation is available online.

Bearhawk Aircraft may be poised for solid growth, as the home building industry continues to grow. Their lineup offers much for the average pilot. Goldberg described his conversion into the Bearhawk’s community, when he found his homebuilt Vans RV-8 somewhat lacking in unpaved airstrip performance. He searched for a strong, functional, aircraft to build and found the original plans in a magazine describing the kit in 1995, long before the quick-build kits became available. His original 4-place Bearhawk was built at the launch of his kit manufacturing business, where he now offers a much-simplified process for home builders to create theirs as well.

FMI: www.bearhawkaircraft.com