Found Aircraft FBA-2C1 BushHawk

 

Found Brothers Aviation was formed in 1946 to produce a new design by Captain S.R. Found, the Found FBA-1A. The FBA was a four-seat cabin monoplane designed by Captain S. R. Found. The FBA-1 was a high-wing monoplane powered by a 140 hp (104 kW) de Havilland Gipsy Major engine, designed from its inception to be operated on wheels, tundra tires, skis and on floats. The prototype first flown 13 July 1949. Only one was built and it was developed into an all-metal four/five seater, the Found FBA-2.

 

Developed version designated FBA-2A flown August 11, 1960. It is a high-wing monoplane with a fixed tricycle undercarriage. The production version was to be the Found FBA-2B but the aircraft was produced with a conventional tail-wheel landing gear as the Found FBA-2C.

 

The first production FBA-2C was a five-seater flown on 9 May 1962. It is powered by an Avco Lycoming O-540-A1D engine and had a slightly longer cabin and enlarged cabin doors than the prototype. Originally, float or ski landing gear was available through third parties, and later became a factory option. Production ended in 1965 to concentrate on building the newer and larger Centennial 100. Thirty-four had been built.

 

In 1996 the design was acquired by Found Aircraft Development who developed an improved model the FBA-2C2 Bush Hawk-XP. This model was certified by Transport Canada in March, 1999 and by the Federal Aviation Administration in March, 2000. This version was manufactured between 2000-2007, after which it was replaced by a new version of the same basic airframe, designated the Expedition E350 and the Expedition E350XC.

 

Expedition E350

 

The E350 was a development of the basic FBA-2 aimed at the personal use market. The Expedition E350 was FAA type certified in December 2008. The aircraft can be equipped with four or five seats and has a full fuel payload in excess of 900 pounds. It is powered by a Lycoming IO-580 powerplant producing 315 hp (235 kW). The E350 was designed with rugged landing gear for operating from unprepared surfaces and has STOL performance.

 

Found Aircraft went into receivership in 2013 and production ended after 68 were built.

 

New Zealand aircraft manufacturer Pacific Aerospace Limited (PAL) acquired the ownership and manufacturing rights of the E-350 Expedition from Found Aircraft after it went into receivership.

 

Already FAA-certified, the E-350 was to be manufactured at Pacific Aerospace’s headquarters in Hamilton, New Zealand, from the second quarter of 2017.

 

PAL launched a joint venture company, Beijing Pan-Pacific Aerospace Technology (BPAT), in Changzhou, China, which will manufacture the P-750 SETP and, in the future, the E-350.Once the E-350 is established in China, there is the option of assembling the aircraft in a brand new facility at Changzhou.

 

The E-350 is powered by a 325-hp Lycoming IO-580 with a turbo-charged engine option. It can carry a full load of passengers, baggage, and fuel for 750 nautical miles.

 

E-350 Expedition

 

The E-350 Expedition is a five seat design coupled with a four door design, including two large rear cabin doors, allows for easy loading/unloading of people and cargo.

 

The Expedition cabin is 53 inches and each individual rear seat can be removed quickly and stored easily.

 

Every Expedition comes standard with float attachment kits, so the E-350 can easily be turned into a big payload, high-performance floatplane.

 

In September 2016, the E-350 Expedition tooling was shipped to its Hamilton, New Zealand plant. Pacific Aerospace planned to relaunch production of the five-seat type in the first half of 2017, but this date was not achieved. It is also planned to produce the E-350 in its joint venture plant in China with Beijing General Aviation Company. The joint venture will be known as Beijing Pan-Pacific Aerospace Technology.

 

On 3 February 2021, E-350 Expedition #315 made its first production flight, at Hamilton, New Zealand. Piloted by PAL company pilot Ray Long the aircraft was to receive a CoA then be on its way to PAL’s North American dealer Northwest Back Country Aircraft in Boise, Idaho.

 

Variants:

 

FBA-1A

Engine: 1 × de Havilland Gipsy Major, 140 hp (100 kW)

Wingspan: 30 ft (9.1 m)

Wing area: 165 sq ft (15.3 m²)

Length: 25 ft 4 in (7.72 m)

Height: 9 ft (2.7 m)

Crew: 1

Capacity: 3 passengers

 

FBA-2

Prototype, one built.

 

FBA-2C

Initial production variant, 26 built.

Engine: 1 × Avco Lycoming O-540-A1D, 250 hp (190 kW)

Propeller: 2-bladed Hartzell constant-speed, 7 ft 4 in (2.24 m) diameter

Wingspan: 36 ft 0 in (10.97 m)

Length: 26 ft 5 in (8.05 m)

Height: 8 ft 4 in (2.54 m)

Empty weight: 1,550 lb (703 kg)

Max takeoff weight: 2,950 lb (1,338 kg)

Fuel capacity: 56 imp gal (67 US gal; 250 L)

Wing area: 180 sq ft (17 m²)

Maximum speed: 147 mph (237 km/h, 128 kn) at sea level

Cruise speed: 129 mph (208 km/h, 112 kn) at 5,000 ft (1,500 m) (econ cruise, 60% power)

Stall speed: 48 mph (77 km/h, 42 kn) (power off, 35 degree flaps)

Range: 610 mi (980 km, 530 nmi)

Service ceiling: 16,000 ft (4,900 m)

Rate of climb: 1,100 ft/min (5.6 m/s)

Crew: 1

Capacity: 4 passengers

 

FBA-2C1 Bush Hawk 300

Improved variant with a 300hp Lycoming IO-540L, one built.

 

FBA-2C1 Bush Hawk XP

Production variant of the Bush Hawk 300, 31 built.

 

FBA-2C2 Bush Hawk 300XP

Minor changes, 6 built.

 

FBA-2C3 Expedition E350

Tricycle landing gear first flown in 2006, 3 built.

 

FBA-2C4 Expedition E350XC

Tail-wheel, one built.

 

FBA-2D

Proposed variant powered by a 290hp Lycoming engine, not built.