Found FBA-2

FBA-2
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Found Aircraft FBA-2C1 BushHawk
Role	Cabin monoplane
National origin	Canada
Manufacturer	Found Aircraft
Designer	S.R. Found
First flight	1960
Status	Production completed
Number built	68
Developed from	Found FBA-1
Variants	Found Centennial

The Found FBA-2 is a 1960s Canadian four/five-seat cabin monoplane that was produced by Found Aircraft.

Design and development

The Found FBA-2 is an all-metal development of the company's first design, the Found FBA-1. The prototype first flew on 11 August 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 first flew 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

File:Expedition-E350.jpg

Expedition E350

The E350 is an evolutionary 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 has a range of 700 nmi (1,296 km) at a cruise speed of 156 kn (289 km/h) and is powered by a Lycoming IO-580 powerplant producing 315 hp (235 kW). The E350 has been designed with rugged landing gear for operating from unprepared surfaces and has STOL performance.

At the time of the aircraft's certification the company said:

Certification of the E350 is the culmination of over two years of development by our dedicated team of employees and suppliers who worked hard to make this day happen. The Expedition was designed to be the true meaning of a high performance, flying SUV and the undisputed heavy-hauler in its class. E350 owners will not have to choose fuel over friends when planning long cross-country flights.

Variants

FBA-2

Prototype, one built.

FBA-2C

Initial production variant, 26 built.

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

Minior 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.

Specifications (FBA-2C)

Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1965-66

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Length: 26 ft 5 in (8.05 m)
• Wingspan: 36 ft 0 in (10.97 m)
• Height: 8 ft 4 in (2.54 m)
• Wing area: 180.0 ft² (16.72 m²)
• Empty weight: 1,550 lb (703 kg)
• Max. takeoff weight: 2,950 lb (1,338 kg)
• Powerplant: 1 × Avco Lycoming O-540-A1D flat-six piston, 250 hp (187 kw)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 147 mph (128 knots, 237 km/h) at sea level
• Cruise speed: 129 mph (112 knots, 208 km/h) (economy cruise at 5,000 ft (1,525 m))
• Range: 610 miles (530 nmi, 980 km)
• Service ceiling: 16,000 ft (4875 m)
• Rate of climb: 1,100 ft/min (5.6 m/s)

References

• The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985). London: Orbis Publishing.