Found FBA-2C Bush Hawk
Found Aircraft · Canada · first flew 1998 · light aircraft
The Found FBA-2C Bush Hawk is a rugged single-engine, high-wing Canadian utility aircraft designed to carry a pilot and up to five occupants into remote airstrips.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Boxy high-wing utility body |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Boxy high-wing utility body
- Single nose-mounted piston engine
- Rugged fixed landing gear
Recognise it by the slab-sided high-wing fuselage, single nose-mounted piston engine, sturdy fixed undercarriage and utilitarian squared wingtips and tail. It reads as a purpose-built load-hauler rather than a sleek tourer.
Specifications
- The Found FBA-2C Bush Hawk has a length of 8.05 m (26 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 10.97 m (36 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 248 km/h (154 mph).
- Typical crew: 1 or 2 pilots.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
It revives the design of the original 1960s Found FBA-2C bush plane, which Found Aircraft returned to production as the FBA-2C1 Bush Hawk XP, first flying in this modern form in 1998. The updated aircraft pairs the proven boxy airframe with a 300-horsepower Lycoming engine for improved load and performance. Production continued in small numbers into the 2000s alongside a stretched Expedition derivative.
Variants
The main modern version is the FBA-2C1 Bush Hawk XP; a turbine-powered Expedition E350 development followed, later built in New Zealand by Pacific Aerospace. All share the same short, deep fuselage and squared-off flying surfaces.
Where you'll see it
It is very much a North American backcountry and floatplane workhorse and is essentially absent from UK civil registers, where light utility flying favours other types. Any British relevance is limited to enthusiast interest and comparison with classic bush aircraft.
Related aircraft
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