In 1980 Slusarczyk surveyed pilots at Sun 'n Fun and AirVenture to find out what they wanted in a new ultralight aircraft design.

The survey revealed pilots were looking for:[5][8] When the resulting Hawk first flew in January 1982 it was the first ultralight aircraft with an enclosed cockpit and to use strut bracing.

[4][5][8] The Hawk wing is strut-braced, constructed from aluminum tubing and covered with either pre-sewn Dacron envelopes or doped aircraft fabric.

The fuselage is of similar construction and uses a curved boom tube for its main structural member.

[5] At the EAA Convention held in Oshkosh, Wisconsin that same year the Hawk was named Outstanding New Design and also Reserve Grand Champion.