At one point, the Pearson Air Museum in Vancouver Washington had one. Don't recall if it ever flew. Maybe its still there.

Anyway I was talking to a docent about it when he invited me to try it on. At 5 foot, 6 inches I'm not that big of a guy. None the less, "knees as the crumple zone" is dead on. That thing was cramped, even for me.

Dan,

Your post sounds more like the thread title should have been "Why I Did Not Buy A BD-5 Project". I truly wish you well and most earnestly hope you don't become the crumple zone.

Please, PLEASE, be safe.

Jg

I saw both the jet and prop fly at a Bede open house in Newton, Ks. They also had their truck mounted trainer. Pretty impressive watching from the ground.

I asked Jim Bede why they didn't use the cruise missile type Williams turbofan for the jet. The answer was too expensive.

I saw it first at Oshkosh sometime in the seventies. I’m pretty sure that it was the first year that it was on display. It was a prop (the J model wasn’t even a thing then) and it was the coolest thing I ever saw. I was in my early teens and it dominated my daydreams for months, and possibly years. I tried to talk my dad into getting two and going places together in formation. I never could seal the deal.

I’m living vicariously through this thread.

I was there at the same time, My dad decided we'd build a Cassutt.

My daughter and I stumbled across one in the back of a hangar during an open house at a private field near me. It looks super cool but I was looking around for the RC control box.

A friend of mine built and flew a BD-5, I think he said he put 150 hours or so on it before selling it. I remember him telling me he would only sell it to a fighter pilot, which I guess he eventually did (not hard to find fighter pilots where he worked-- D-M AFB).

Same guy also built an OSH Reserve Grand Champion RV-?, so when it comes to building airplanes, he knows his stuff. If you want to get in touch with him, I'm sure he'd be happy to talk to you-- just send me a Private Message and I'll hook you up.

BTW, be sure to check out this thread, if you haven't-- I put a link in there that shows the original ad for the $4400 BD-5 kit.

https://www.beechtalk.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=111659&p=1479075&hilit=bd+5#p1479075

I’ve got some formation time with Justin Lewis on my wing in his FLSMicrojet.
That seems like a way to go.

Neat plane.

So my dad and I fell in love with the idea of each building one. Because he was very conservative with money, he suggested that we order one, and if the project went well, he would order the second one, and follow along in the build.

We ordered the information literature, which further whetted our appetites, and my dad gifted me the deposit, as I was a lowly intern, making a princely $250.00 a month.

We never heard from Bede again. Letters, calls.... nada. I came away with the thought that I, along with many others, was the victim of a scam. Perhaps it was for the best, as I don't think I could have finished it. The original idea for the engine was a German Hirth, which never worked out. There were also problems with driveline harmonics. Even if it could have been finished, I don't think the flying would have been within my abilities.

So Richard VanGruvsen achieved Bede's dream, and many years later I built an RV-8, with incredible support from the factory. And now, with the genius and persistence of the folks at Sonex, everyman can have his own jet... it has me dreaming again.

TN

Stuart, nice photo, I assume your daughter is a 6'5" NCAA basketball player ?

Stuart,

First thing is to acknowledge your beautiful daughter. They are a treasure aren't they?

I remember well when the BD-5 was announced and orders were being taken: thousands of them. I was a pilot and had a part time job working the desk after school at a motel whose owner was a pilot. We drooled over the ads together.

Lots of aviation dreams have birthed and died. None had more distance between expectations and reality than this one.

Jg

Have you seen the current "Flying Hop Cone" graphic scheme on Justin's jet?

I flew with him back in Kingsville.

Last one I saw for real was being used as a cruise missile simulator for DoD exercises by a govt contractor.

Dan,

YOOS gotz sum CAHONIES my friend.

BE SAFE, HAVE PHUN

Dan, looks like a great project. The big question, what motor are you going to go with?