This ‘$2,000 Jet’ Seduced Thousands of Pilots… Then Turned On Them скачать в хорошем качестве

This ‘$2,000 Jet’ Seduced Thousands of Pilots… Then Turned On Them

The Bede BD-5 was one of the most ambitious aircraft projects in general aviation history: a tiny, fighter-like homebuilt conceived by engineer Jim Bede, the same designer behind the BD-1 (which evolved into the American Aviation AA-1 Yankee) and the BD-4 kitplane. When it debuted at EAA Oshkosh 1971, the BD-5 looked like something straight out of a NASA concept sketch: retractable landing gear, bubble canopy, metal monocoque fuselage, detachable wings, and advertised cruise speeds approaching 200 knots. Magazines like Popular Mechanics and Sport Aviation hyped it as the “personal fighter jet” any pilot could build. Bede promised a kit that could be assembled in 600–800 hours, using nothing more than basic garage tools. Pilots lined up with $400 deposits, eventually sending Bede Aircraft millions of dollars for kits they believed would redefine the homebuilt market. But behind the scenes, the BD-5 program was fighting physics, timelines, and reality. The early prototypes flown by Bede in 1971–1972 suffered from pitch sensitivity, roll instability, and a razor-thin center-of-gravity envelope. Even after aerodynamic tweaks, new stabilizers, and rigging changes, the design remained unforgiving, especially for low-time pilots with no two-seat trainer. Test pilots described it as “sensitive and slippery,” echoing comments later made by airshow pilot Debbie Gary. Then came the engine crisis. Bede first used the Polaris 2-stroke engine, then switched to a 650-cc Hirth snowmobile engine, believing it would supply the 60–70 horsepower needed. But the Hirth suffered from cooling failures, vibration issues, and repeated power loss during FAA demo flights. When Hirth went bankrupt in 1974, the entire program collapsed, leaving thousands of BD-5 builders with crates, manual revisions, and no viable powerplant. Even the later deal with Zenoah engines couldn’t save the project from production delays, incomplete kits, and rising builder frustration. Out of roughly 3,000 kits sold, only about 150–200 BD-5s were ever completed and flown. Accident statistics were grim: an unusually high percentage of BD-5 first flights resulted in crashes, many fatal, often tied to CG misalignment, engine failure on climb-out, or over-controlling at low speed. Ironically, the only version that truly delivered on the promise was the BD-5J microjet, powered by the Sermel TRS-18 turbine. Debuting at Oshkosh in 1973, flown in tight formation by demo pilots like Jimmy Rossi, the BD-5J became a worldwide airshow sensation and later appeared in films including Octopussy (1983). But the jet’s success couldn’t save Bede Aircraft, which folded by 1979, leaving behind one of aviation’s most controversial legacies. In this documentary, we break down: • Jim Bede’s design philosophy and “concurrent development” approach • The KR-2, Sonerai II, and Rutan VariEze comparisons • The aerodynamic quirks that made the BD-5 both thrilling and dangerous • Why Richard Collins once called it “one of the best flying machines ever built” — when it worked • How rushed production, missing engines, and unrealistic timelines doomed the project • The BD-5J’s surprising success and lasting influence The BD-5 remains a paradox: a brilliant aerodynamic idea overshadowed by engineering shortcuts, business optimism, and one of the most infamous engine choices in homebuilt history. It was the airplane that promised everything, speed, style, affordability, and became a cautionary tale that still echoes across the kitplane world today. If you love deep aviation engineering, Cold War-era experimental aircraft, and the untold stories behind aviation icons, this is the definitive BD-5 story.