BEDE BD5

[L21-B]

Is the BEDE BD5 a type that could be operated under the LAA ?

[Brian Hope]

Hi Jeffrey, the quick answer is no.
The longer one is that the type was a very popular (ambitious?) kit designed by Jim Bede in the seventies that was sold before being fully developed. The two-stroke engines that it was designed for never materialised and many people got their fingers burned, never receiving all their kit before the company went bust - and we’re talking several thousand people who ordered kits, mainly in the US. Those that were finished have had a bad accident record. The high wing loading calls for fast approach speeds which make off airfield landings very risky, and engine failures were a serious issue with high revving two strokes-enclosed inside the rear fuselage. There were also some handling issues, made all the worse when people experimented with alternative engine installations.
There were one or two completed in the UK, plus the odd import of the 5J jet powered version. Accidents here led the CAA to ban them, a somewhat controversial decision. UK resident Howard Cox, has a BD5 on the Irish register (EI-DNN) that he keeps, and flies, in Waterford, Ireland. It has a Mid-West rotary engine. I’ve seen it fly, goes like hell and screams like a banshee. There was (is?) also a second flyable BD-5 in Ireland.
Howard’s a nice guy and obviously a keen BD5 advocate, he won’t thank me for saying I wouldn’t touch one with a bargepole and my guess is that the LAA wouldn’t either, even if it was possible to overturn the CAA’s banning decision.

[L21-B]

Hi Brian
Thanks for the reply, had no idea about the CAA involvement regarding this type, sort of put a stop to the partly constructed jet powered one I found in the UK. Is the Howard Cox you mention from the precision flying comp days ?

[Brian Hope]

I'm not sure, he lives in the West Country I think, and has a lovely old Bellanca Cruisemaster which is on the US register - N7600E.
Rgds, Brian

[MikeM]

Jeffrey, yes, Howard lives in Bideford, N Devon and has been involved with the Precision Pilots' Association for many years. He's an LAA Inspector and his contact details are given on the LAA Aircraft & Technical / Find an Inspector webpage.