Bede BD-5: Aviation's Bold Leap!

In this detailed video, we delve into the fascinating history of the Bede BD-5, an aircraft that promised revolutionary changes in personal aviation but ultimately fell short of its grand aspirations. Starting from its inception in 1967 by Jim Bede, inspired by the Schleicher ASW 15, we trace the BD-5's journey through its design innovations, technical challenges, and eventual downfall.
Discover how the BD-5, with its sleek, jet-like design, compact size, and innovative features such as a V-tail and retractable landing gear, captured the imagination of aviation enthusiasts. We explore its unique capabilities, from its impressive speed and range to its dual-wing options for different flying experiences.
However, not all was smooth sailing for the BD-5. We unravel the challenges that plagued the project, from stability issues and engine problems to production delays and financial troubles. The video highlights the numerous changes the aircraft underwent, from engine modifications to design overhauls, as it struggled to meet its lofty promises.
We also delve into the impacts of these challenges on the builders and enthusiasts who invested in the BD-5, discussing the lengthy and often difficult assembly process, the safety concerns marked by a series of tragic crashes, and the eventual legal and financial troubles that led to the downfall of Bede Aircraft.
Despite its troubled past, the BD-5's legacy lives on, from its role in airshows to its adaptation in modern aviation training. Join us in exploring the complete story of the Bede BD-5, an aircraft that soared with promise but ultimately was grounded by reality. Subscribe for more aviation history and insights.
#BedeBD5 #AviationHistory #AircraftDesign #PersonalAviation #InnovationInFlight #AviationChallenges #PilotSafety #AircraftEngineering #AviationEnthusiasts #FlightTechnology
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We make the best educational aviation videos you've ever seen; my videos are designed to clear misunderstandings about airplanes and explain complicated aviation topics in a simple way.

[@seanworthington4361]

I built and flew a stretched BD-5B with a turbo Honda engine. Took 5 years to build and about 2500 hrs. First flight was 1/16/95. Not a forgiving aircraft but also not too hard to fly if you payed attention. Stall was about as abrupt as aerobatic aircraft like a Pitts. I rolled it but never spun or looped it. Engine was the biggest problem. I had an ignition failure right after take off and set it down next to a freeway. Donated the wreck to a local A&P school.

[@antonyarnanova]

Glad to have you still around!

[@danbunge9787]

Indeed!

[@gsp49]

I recall seeing that plane. It had a Honda powered emblem on it?

[@davidelliott5843]

Small jets struggle for reliability and fuel consumption is insane.

[@allwinds3786]

I saw one with a BMW 980cc "airhead" the owner/builder said she had no reliability problems.

[@Bbutler787]

Lived in Arizona in 1976 and heard that Retired Senator Barry Goldwater had purchased a BD-5 kit and it was for sale. I called him and we talked about my mechanical skills, and my financial strength going forward. Said he’d like to sell that darn thing but he had heard how some guys were having difficulty building their kits and some were not able to get all the parts. I thanked him for talking me out of buying it. And my wife is still thankful I didn’t buy it.

[@dpfreedman]

Thank you for this video. I saw the Coors Light Silver Bullet BD-5J team at an airshow in Sussex, NJ a million years ago and I have never forgotten that spectacular demonstration.

[@gsp49]

I saw the Coors light silver bullet perform at Robins Air Force base, Georgia alongside the Thunderbirds, it seemed to be just as fast, the pilot was an attractive young woman who only weighed about 100 lbs. Forgot her name. She had post it notes stuck on the instrument panel. I remember it like it was yesterday. She could raise and lower the landing gear with a snap the wrist, and demonstrated it as part of the routine.

[@SinVacas-ch5fv]

Same pilot (owner) and plane, 007, Coors and Budweiser. The company now does stand in for missiles… crazy interesting story.

[@garygandy2615]

Shortly after becoming a certified private pilot in 1974, I began glider training at Vacaville Gliderport in California. The school had a plethora of soaring-related publications strewn around the facility. I remember one had an advertisement from Bede Aircraft offering a "glider school in a box." It contained kits for five BD-5G gliders and a BD-4 towplane! All you had to do was put 'em together, and PRESTO, you were in business. I imagine this was to be a massive group project. Unclear if this offer had any takers. A couple of decades later, as a CFI in gliders and airplanes, I had the opportunity to fly a BD-4. It has very short wings, requiring very high climb speeds to maintain an adequate safety margin above stall. I can't envision an airplane LESS suited to towing gliders.

[@ebikecnx7239]

I did my glider commercial at Vacaville in 90s with Rusty. It was a good location, coming in over I80 to land.

[@garygandy2615]

Glad I had the opportunity to experience ridge soaring. I finished glider training in coastal Texas. These guys have never even SEEN a ridge.

[@andreassittig2772]

"... powerful 40 hp engine ..." You got me grinning on this one.

[@davidkennerly]

I had the opportunity to speak with Burt Rutan a number of years ago, probably around 2004, at a reception dinner for a conference in Laguna Niguel. I asked him about the Bede-5 and his response was "That was a dangerous plane."

[@user-eh5cr4or6k]

I bet if BD had put a Canard Wing up front Bert would have loved it.

[@user-pg2bj7rv1t]

I totally agree. VERY Twitchy in Flight.The one I flew JUST ONE TIME scared the crap out of me. I BARELY got it down in one piece! I have not gone anywhere near another one of those lying Death Traps!

[@marksprague1280]

​@@user-pg2bj7rv1tI never got any nearer to one that looking at the weight capacities. Someone of my size could get off the ground with just enough fuel to circle back to the field and land. Rutan's "Eze" designs were much more realistic.

[@leedaero]

I still have the brochure of the BD-5 that I ordered in 1972.

[@user-uq2rr4xt9g]

I love seeing these posted. Jim Bede was my uncle.

[@eleventy-seven]

My first cable controlled powered model was a BD5. Crashed.

[@gringostarr9315]

I can remember as a kid that my dad and his 2 pilot friends bought a BD5 and I still can hear my mom yelling at my dad about his investment and eventually they gave up when they couldn't get parts to build it....

[@cluelessbeekeeping1322]

I want one, I've always wanted one...

[@bobjoatmon1993]

This brings back the memories : I was a kit purchaser but never completed the aircraft because no engine was ever chosen as a final option. I kept it in storage for a decade playing with the concept of different automotive engines or possibly a 100HP 4 cylinder aircraft engine. But the biggest problem was the engine weight and cooling which I never solved. A guy saw it in my storage shed and bought it cash even though I explained all the problems, hauled it out that afternoon and I never heard anything after that. Note I am an A&P mechanic so the it wasn't to hard to build BUT I think an unexperienced person would have had a lot of problems.

[@jamesburns2232]

The BD-5 has a very short fuselage with a very narrow acceptable CG range. That makes it unforgiving to most recreational and overweight pilots. 🤠

[@bobjoatmon1993]

@@jamesburns2232 yah, I'm 5'11" and weighed 187 at the time and weight of the engine, possibly weight of a liquid cooling system really screwed with the CG calcs. Several engines I thought might have fit would have required up to 16 pounds of lead in the nose to get balance but then you couldn't carry a full fuel load. Beautiful airplane but I bet if I'd ever gotten it flying it would have killed me. As Clint Eastwood once said "A man has got to know his limitations". Note that I built a Mini-IMP once and never got the bugs worked out of it either. Torsional resonance problems with the long drives shaft and and the prop hitting wake turbulence following the tail fins

[@PRH123]

How would an engine like a Rotax 532 (air cooled 65 Hp inline 2 stroke) have worked, when they became available…? just curious..

[@bobjoatmon1993]

@@PRH123 probably it would have worked quite well IMHO

[@1hasbeen531]

My uncle had a long-wing kit under construction when Bede went bust. It sat in boxes in one of our warehouses until he finally donated the parts to an A&P school in PA. I do remember there was a fellow pilot who lived by Sky Manor Airport, Ed Mallard(?), who completed one, and was known to help others in fabrication, etc. I believe he may have perished in a BD crash.

[@kenmercer8040]

Let's not forget that Jim Bede also designed the homebuilt BD-1, which pioneered the use of honeycomb aluminum bonded structures. The BD-1 design was purchase by American Aviation in Cleveland, which marketed it as the AA-1A Yankee Part 23 certified trainer. The design passed through several owners until Grumman bought the design (along with the four-place AA-5 Tiger and Cheetah variants) in the early 80s. You can find the more successful AA-1B and later models flying at many (most?) airports in the U.S.

[@buckmurdock2500]

The BD-1 was a single place airplane. The Bede Aircraft Company became American Aviation after Bede was ousted from his own company, lmao. The AA-1 Yankee Clipper was a substantial redesign of the the BD-1. They made it 2 place, deleted the folding wings, made the wings longer, increased stability so it could be certificated.

[@Andrewnaut]

Fantastic doc!!!

[@peperivera6987]

I was obssesed with the BD-5 for many years. For me, it was the most beautiful airplane I had ever seen. My dream was to be able to buy one. That never happened and built a Volksplane instead.

[@kentswan3230]

I'm one of those who plunked down $200 for the BD5. kit While cleaning files, I found all of the files I collected way back then including my drawings of my proposed control panel. Sigh. Good intentions but terrible follow-through.

[@user-ij6de3ew4e]

Get on it buddy. You're follow through probably as good as anyone's. You got time, I think... 2:38 ?...7AF

[@pylon500]

Not a bad doco, a few little inconsistencies here and there, but generally got the 'vibe' of the BD-5 across. Corrections would be; Bede used the front of the ASW 15 glider to mould the front of the original, all fibreglass BD-5. As mentioned, the original aircraft was all composite with a V tail, it flew on rare occasions, and as stated was underpowered and unstable. As a side note, Bede pioneered the use of a large aluminium tube wing spar on the BD-1, which later became the Grumman Yankee AA1. The whole fibreglass construction idea required skilled labour to manufacture and was little heavy. Pressing parts from thin aluminium was quicker and easier (once the tooling had been set up), and actually came out lighter. Mentioning the change to the 'high revving two stroke engine' (7:56) is a bit misleading as ALL the engines up to that point had been two strokes. The tail configuration changed from the V tail to a normal fin and highly swept tail, before finalising on the straighter 'triangular' shaped all flying tail. There are images available on the internet of these tail arrangements. The prototype had a one piece, side opening canopy, but most ended up with a two piece, windscreen and canopy layout, with the canopy opening upwards on parallelogram rods to the rear, NO aircraft had forward swinging one piece canopies as depicted at 1:34. The split flaps mentioned at 1:47, were only used on the composite prototype, all the metal wing aircraft used common flap and ailerons, NO aircraft were fitted with spoilers. Note the red bits highlighted there are the flap and ailerons, and for some reason the elevator trim tab? Still, a fun video, but just reminding me that I'll probably never build the kit I have...

[@willjones7132]

I remember seeing the Coors Silver Bullet version at airshows as a kid, great sponsorship idea; I'll never forget it, and it didn't make me start drinking as a kid, as the ignorant bureaucrats would have you believe.

[@ManuelGarcia-ww7gj]

I remember my mouth watering over this thing--then the disappointment started setting in. Just another too good to be true story.

[@marcmcreynolds2827]

As a point of reference, the shifting price points for a BD-5 were comparable to what an entry-level new car cost: A 1972 Pinto with no radio for $1850, or slightly higher-trim Maverick for $2200 (those aren't list prices -- just what a particular dealer was offering one day).

[@showtime951]

Speaking of fighter jets... Past '76 powder blue Ford Pinto owner here. First car, manual transmission, purchased used in '79. My parents only became receptive to making me a relatively small short-term loan after hearing of these models exploding in collisions. Nevertheless, it was obviously one of the two things I had in high school that all the girls wanted to ride. During that time and with that pathetic ride in '79-'80 I dated the scorching hot blonde who happened to be the Head Varsity cheerleader, Homecoming Queen, and then attended Stanford on a full academic scholarship. Where are you Maverick owners (w/ slightly higher-trim)? What do 'ya got?

[@marcmcreynolds2827]

@@showtime951 I dated her (non-stop) once she got to Stanford. She said I was the best she ever had, bar none. "Marc, wake up! You fell asleep at the keyboard again. With a weird little smile on your face." Ok, where were we? One time as I was driving away from my high school, I held the revs a bit on the powder blue '72 Maverick's sad column shifter, shifting at closest approach to a cheerleader walking home who had maybe pointed at me during a pep rally some months earlier.

[@jamesocker5235]

Saw this fly several time at shows in Nampa idaho. Great shows back in the day.

[@frankenfoamy]

Notice the 3 view drawing is for a Radio Control model

[@jerelull9629]

friend built and flew a Bede 5. U can imagine it was a handful to control, it was so small and light.

[@jimmywrangles]

500th thumbs up. Excellent upload.

[@pauljs75]

The Coor's team was probably better known for doing the air show circuits with the J variant, but I remember there was either a Budweiser or Bud Light sponsored team as well (although not as long running), not sure if they had had a name for it though. I remember seeing the BD-5J myself at air shows twice in the 1980's with my dad.

[@buckmurdock2500]

The first BD-5J aerobatic team was Corky Fornof and Bob Bishop sponsored by Sonic Drive-Inn. Called the Sonic Acro Jets, they did quite a few shows in the late 70's, early 80's.

[@Subgunman]

Believe it or not he also developed a unique ground vehicle called the Pulse. It was powered by a half of a motorcycle married to a unique frame that supported the fuselage of the BD5 on it. It was a fandom seater with outrigger winglets that had wheels in closed within.

[@buckmurdock2500]

Pulse Autocycle and Litestar fans still have an annual gathering where you can see plenty of these in one place. They ride down the road leaning to one side or the other.

[@ingmarsen]

Well there are modern development versions which have apparently ironed out all the flaws ! Though , they sell for $200,000 + and have to be supervised in construction and flight training !

[@redfire122]

Very nice video. As a kid in school I had dreams of owning a BD-5. I never did and therefore survived to see adult hood. Always felt that Jim Bede should have been locked up for all the deaths he caused and financial suffering he created.

[@jj4791]

It wasn't him that was punished. It was several others who got sued out of business. Quickie Aircraft and Rutan Aircraft Factory. And they didn't even do anything wrong, having relatively safe designs.

[@daffidavit]

I still have a black and white negatives and photos I took, developed and enlarged of a BD-5 open cockpit static display taken at an airshow in Florida while in college in the early 70s. I'm not sure if it was a flying model for a demo. I'll have to check the photos and read the registration number on the airplane.

[@parrotraiser6541]

I believe there were ergonomic problems with the side-stick control that made it over-sensitive in pitch, and consequently too easy to over-rotate. Also the motors tried required a long shaft to reach the propellor, which tended to induce vibration, especially resonant ones. Bede was a creative and innovative thinker, but unfortunately better at promotion than proper development.

[@Primus54]

So several years later the twin-tail, 2-place BD-10 jet arrived on the scene, touted to be a supersonic private jet in kit form. You can even find a marketing recording of it flying here on KZbin. There were a few successfully completed and flown, but they never got close to Mach I and the advertised range was a pipe dream. They also had a structural design defect at the tail causing crashes and deaths. The late Jim Bede was a dreamer and a marketing genius but in the end he was no more than an under-financed snake oil salesman who robbed Peter to pay Paul and left a lot of people holding the bag.

[@arturoeugster7228]

2 of us put down the deposit and never saw a single part. Routan worked for Bede and left in disgust for the snake.

[@NighthawkCarbine]

LOL!

[@annafraley5388]

Seems like it was 1968 Quinten Steel and his son Eddie had one mostly built in their patio at Opa Locka Florida, think they were waiting on an engine then.🤔 I guess it never flew, years later Rob tells me that Eddie was the instructor that SOLOed him in a Cessna 150 at Turs Air, OPF airport, though he hasn’t been able to find him in these later years. 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@Palaemon44]

When I was in the Air Force I knew a pilot who was planning to buy a kit. I hope he never did it, the planes have had 80 crashes with 37 fatalities or serious injuries. The British civil aviation authority pulled the planes certification and flying the BD-5 in Britain is illegal. In 2016 a pilot with 3200 hours defied the ban and tried to fly to an air show in a BD-5 he had been building on an off for 30 years. He crashed fatally eight minutes after takeoff. This is plane reminds me of the Bugatti 100 speed record plane. The original never flew but the reproduction that was built killed it’s pilot on just the third flight.

[@neelonghunglow]

Bugatti p100 will fly again...

[@jj4791]

Faith is the opposite of reason.

[@elrobo3568]

Check at the Pima Air Museum in Tucson Az.

[@davidelliott5843]

The round front fuselage would make a fantastic cockpit motorcycle.

[@100GTAGUY]

Check out the Pulse autocycle

[@hadleymanmusic]

Best Ive found the bd 4 is a great gen utility plane simple safe constructions durable.

[@buckmurdock2500]

There's been some great BD-4's built.

[@mikalnaylor]

Problem is the BD4 doesn't cause pilots to dream about it. The 5 and 10 did that in spades.

[@Chris-un4ns]

I was 13 and ordered some plans straight from Rutan air, for the BD-5, I put $20 in a addressed envelope and never got any plans lol.

[@jimarcher5255]

Best $20 you ever spent.

[@jj4791]

Plans from RAF, or Bede Aircraft?

[@buckmurdock2500]

That's because Rutan never sold plans for the BD-5. I'm sure your money went to good use.

[@100GTAGUY]

The plans nowadays are surprisingly only like $25 for the PDF, you might actually get them this time around though lol

[@Chris-un4ns]

@@buckmurdock2500 wrong

[@KennethScharf]

IIRC the jet engine used in the BD5J is actually a repurposed APU engine designed for use in the 747.

[@buckmurdock2500]

Naw, it's too small for an APU. The Microturbo TRS-18 was designed by Sermel for self-launching gliders. Microturbo, their competitor later took over development and the engine eventually saw use in both manned and unmanned aircraft.

[@bobfg3130]

Sounded like a good idea initially. Still, just because something is cheap, that doesn't mean it can be easily designed or that you can cut corners. Designing and developing it WILL COST A LOT OF MONEY. That's something that Bede apparently didn't get. Cheap home built aircraft shall not be easy to design.

[@hadleymanmusic]

Yea like wheres the type with sailplane length wings that I never have seen an example of.

[@johnpalmer5131]

I always felt the BD5 suffered from two issues… power plant and control systems. Think some of the current small conventional (eg Yamaha) or turbine (eg Walter or de-tuned PT6) .. for control systems, think some the current micro FBW systems.

[@RandThompson-dd3sk]

A buddy has a completed prop model and an unbuilt factory packed jet model, incl the turbine for it.

[@georgeburns7251]

Thanks for sharing totally useless info

[@bigjoesburgers]

For sale?

[@buckmurdock2500]

Ya, there were no kits shipped with a jet engine nor was there ever a complete kit shipped. Your buddy is yanking your chain.

[@FPVREVIEWS]

Anybody still have kits or parts for the 5?

[@user-qx6wb2kf3o]

I DO AND MORE AT FACE BOOK BD 5 PAGES

[@Insanitypants80]

Great vid, although the plethora of superlatives got rather wearing after a while.

[@leechjim8023]

I only remember the jet version.

[@tonywright8294]

Who needs to know that ?

[@jman2903]

Those would look way better with a swept or delta wing, the straight wing always looked a bit off

[@showtime951]

Thanks for shitting on another one of my dreams. Sometimes life just isn't right.

[@CarlosAlberto-ii1li]

Really, l have no idea.

[@snorttroll4379]

so they did not make a big enough room for engines, exposed pilots to fire, placed the propeller to high, did not sweep the wings and had too short wings?

[@buckmurdock2500]

lol, swept wings would have upped the fatality rate to 100%.

[@snorttroll4379]

why whould sweeping the wings be a problem? they could go faster then. @@buckmurdock2500

[@malakov5]

MPG doesn’t result in an accurate measure for aircraft consumption/efficiency given that they are affected by winds both negatively and positively and airspeed != ground speed. GPH makes more sense.

[@rudyho3790]

yeh...a pipe dream bird...EVERY PILOT.. is a test pilot in ANY BD.. next story!!

[@otismobley8151]

I tried to get one they don't make them anymore

[@user-qx6wb2kf3o]

E BAY OFTEN OR FACE BOOK BD5 PAGES

[@ronliebermann]

Obviously, the Pentagon Extortion Racket couldn’t tolerate a small fast cheap plane.

[@bagoistvan3182]

🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺👍

[@motomike71]

$1950 in 2024 dollars is still less than the cost of a small car.

[@garyjohnson1970]

James Bond stole it!

[@arturoeugster7228]

AKA Roger Moore

[@amgguy4319]

A Mess.

[@robertbolding4182]

Soon as I heard your accent I pause I'm moving on.

[@kalaharimine]

It looks like the death trap it is.

[@Glicksman1]

I think that Bede couldn't find enough pilots with a death wish.

[@Odin197188]

That “music” was ear-rape.

[@adroitcozy]

Build it today with electric motor and all the drive issues go away.

[@jj4791]

But weight issues...

[@adroitcozy]

@@jj4791 Not with modern LTO battery technology

[@Crottedenez1000]

@@adroitcozy to stay within the CG, You still would have to locate both the electric motor and the batteries right behind the cockpit, thus still need a long crankshaft to the propeller. No vibrating issues solved this way…

[@gregorywootton3870]

@@Crottedenez1000 What torsional vibration would you expect from an electric drive?

[@Crottedenez1000]

@@gregorywootton3870 the same as from a gas driven engine : it wasn’t the engine itself which induced the vibrations, but the (too) long driveshaft in combination with the wake turbulence from the elevator/rudder surfaces to the tips of the blades of the propeller

[@europaeuropa3673]

Disaster aircraft that attracted so many misguided enthusiasts.

[@jj4791]

Well, Jim Bede knew how to market. And he sold an experimental homebuilt kit aircraft to non-pilots thru popular mechanics ads. So theres that.

[@garettanderson6772]

I knew a guy that had an unfinished one of these. I think he traded it for a motorcycle after having it for awhile. I don't think he did much with the plane while he had it. I only ever saw it in pieces.