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Flyin Tony said:One of my students is building one. Putting a glass cockpit in it and a turboprop on the back. I give him 2 maybe 5 flights in it and he will be toast. hate to say it!
EagleRJ said:I don't know if there are different engine choices for the BD-5J, but the version that was flying at airshows a few years back had an endurance that was on the short side. Like 40 minutes or so. That was total, from full tanks to quiet engine.
It might be a fun plane for pure gee-whiz factor, but in reality you'd be limited to short hops in the pattern. Legally, you'd be limited to daytime flights, since you don't even have a night fuel reserve!
Guess that explains why James Bond was only able to fly just long enough to escape the Cuban (or whatever) soldiers before he had to dead stick onto a rural road and coast into a gas station!EagleRJ said:I don't know if there are different engine choices for the BD-5J, but the version that was flying at airshows a few years back had an endurance that was on the short side. Like 40 minutes or so. That was total, from full tanks to quiet engine.
It might be a fun plane for pure gee-whiz factor, but in reality you'd be limited to short hops in the pattern. Legally, you'd be limited to daytime flights, since you don't even have a night fuel reserve!
rfresh said:I always thought someone would fix the short comings of the BD-5 and come up with a successful kit - but no one has. I wanted to see a 2 seat tandem version so a stretch would be needed - but - I also think the entire airframe and wings needs to be made larger for some room and flying stability.
The engine was the short coming...it never found the right motor.
I *always* thought a good motor would have been a 180 HP lyc sitting high directly behind the head of the pilot with the drive directly coupled to the prop shaft/prop. Can you picture that? I thought the cylinders could stick out thru the skin into the airstream for cooling just like you see on a J-3 Cub!.
I guess I'm still dreaming!!
Ralph
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