Burt Rutan

"john williamson" wrote in message
...

Burt Rutan

Group: rec.aviation.military Date: Sat, Aug 23, 2003, 2:26pm (EDT+4)
"Dudley Henriques" wrote:
I remember Jim Bede doing the same thing when the BD1 was the hottest
thing around and (snip)
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John wrote:
I believe you are talking about the BD5

You're right of course :-)) It's been a long time......
DH

"john williamson" wrote in message
...

Burt Rutan

Group: rec.aviation.military Date: Sat, Aug 23, 2003, 5:30pm (EDT+4)
From: (Dudley Henriques)
"john williamson" wrote in message
...
Burt Rutan
Group: rec.aviation.military Date: Sat, Aug 23, 2003, 2:26pm (EDT+4)
"Dudley Henriques" wrote: I remember Jim Bede
doing the same thing when the BD1 was the hottest thing around and
(snip)
----------------------
John wrote:
I believe you are talking about the BD5
You're right of course :-)) It's been a long time......
DH
++++++++++++++++++=
John wrote

The BD1 was a sailplane (shaky memory here), he BD4 was a successful
plans build wet wing tail dragger. I came oh so close to putting my
money into the BD5 but opted to build a PL2 instead. Bede, among
other problems got caught up in the high inflation period, he sold the
planes a little early, if I remember right for around $5200-5600.00
complete. By the time he could deliver, inflation had eaten about
everything. I went to one of his presentations on the BD5, he is a
very interesting individual, saw him at Oshkosh several times with
various adventures. I think his latest one was the two place supersonic
plane, saw that in St Louis where his office and shop was while
attending an air show.

Last time I saw Bede was at Reading many years ago and he was having
troubles at that time with the kit buyers. I think I do remember something
about the engines not being available for the prop version. An aquaintance
of mine (a Viet Nam era Marine A4 driver) got interested in one of the
BD5J's after talking to Corky Fornof, Bobby Bishop, and Ed Mahler about it.
My "buddy" never actually got around to buying it though. Last I heard of
him he had bought the farm flying guns into Haiti. I think he's still down t
here in the jungle somewhere.
Dudley Henriques
International Fighter Pilots Fellowship
Commercial Pilot/CFI
Retired