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FLIGHT International, 25 September 1969

Left, the basic frame fuselage of the BD-4 comprises light alloy angle section joined by multibolt gussets; thin aluminium sheet covers the single - curvature panels. The aluminium - tube wing main spars slip on either end of a centresection piece and are retained by a single bolt. Above, the empennage surfaces are built on the same principle as the wing. Below, a typical glass-fibre "panel rib," several of which are slotted over the tubular spar to form the wing structure

ROCKFORO ROUND-UP

struction for a small two-plus-two cross-country aircraft. Quite simply, and as is well known to both amateurs and professionals, the conventional methods of wood, tube, or rivetedskin production cost too much time and money, even under amateur low-labour-cost conditions. A breakthrough is needed, first to use structures which are simple and secondly which do not require laborious mechanical fabrication processes involving extensive tooling. Any assembly should be pitched to the semi-skilled level rather than to that of the highly trained mechanic. In illustration of this philosophy, a BD-4 wing panel needs eight man-hours to assemble and, in fact, takes longer to paint than to fabricate. Amateurs have already made up fuselages in three working days. The tools required are minimal, cheap, and within the compass of any normal handyman. In the structure of the BD-4 there are two important features. The wing structure consists of what our US friends call a large-diameter "aloominum toob," on to which are threaded aerofoil shaped boxes in a glass-fibre material; these are patented "panel ribs." A side panel of each box forms a rib shear-web and each box is attached to the spar tube by a hose-clip and adhesive while also being cemented to its adjoining bedmate. The wing panel tube slides over a 6.4indiameter centre-section tube for a distance of 12in and needs but two simple hardware bolts to hold the wing in position. A simple wing-fold is an optional fitting. Fuel tanks are made very simply by coating the inside surfaces of rib panel modules with tank-slushing compound. The second feature is the square-section fuselage, made up from light alloy angle sections in 2024-T3 material with bolted joints; the level of skill is such that "a child's erector set rating suffices" to quote current Bede quip. The resulting fuselage structure framework takes the flight loads. The use of bolts makes for simple assembly and ensures that any joint failures would be bearing failures. The designer feels that this can provide a significant safety feature, against both poor assembly and critical loads. Metal skins in Alclad, 0.020in thick, are stuck to the fuselage with a special cement and a Pop rivet at each corner is used as a "funk factor." The metal skin is intended solely to provide a covering superior to fabric. Despite the originality of the structure Bede claims to exceed utility-category factors with the aircraft at 1,7001b as a fourseater. As a two-seater with 108 h.p. the structure is claimed to meet aerobatic requirements with both positive and negative limit loads at 6g and positive and negative ultimate loads of 9g, the tubular spar being responsible for the high resistance to negative loads. Never-exceed speed is red-lined at 234 m.p.h. and maximum structural cruising speed is quoted (in the handsome handbook supplied with each materials kit) as 180 m.p.h.

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A simple alloying "stabilator" with a tubular spar is fitted, and the landing geartricycle or tail dragger to> choiceuses a simple 2024-T3 lin-thick heat-treated leaf for the main gear; a simple free-swivelling wheel assembly on a straight 4130 tube makes the nose gear. The engine, inside a smooth plastic swing-open cowl, has the superb facility, not often enough used on light aircraft, of a sideways-swinging mounting to give easy access. With a wing of 25ft 6in span and 48in chord the BD-4 is small overall, but the cabin has been worked on for room. The prototype is perhaps 2in too low, but later versions will improve the cabin height. I found that stepping into the prototype was easy, without struts obtruding; but it was disturbing to a studied nonchalance, put on for the spectators, to find a small TV set installed in the instrument panel. As an aside, one of the more exciting aspects of flying in the BD-4 was to find oneself crowded at the take-off point by a group of four Breezys, all equally eager to be airborne. There are always new and even more bizarre experiences awaiting the visitor to Rockford! The BD-4 climbed away steeply on 160 h.p. with two up and half fuel, and it certainly moved around the sky. Foreand-aft control seemed fine, but heavy ailerons spoiled the deal. To be fair, the aircraft tried was an unlined and noisy development prototype, and to give a critical report on such a basis would be to show ingratitude to the designer for making a special flight available. Two-seater total weight is 1,4001b and as a four-seater this increases to 1,7001balmost double the empty weight, claimed as 8701b. There seems no doubt that, with further flight development on the prototype, the kits already sold and selling will appear as flying hardware, and one can only applaud the engineering ability and confidence of the designer in being courageous enough to attack convention and attempt a breakthrough in light-aircraft assembly methods.