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The Bede BD-2 was an American
experimental
An experiment is a procedure carried out to support or refute a hypothesis, or determine the efficacy or likelihood of something previously untried. Experiments provide insight into cause-and-effect by demonstrating what outcome occurs when ...
powered sailplane designed by
Jim Bede
James R. Bede (April 17, 1933 – July 9, 2015) was an American aircraft designer. He designed well over a dozen aircraft starting in the 1960s, but a string of business failures kept most of these designs out of widespread use.
Bede Avia ...
to attempt an unrefuelled round-the-world flight.
Development
The BD-2 was a modified
Schweizer SGS 2-32
Schweizer (German meaning 'Swiss') may refer to: People
* Eduard Schweizer (1913–2006), Swiss New Testament scholar
* Irène Schweizer (born 1941), Swiss Jazz pianist
* J. Otto Schweizer (March 27, 1863–1955) Swiss-American sculptor
* Julián ...
fitted with a specially modified
Continental IO-360-C engine.
The BD-2 could carry 565 US gallons (2138 litres) of fuel in wing and fuselage tanks, and the modified engine produced only 30 hp (22.4 kW) during the cruise part of the flight.
The BD-2 made its first flight from
Wichita on March 12, 1967.
[''Flight International'' 30 March 1967, p. 477.] Between November 7 and 10, 1969, the aircraft set a world closed-circuit
flight distance record
This list of flight distance records contains only those set without any mid-air refueling.
Non-commercial powered aircraft
Commercial aircraft
Shortest distance
The Loganair Westray to Papa Westray route and its return flight make up the s ...
for piston-engined aircraft, in which it covered 8,973.38 miles (14,441.26 km) in 70 hours 15 minutes.
[2>Taylor 1976, p. 2] The flight had to be stopped following a complete electrical failure, and no further record flights were attempted by Bede.
The BD-2 was modified by Javelin Aircraft of Wichita as the Phoenix, which was used by
Jerry Mullens to set a new closed-circuit record for piston aircraft on December 5–8, 1981 of 10,070 mi (16207 km) in 73 h 2 min, which was also the longest non-refueled flight made by a solo pilot at the time.
[Taylor 1982, p. 7/ref>][Taylor 1982, p. 548.][''Flight International'' 30 January 1982, p. 215.]
Specifications (Phoenix)
See also
References
Notes
Bibliography
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{{Bede aircraft
BD-002
1960s United States experimental aircraft
Single-engined tractor aircraft
Mid-wing aircraft
Aircraft first flown in 1967