BD-7

The BD-7 was developed in the mid-1970s as the follow-up to the BD-5. It was a four-place, home-built, aircraft and incorporated many of the aerodynamic features of its predecessor, making the BD-7 quite advanced for the time. The fuselage utilized the BD-5’s all metal body, while the wings used the BD-4’s tubular spars and all fiberglass panel ribs in its construction.

Only one prototype was ever built, and this prototype only made it into the flight tests early until the company ceased operation. The information gained in the early flight testing indicated that the BD-7 would have had expressed great performance and handling capabilities. In the 1980’s and 90’s, the technology of composite structures advanced so as to permit strong, lightweight, and a relatively low-cost, structure. The all metal fuselage of the BD-7 basically became obsolete which led to the eventual deactivation of the plane shortly after.
This plane provided knowledge for and was the direct inspiration for the BD-12 and BD-14.

General characteristics

Crew: one pilot

Capacity: 3 passengers

Length: 20 ft 6 in (6.25 m)

Wingspan: 24 ft 0 in (7.32 m)

Height: 7 ft 6 in (2.29 m)

Wing area: 94 ft2 (8.7 m2)

Powerplant: 1 × horizontally-opposed piston engine, 100

-200? hp (75 – 149? kW)

Performance

Maximum speed: 220 mph (354 km/h)

Range: 1000 miles (1609 km)