Bede BD-5J Microjet

Bede BD-5J Microjet

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11/30/2007. Remarks by Bernhard Klein: "The Bede BD-5J was the jet-powered version of the propeller-driven single-seat mini sporting monoplane BD-5A, the latter had flown for the first time on September 12, 1971. The jet-powered prototype had a French 200 lb (90 kg) s.t Sermel TRS 18 turbojet engine and flew for the first time in 1973. Microturbo of France produced the TRS 18 in series with a license to Ames Industrial in the USA.

Ames took over the BD-5J from Bede as the MJ 90, before the Bede went into receivership in 1977, while at the same time the aircraft was promoted in Europe as the Microjet 90 by Air Jet International of Toulouse, France. The pictured aircraft was built by Ames in 1978 and sold to Jerry Mercer (founder of PDQ Air Service, a charter company presently known as AirNet Express).

The aircraft was sold in 2003 to Bob Bishop of Freedom Jet, and registered to Aerial Productions International, Inc. it has been operated as a Small Manned Aerial Radar Target, Model 1 (SMART-1), in support of research, design and development of defense systems."


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11/30/2007. Remarks by Bernhard Klein: "The Bede BD-5J was the jet-powered version of the propeller-driven single-seat mini sporting monoplane BD-5A, the latter had flown for the first time on September 12, 1971. The jet-powered prototype had a French 200 lb (90 kg) s.t Sermel TRS 18 turbojet engine and flew for the first time in 1973. Microturbo of France produced the TRS 18 in series with a license to Ames Industrial in the USA. Ames took over the BD-5J from Bede as the MJ 90, before the Bede went into receivership in 1977, while at the same time the aircraft was promoted in Europe as the Microjet 90 by Air Jet International of Toulouse, France. The pictured aircraft was built by Ames in 1978 and sold to Jerry Mercer (founder of PDQ Air Service, a charter company presently known as AirNet Express). The aircraft was sold in 2003 to Bob Bishop of Freedom Jet, and registered to Aerial Productions International, Inc. it has been operated as a Small Manned Aerial Radar Target, Model 1 (SMART-1), in support of research, design and development of defense systems."