BD4 and RV4 anyone?

Kooshball · #1 03-30-2019, 07:23 AM

I know this is an RV forum and I had planned to buy an RV6/7 but it seems that the mission has changed in that my wife and son like to fly with me so I?m gonna need 4-seats. I can?t afford the RV10, and so I am now considering something completely different that will hopefully leave money left over for an RV4 partnership in the future.

Given the size and experience level with folks on this forum I wanted to ask: does anyone here have experience or familiarity with the BD4? It looks to have similar performance specs to an RV6 but with 4 seats, slightly higher stall speed and a much higher wing loading.

There isn?t much info I can find on that plane but what I have found does not indicate any bad habits.

Would a BD4 and an RV4 fleet compliment each other and get me my gentleman?s acro fix or would there be too much overlap?

Thx

Snowflake · #2 03-30-2019, 07:49 AM

I've flown many times in an O-360-powered BD-4 with a constant-speed prop. I quite liked the airplane, the visibility was good without the strut and the performance was zippy. As I recall, the carrying capacity was either four people or two people plus baggage.. So while your kids are still young enough that they'll travel with you, you should be good. Once they get closer to adult-sized, it'll be sightseeing, day-trips, and VISA camping (anything you need that's not on your person goes on the VISA when you get there).

Oh, I flew in the nosewheel version, i know there is a tailwheel version but I have no intel on how it handles in comparison. It would look better, though.

Ironflight · #3 03-30-2019, 07:59 AM

I flew the BD-4 for a Kitplanes review a couple of years ago - if you’re a subscriber, you can find the review online pretty easily. I agree that it is really a classic “four seater” - that’s two plus bags...or very small kids.....

Paul

rv7charlie · #4 03-30-2019, 08:05 AM

I owned a 180hp-c/s prop BD4 for about a year. A 'stock' original probably won't meet your needs, unless you're all small and your baggage requirements are, as well. However, there are mods that can greatly expand the cabin area, and the new BD-4C seems to incorporate similar mods.

Some cautions:
#1: I don't know anything about Bede Jr, but you wouldn't want your wallet to be in the same room with Sr.
#2: The one I owned had what can only be described as negative yaw stability. I'm fairly confident that I know the reason why (find a picture of the tail on the original prototype, and compare it to typical production kits). My wife loves to fly with me, and of all the planes she's flown in, the BD-4 was the only one that scared the daylights out of her.
#3: Misc other 'stuff', varied in nature.

I'd love to own a stretched version with the yaw issue corrected, but my wife will never let me go there again.

Happy to discuss further, offline, if you want.

Oh, edit: I have owned a couple of RV-4s, starting in 1994 to present, with the BD inserted in a year between the 2 RVs.

Charlie

Kooshball · #5 03-31-2019, 11:49 AM

Thx folks! I think I will reach out to Charlie for more discussion.

Ed_Wischmeyer · #6 03-31-2019, 12:08 PM

I was looking at a BD-4 years ago with 180 HP and a constant speed, and later on I was in a chapter that had very active BD-4 owners. Some thoughts:
* Sort of like the BD-1, the -4 had a high speed airfoil. Good for cruise, not so good for runway requirements and climb;
* An interesting characteristics was that when the wing was generating lift, there was a little bit of dihedral, but in a stall, that went away and the handling changed. Not severe, but definitely a change;
* All the planes I've flown with square fuselages had less than wonderful directional stability, including the BD-4;
* There are lots of BD-4 mods out there, including a windshield with rounded corners that I think was good for a few extra knots. One man in my EAA chapter had molds for an improved cowling. You get the idea...

A quick web search found BD-4.org as an owner's group (don't know how active that is), and there may be others. As with any other homebuilt, you'll find apologists and nay-sayers. Better to spend some extra time and cash paying your dues before you buy the first one that comes along...

Good luck!

Ed