Arrival of my new old plane!

The big day has arrived and I've brought home my project.  It was a 2300 mile round trip in 3 days, but I was able to load everything safely and get it home without difficulty.  I'm very happy with what I've gotten.  I'm going to inventory and start organizing the garage soon, with more  pictures to follow.

Sawhorses!

Good morning!  I'm leaving Friday to pick up my airplane  project.  I'm going to need a sturdy table to work on.  I found a set of instructions to build some ridiculously simple sawhorses.  These will form the base of the table with 4x4 square sheets of plywood.  I will have a 4 or 8 foot table to work on as needed.   Here's how I did it....

1. Each pair of sawhorses requires 5-2x4's, 8 feet long.  Measure each board to make 3 pieces approximately 32" long.  Cut on the line you mark, and the kerf of the saw blade will allow for each piece to be equal in size.  
   
2. Make the "I" beam first.   Mark the center of one of the  pieces at each end.  Center another piece on edge on this  mark.  Clamp  and use 3" screws to hold the piece on edge securely to the bottom piece.  Mark the center on the ends of another piece, line this up on the exposed edge, and screw in place.  It is  important the middle piece is centered, as this  sets the angle  for the legs.
   
   
   
   
   
3. Attach the legs to the "I" beam as seen in the pictures.  The legs go under the the lip of the top  part of the "I" beam, and rest on the lower part.  Use 4 screws to secure each leg to the "I" beam. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

That's it! Total cost was $19 for three sawhorses and they stack together easily.  I will use plywood or particle board for the table top when needed. Feel free to comment or ask questions!

Good morning!


I live West Coast of  Florida and we have received numerous warnings related to Hurricane Dorian.  We are very close to the water and in a mandatory evacuation zone.  Fortunately we have several family members and close friends in the area that are able to house us  during the storm.  Two years ago during Hurricane Irma, I had to work (I'm a registered nurse in an ICU) and my family took shelter inland with family.   Our house is new, less than a year old.   It was built to all current applicable hurricane standards and we are anticipating coming out unscathed. 

I am planning on leaving in 1 week to pick up my BD-4 project.  I hope the weather doesn't try to lead me on the trip, as this would make the drive horrendous.  Two years ago, people were stuck on interstates for hours as they tried to flee the storm. I'm hoping it will pass by then.  Wish me luck!

Hello all!  I'm Les Criscillo, a Registered Nurse living in West Central Florida.  I have had a passion for aviation since I was very young.  I obtained my private pilots licensure in 1986 and have been flying since then.  In the 1990's I built a KR-2 experimental airplane and this week I will embark on a much larger and more  complicated project  The Bede Aerospace BD-4.  This plane was designed by James Bede in the 1960's and hundreds have been built around the world since then. I had several design requirements as I was looking for suitable  projects to consider.

1. Cross country capable:  I live in a beautiful state and want to be able to travel to any beach within 3 hours.   That requires 150 mph and a 4 hour fuel capacity.  
2. Simple metal construction:  I have worked with wood  and fiberglass before, and in Florida, the elements are hard on both of these materials.   I plan on outdoor storage and required a material  that would hold up to our heat and humidity.  
3. Automotive engine appropriate:  The  minimum requirements are for a 160 hp engine to power this aircraft.   I have been working on and building engines for over 30 years.  I am aware of their limitations in aircraft, and their capabilities.   I am going to power mine with a Mazda rotary 13b engine.   This engine's design is  inherently safe for aircraft operation, and with appropriate development of the support systems, will provide safe and powerful propulsion for many years. Mazda rotary engines have been built since the 1960's and have only 3 moving parts! Smooth, powerful and small, this engine will be an exciting part of this project.
4. Roomy.  I wanted to carry two passengers with cargo space for camping, luggage or two passengers depending on the mission of the day.

The BD-4 meets all of these requirements.  There are others that meet them also, but the last requirement I have is always what brings me back to the BD-4.  Affordability.  Out the door, I should complete this project for less than $30,000. A basic VFR aircraft, with new instrumentation, a zero timed engine, and more than enough capability.  

I will leave in 9 days to pick up my project and bring it back to Florida.  I will post here regularly to document this project, receive advice and hopefully some encouragement as well.  Wish me well!