'James Bond' plane crashes in Ireland, pilot killed.

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18 years 11 months

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http://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/pilot-dies-in-light-aircraft-crash-in-co-waterford-1.2297450

The pilot, Howard Cox was killed when his plane, a BD-5, crashed yesterday in Co. Waterford. R.I.P.

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19 years 7 months

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Several news organisations misreported his aircraft as having been a jet powered version (which it was not) and so inappropriately made a link to the Bond film. This incident is very sad news. I knew him years back; a really helpful guy. R.I.P.

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20 years

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Very sad news. Mr Cox was a well known and popular figure in the PFA/LAA movement.

He operated the Bede on the Irish register after the CAA withdrew permission to fly the type in the UK.

Designer Jim Bede died just a few days ago, aged 82.

Very sad! :(

He reported a fire and attempted to return...
This may be a clue

R.I.P.

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14 years 6 months

Posts: 8

This may be a clue

By reading various reports, the aircraft was some miles out of Waterford en route to Shannon when a problem was reported.

Please do not insinuate it was a 'turn back' on initial climb out that may have caused the tragic outcome.

Howard was a very experienced pilot and long time member of the British Precision Pilot's Association as well as being a really nice bloke. Very sad, indeed.

The Irish Times says that he reported a fire and was returning to the airfield.
More information than the first report I read.

http://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=178061

Apparently there is a piston engine version which was available in 2011.

BD-5G
Piston engined production kit with wingspan of 17 ft (5.2 m) and a gross weight of 660 lb (299 kg). Kits still available in 2011.[Wikipedia]

Member for

18 years 11 months

Posts: 8,847

Very sad news. Mr Cox was a well known and popular figure in the PFA/LAA movement.

He operated the Bede on the Irish register after the CAA withdrew permission to fly the type in the UK.

Designer Jim Bede died just a few days ago, aged 82.

http://obits.cleveland.com/obituaries/cleveland/obituary.aspx?n=JAMES-R-BEDE&pid=175270503

Obituary for Jim who died this month.

There is a link to Jim's homepage which shows that 'Octopussy' is for sale.

I wonder if the official report has been finalized yet?

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15 years 2 months

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I recall Burt Rutan worked this design with Jim Bede.
One fatality in Finland of this type.