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Private company

Bede Aircraft

American aircraft company

Bede Aircraft Corporation was founded by aeronautical engineer Jim Bede in Cleveland in 1961 to produce the BD-1 kit aircraft, which eventually became the American Aviation Corporation's AA-1. The company also created and produced a number of advanced kit planes including the famous Bede BD-5 (pusher propeller driven) and BD-5J (turbojet driven). The BD-5J has held the Guinness record as the World's Smallest Jet Aircraft for more than a quarter century.2 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0

Last updated Oct 21, 2026.

Overview

1961Founded1
  • Industryaerospace industry1

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Bede BD-5J AN2144976
Photo: Steve Fitzgerald, GFDL 1.2, via Wikimedia Commons3

Bede Aircraft Corporation was founded by aeronautical engineer Jim Bede in Cleveland in 1961 to produce the BD-1 kit aircraft, which eventually became the American Aviation Corporation's AA-1. The company also created and produced a number of advanced kit planes including the famous Bede BD-5 (pusher propeller driven) and BD-5J (turbojet driven). The BD-5J has held the Guinness record as the World's Smallest Jet Aircraft for more than a quarter century. Now surpassed by a jet powered Cri.see Serpentine Airfield Western Australia, CriCri test flight by Sakie. Versions of it saw use in various Budweiser commercials (the Bud Light Jet, which was lost in an inflight fire and crash unrelated to airshow work). The tiny jet also appeared in two James Bond movies; Octopussy starring Sir Roger Moore, and later in a cameo appearance, hanging from the wall of Q's workshop in Die Another Day starring Pierce Brosnan as Agent 007.2

The story

Founded by Jim Bede in 1961.1

Leadership

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Timeline

  1. 1961Founded Founded1

Sources

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