Scott Manning's BD-5J Trailer Design

Scott Manning, owner/pilot of a BD-5J, has decided to share with us the design he used for his trailer. The enclosed pictures, diagrams and text should help you construct your own, similar trailer for your BD-5. Enjoy! (Thanks, Scott!)

Some people were asking about a trailer design, so I am more than happy to share the design of the one I made.

I had the base made and then went to work on the body. The base is 5 feet wide, and uses a 2,000 pound axle. The trailer weighs 1400 lbs so adding a BD5 with a weight of 450 lbs is just about right. Here are the dimensions starting from the bottom and going up:

• The tongue is 4 feet long, ahead of the main body
• The main body is 14 feet long.
• The supports go up 2 feet all the way around.
• From the tongue, the supports angle back to the main body, that length is 54 inches.
• From the back to the front before it angles in, is 10 feet
• Above the 2 foot section, the supports to the top of the trailer are 44 inches.
• The top of the trailer to the rudder supports is 17 inches high and running along the top of the trailer is 54 inches.
• Supports are added along all sides to strengthen the trailer and also to attach wood to.
• The floor is 1 inch thick plywood. The door is also 1 inch thick.
• Doors are cut out to tie down the wheels, but the plane should be in the trailer first to mark the position.
• 1/4 inch plywood is screwed to the frame, and all the rough edges are smoothed over.
• Over this, fiberglass is put over the plywood.
• The fiberglass is then lightly smoothed with sandpaper, and then painted

The result is a strong trailer, although heavy. But the good news is that it tracks very good and the most G's I had on the jet from trailering is 3.5 positive and 2.5 negative. Remember, that the G's put on the plane while trailering are instantaneous, as opposed to flying where they are rolled on gradually. The better the ride in the trailer, the easier it is on the plane. For a propeller BD-5, I would measure your plane from the from of the nose gear door to the very end, as the jet is a little shorter, just to be sure it fits.

Scott