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An unusual adaptation of the BD-5, the Acapella 200-S appeared in the early 1980s. Designer Carl D. Barlow of Option Air Reno mated a BD-5 fuselage with a twin-boom empennage and fitted it with a 200 hp (150 kW; 200 PS) Lycoming IO-360 engine. Barlow intended to market conversion kits for BD-5 owners. The prototype, N360CB was first flown on 6 June 1980, with pilot Bill Skiliar at the controls. It flew poorly and was difficult to control. Later it was fitted with a 100 hp (75 kW; 100 PS) Lycoming O-235 and the span increased from 19 ft 6 in (5.94 m)to 26 ft 6 in (8.08 m) with increased fuel capacity, becoming the Acapella 100-L. It crashed in 1982. Only one further example was built, 100-L N455CB, which, though built in 1983, was registered in 1989 and later donated to the Experimental Aircraft Association’s Airventure Museum in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, USA, where it is occasionally placed on display.
Update from 10/31/2012. Remarks by Johan Visschedijk: “Carl O. Barlow formed Option Air Reno to market kits of component parts that could be added to a Bede BD-5 fuselage, canopy, nose wheel, wings and tail-fins (two required) to produce his twin-boom Acapella. Design of the Acapella began in January 1978 and prototype construction started in June the same year. Registered N360CB, it achieved its first flight on June 6, 1980, and was subsequently pictured at Oshkosh.
Production of kits began in June 1981, they include an engine mount, glass fiber cowling, new 8 ft (2.44 m) wing center section, tail booms, tail plane, elevator, main landing gear, many smaller components, and all necessary plans for the conversion. The prototype Acapella was powered originally by a 200 hp Avco Lycoming IO-360-A1B engine driving a Hartzell Q-Tip constant-speed pusher propeller, and in this form was known as Model 200-S.
It was re-engined subsequently with an 118 hp Avco Lycoming O-235 and fitted with longer-span wings to become the Model 100-L, with increased fuel capacity. The 200 series aircraft were not being made available to amateur constructors to build from plans or kits. This is because the majority of builders expressed interest in the smaller-engined Acapella 100-L, for which plans, kits and glass fiber components were available.
However, only two aircraft were finished, the second one was registered N455CB on February 24, 1989, and it was this aircraft which was eventually donated to the EAA AirVenture Museum.”
Option Air Reno Acapella – Facebook Page
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