I.P.D BF-1 Beija-Flor


The I.P.D BF-1 Beija-Flôr was a two-seat light helicopter designed by Henrich Focke.

Design and development

The BF-1 was built by the aircraft department of the Brazilian Research and Development Institute , using a design of Henrich Focke. It was a conventional three-bladed single rotor helicopter, powered by a Continental E225 piston engine, mounted in the nose. The tail unit included a small vertical dorsal fin with a horizontal stabilizer on the starboard side. Two inter-meshing tail rotors, each inclined at 45°, provided pitch and yaw control.

Operational history

Three prototypes were built, the first flying on 1 January 1959, but the type did not enter production.

Specifications