Guinness certifies James Bond`s Bede BD-5J Microjet from Octopussy as world`s smallest jet

Guinness World Records has awarded Juan Jiménez the record for the World’s Smallest Jet. Jiménez lives in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and is the owner of a BD-5J Microjet, US registration N3038V.

The BD-5J Microjet is best known as “James Bond’s Jet” for its appearance in the Bond movie “Octopussy,” starring Sir Roger Moore, as well as a cameo appearance in the film "Die Another Day" starring Pierce Brosnan.

Jimenez, a pilot since 1974, began building homebuilt aircraft in 1996 and is known worldwide as an aviation industry expert and writer. This jet, which he purchased as an unfinished project in 2001 from Quentin Campbell in Australia, is his third BD-5 project.

After the aircraft arrived from Australia, Jimenez worked continuously to prepare it for flight. A year before finishing the project, he realized that he might have the lightest BD-5J Microjet ever built, and preliminary weight measurements ultimately confirmed this.

In June of this year, Jimenez asked Guinness World Records for permission to challenge the record for World’s Smallest Jet, which had been held by Bobby Bishop and his Silver Bullet since 1976. With Bishop's blessing, Jimenez submitted his record attempt information in October, and was awarded the record on November 22, 2004.

The Federal Aviation Administration is issuing the aircraft an Experimental, Exhibition airworthiness certificate. Once issued, Jimenez will begin the process of testing leading to the first flight of the aircraft, which he has named “El Guaragüao,” a species of hawk that thrives in the Caribbean island.

Thanks to `JP` for the alert.

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