title: Beneš-Mráz Bibi
text: # Beneš-Mráz Bibi
  
  The Beneš-Mráz Bibi was a 1930s Czechoslovak two-seat touring aircraft.
  
  ## Design and development
  
  The Bibi was designed and manufactured by Beneš-Mráz, developed from the Beta-Minor design. The Bibi was a lighter, smaller aircraft in which the seats were side-by-side instead of in tandem, and the cockpits were fully enclosed, retaining the Beta-Minor's cantilever low-wing cantilever monoplane layout, with fixed tailwheel undercarriage. Development of the Bibi began with the Be-501 two-seat cabin tourer, and culminated with the Be-555 Super Bibi.
  
  ## Operational history
  
  One example of the Be-550 Bibi (OK-BET) was imported into the United Kingdom, stored during World War II, then registered as G-AGSR until a fatal crash in 1951.
  
  ## Variants
  
  ### Be-501 Bibi
  
      Single seat, initial development aircraft for the Bibi cabin tourer.
  
  ### Be-502 Bibi
  
      Single seat development prototype for the Bibi series.
  
  ### Be-550 Bibi
  
      Initial production version introduced in 1936, with at least six built, including single exports to Egypt and the UK.
  
  ### Be-555 Super Bibi
  
      The final iteration of the Bibi with many improvements. Production continued after the start of WWII, with at least ten built.
  
  ## Specifications (Be-550)
  
  Data from L'Année Aéronautique 1938–1939
  
  General characteristics
  
  * Crew: Two
  * Length: 7.31 m (24 ft 0 in)
  * Wingspan: 11.51 m (37 ft 9 in)
  * Height: 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)
  * Wing area: 14.0 $m^2$ (151 sq ft)
  * Empty weight: 330 kg (728 lb)
  * Gross weight: 560 kg (1,235 lb)
  * Powerplant: 1 × Walter Mikron II air-cooled 4-cylinder inverted inline engine, 45 kW (60 hp)
  
  Performance
  
  * Maximum speed: 200 km/h (120 mph, 110 kn) at 100 m (330 ft)
  * Cruise speed: 175 km/h (109 mph, 94 kn)
  * Range: 780 km (480 mi, 420 nmi)
  * Service ceiling: 5,200 m (17,100 ft)
  * Time to altitude: 6 min 30 s to 1,000 m (3,300 ft)
  