N727RT: Project Notebook
Intro: Why "Build" an Airplane?
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Intro: Why "Build" an Airplane? |
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 Why would anyone want to "build" an airplane(and how does that work)??? Click Here to jump down to FAQ's and related FAA info on amateur build aircraft or just continue on to read about my personal situation/story... I built model airplanes as a child/teen and took flight lessons while in high school. So, it was perhaps natural than as I grew older, I occasionally though of building a kit airplane - "someday". However for the most part, these were really only passing thoughts. Then, in 2002, I became part owner in a Cessna 172. This was (is) a great first airplane - relatively inexpensive to own/operate, easy to maintain, and plenty capable as long as you don't want to go very far, or very fast, or carry very much. After a year or two. I started to look/think about moving up to a more capable aircraft and the build vs buy decision became more relevant. The decision to finally build an aircraft took a couple years of research, thought, and planning (and a healthy dose of what-if dreaming). Listed below is a summary of my Pro's and Cons of building (vs buying). Ultimately, I choose to build based on the desire for a better result (performance & fit), less invested cost (vs brand new), and opportunities for education, social interaction and personal achievement. Of course, the offsets were TIME (and lots of it). However, since I was already a part owner of a Cessna 172, choosing to build (vs buy) had little direct effect my opportunity to fly (it just delayed my ability to fly far/fast).
FAQs: Why "build" an aircraft (and how does that work)??? 1. Why attempt to build an airplane when it would be much easier to just buy one?
b. Flexibility: With recent (and ongoing) advancements in electronics and advanced materials, many older, economical, used aircraft do not offer the features (safety, comfort, capability) that are currently technologically and economically feasible (GPS based navigation, glass panel displays, terrain, traffic, onboard weather, dual electric bus designs, etc). Furthermore, based on the FAA's rigorous testing and certification processes, retrofitting and/or upgrading older aircraft is often prohibitively expensive (and/or impossible). Likewise, newer aircraft, which do incorporate current technologies, still become outdated as the rate of development and innovation continue to increase. Since amateur-built (experimental) aircraft are not subject to the same rigorous FAA certification limitations, future upgrades are more easily accomplished. c. Performance: It is often said that designing and building an aircraft is an exercise in compromise. Speed, Range, Useful Load, Handling, Safety, and Economy are mutually exclusive performance objectives. By building an airplane, one is able to strike a balance amongst these performance objectives that matches personal goals better than with the (limited) available certified aircraft. 2. How does the FAA view amateur (home) built aircraft?
b. Education: One of the FAA's primary missions is the advancement of aviation safety. A cornerstone of pursuing that mission is education. As such, the FAA allows/encourages amateur built aircraft projects to the extent that they are congruent with the FAA's safety, education, and learning missions. c. Economics: Amateur built aviation is big business. The cost of most "new" light aircraft is beyond the economic reach of the average American family. However, amateur built projects provide an opportunity to reduce (and/or pace) the required economic outlay for acquisition and maintenance. Approx 2,000 amateur built aircraft are completed and certified by the FAA each year, which is approx 15% of all small single engine certified (manufactured) aircraft. 3. Are Amateur built aircraft inspected and certified?
b. Certification: Once successfully inspected, amateur built aircraft are granted an FAA "experimental" airworthiness certificate. This certificate includes operating limitations which typically specify a required flight testing period (# of hours) over which the aircraft operating envelope and airworthiness is formally established. Following the successful testing period, the aircraft is operated under the provisions of it's experimental certificate indefinitely, provided it is maintained in airworthy condition, similar to other "type certified" (manufactured) aircraft. For more detail, visit the FAA's Website under: Special Airworthiness Certificates Regulations & Policies 4. What limitations are placed on an amateur build (experimental) aircraft? a. The 51% rule: The FAA's approval of amateur built aircraft projects is largely (and explicitly) based on the conceptsof "Education and Recreation". The primary manifestation of this directive is that the amateur builder must have performed the majority of the construction tasks himself (or as a amateur build group). This is known as the 51% rule. Thus, an amateur builder can hire someone to assist with selected tasks, but cannot hire someone to build an amateur built aircraft for him. Kit based aircraft are typically pre-validated as to the % completed by the kit manufacturer. To validate the greater than 51% builder contribution, the builder is required to maintain an activity log.
5. How does someone find more information and/or get started on an amateur built aircraft project?
Additionally, there are nearly 1,000 local EAA (airport) chapters, with a variety of support programs and social/recreational/educational activities. My local chapter is #113 ("The backyard Eagles") @ Plymouth/Canton Mettetal Airport (1D2). You can an visit our chapter website at www.EAA113.org
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Copyright © 2006. All rights reserved. This site is the online project notebook of Rick Titsworth and for the purpose of sharing information and opinions related to building N272RT. No responsibility for the accuracy or usefulness of the information is expressed or implied. Any person using these images, ideas, and tips does so at their own discretion and risk and without recourse against anyone related to this site or the n727rt project. This site is not affiliated with Lancair International. |
a. Personal Education
and Achievement: Attempting to build and fly an airplane is nothing
new. Throughout history, people dreamed of flying, and
made countless (unsuccessful) attempts. Eventually, the scientific and
intellectual hurdles associated with
sustained, controlled flight were mastered (initially by the Wright Brothers
in 1903). Since then, aviation knowledge, technology, and safety have progressed
rapidly and thousands of people now fly for business, pleasure, and/or recreation
every day, with little (or no) fanfare. However, the intellectual, educational,
and emotional challenges of building and flying an airplane are still significant, and
represent a unique opportunity for personal learning, growth, and achievement.
Building an airplane, allows you to personally relive one of mankind's longest sought
achievements. For interesting reading goto:
a. Innovation:
Although many aviation related improvements have been enabled by large
organizations and/or governmental projects (especially military), most of the
early achievements originated afrom grass roots efforts (the Wrights, Glen
Curtis, Charles Lindbergh, etc) and ongoing grass roots efforts have continued
to result in significant advancements
(such as pioneering use of advanced composite materials; satellite based in-cockpit weather;
non-stop, non-refueled global circumnavigation, etc). Thus, to continue to
encourage innovation and to embrace and preserve the freedoms that we as Americans
hold dear, the FAA is generally supportive of allowing people (amateur builders)
to construct and fly their own aircraft. For an example of recent
home-grown aviation innovations goto:
a. Inspection:
Amateur built aircraft projects are required to complete an FAA inspection prior
to being certified for flight. These inspections are conducted by a DAR (Designated Airworthiness
Representatives) which are appointed by the FAA. The DAR's responsibility
is to make sure the builder has done an adequate job of designing and/or building
the aircraft and that it conforms to generally accepted practices for construction,
safety, and airworthiness.
b. Operating Limitations:
Following successful completion of the initial flight testing phase, amateur built
(experimental) aircraft are afforded virtually the same access to the FAA airspace system
as type certified (manufactured) aircraft. However, because of the less rigorous
certification process, experimental aircraft may never be used for commercial purposes
(i.e. not flown for hire). Additional limitations may be specified for individual
aircraft such as restrictions for night or IFR flight. However, these restrictions
are normally only equipment based (i.e. if the aircraft does not have the
required equipment for night or IFR flight, then those operations are prohibited).
The
Experimental Aircraft Association