Experimental airplane question

[cougar6903]

Is it true that the owner of an Experimental airplane can do all maintenance on the airplane? Are annuals still needed? How does it differ from say a Cessna 150? I am considering buying a small 2 seater powered by a Rotex engine.

 

[Loafman]

If you BUILT the airplane, you get a repairman certificate and can do MTX. If you BUY the airplane, it's just like any other airplane in that regard. Be sure you have a mechanic thats willing to sign off on a homebuilt. Some won't.

 

[sstearns2]

.....

If you can in some way claim to have done a restoration or some work on the experimental airplane you may be able to get the repairman certificate for the airplane. There may be some other loopholes. Talk with you local EAA chapter.

Scott

 

[Airpiraterob]

i just posted on another thread about if there really is a need for aviation lawyers. this is a perfect example. Whoever built the majority of the aircraft (51% or more) is liable for whatever goes wrong with it. something fails its the builders fault. That guy will have everything on his shoulders for everything you do with that plane once its sold to you. of course if its determined that it was the plane that caused the crash or damage.

Read up with the EAA and the 51% rule. also legal issues.

cool things abotu homebuilts: Yeah you can work on it. Specially the Rotax assuming its the 2-stroke motor. Rebuilds of the rotax cost what..less than $500? compare that to the bulletproof Mattituck cessna overhaul at something like $12k. in 2000 hours on the Rotax your 6 rebuilds will cost $3k....and 12k on the cessna. heh no brainer. Experimental will be WAAAYYYYYY cheaper to own and run. but again it was buit by "welllll...just this guy in his basement" They still need to be certified as 'Airworthy' airplanes. im not sure how this matters in maintenance to being it back to airworthieness if something broke. If they dont need a sign-off or something does this mean that theres
'fixed by duct-taped' airplanes out there?

i remember someone designed an airplane to use the 25hp briggs&stratton. talk about cheap parts.

 

[dav8or]

51% rule for building as far as quality I've seen the whole range. Most people who see the project through and don't deviate from the plans ( ie modifications) do pretty good work. Van's has over 3000 planes flying with some 8000 more being built. Buying a project not finished is suspect and the workmanship may be questionable. I have my work inspected by a friend of my who is an AP with 20 some years of experiance. In the end the whole project will be reviewed by a DAR befor the FAA grants an Airworthness. A RV can still be built on the cheap, VFR for around 35-40K check it out

www.vansaircraft.com

 

[boeing luva]

"i remember someone designed an airplane to use the 25hp briggs&stratton. talk about cheap parts."


Yeah i saw that guy on the t.v. show Modern Marvels on the history channel. Best thing about his planes is that they were all metal and faster than alot of small planes, and had about quarter of the HP.

 

[sstearns2]

.....

The original Qickie Q1 flew with a 14 HP Onan engine. It got around 100 MPG. Definately not a hot and high airplane though.

Scott

 

[ShawnC]

There's a guy that provides Subura 2.5L 165hp kits (complete firewall forward except prop) that are $5 grand cheaper than Lycoming(which is engine only), , and have half the over haul cost.