51% Rule

[Gary 40274]

With the changes in thinking at the FAA and their insistance on the builder complete 51% of the project, does that mean that if say the airframe is completed buy a builder and he needs to sell it, that the new guy cannot lay claim to 51%? The question is, does the guy certifying the plane with the FAA need to be the one to have done 51% or can the previous amateur builders work count toward the 51%

Gary Specketer

[Mel]

The rule is that the major portion of the aircraft must be amateur-built. Not one individual person. Any number of people can be involved so long as they are not paid for construction.

[X18]

Gary,
Mel will probably jump in here with the offical answer, but here is my understanding....The kit still qualifies under the 51% rule even if built by multiple builders. If you buy a partially completed kit be sure and get a copy of the builders log and any photos of the build to prove that it is an amateur built aircraft.

Jim

[X18]

Heck, I should have was kept quite. Mel beat me to it while I was typing my answer.

Jim

[Mel]

Great minds think alike; and apparently at the same time.

[douglassmt]

I'm a newbie, but facing the same basic question. The answers so far are consistent with what I have been told, but there is another aspect - the repairman's certificate. I understand that you (as in YOU) must have completed the 51% if you want to get the repairman's certificate for that aircraft - which allows you to do and certify all work done on it. To me, being able to register as a homebuilt aircraft is a given - but having the repairman's cert. is one of the biggest attractions of home building. I welcome comments or corrections...

[Mel]

The repairman certificate requires that you be the principle builder. There is a little gray area. You may qualify if you can convince the FSDO that you were involved in enough of the construction to competently conduct the annual condition inspection.
BTW, the repairman certificate is ONLY for conducting the condition inspection. You don't need any qualifications or certificate to do repairs and modifications.

[Ron Lee]

My condition inspection by an A&P costs about $150 a year. Hardly an issue.

[Gary 40274]

I was pretty sure I knew the answer to my question but I wanted to be dead on as I am doing a prebuy inspection today in Georgia for a guy in Minnesota and didn't want to stear anybody wrong. Thanks again

Gary Specketer

[douglassmt]

I guess I misunderstood this whole thing, which leads me to a few more questions:

1. So, according to what Mel writes, I can buy an already built RV, do all the work on it myself and have an A&P do the annual condition inspection on it? (obviously, I would want to be sure I was qualified to do the work)

2. Or I could have the person who holds the repairman certificate for that airplane do the condition inspection?

3. Is the same true for certified aircraft or is the anybody-can-do-all-the-work part just true for aircraft registered as homebuilts?

It's a bit confusing. Your answers would be appreciated.