Project Photo Requirements

bmurrish · #1 03-20-2005, 09:02 PM

I have seen comments on a few builder sites about having pictures of themselves building to present to the FAA. Does anyone know where this requirement is located? I am almost done building my -8 empennage and have taken hundreds of pictures throughout the process. Problem is, I am the one taking the pictures and I'm not in them. Is this ok, or do I need to become a model?

robertahegy · #2 03-21-2005, 05:13 PM

Most of my photos don't have me in them. A few choice shots of you during various stages should be fine. Your knowledge of the building process will also support you as the builder. Have fun.

Roberta

Bob Axsom · #3 03-21-2005, 06:03 PM

I agree with what Roberta says but note that she says some select shots should be taken with you doing work. You don't want to go into the FAA office trying to apply for your repairman certificate with no objective evidence that you built the airplane. They have a responsibility to assure that you built the airplane and the approach should be to help them satisfy this requirement. You can set up a camera with a self timer and satisfy the need very easily and for your own piece of mind as well as your own personal record and you should. When I went in with mine they were very happy with the photo record/evidence and the corresponding builder's log. I have 1,632 photographs in the album showing a lot of work in process (complete with drill chips and enough clecoes to make a porcupine proud) but only 43 have me working in the picture. It doesn't take much and you benefit in several ways.

sf3543 · #4 03-22-2005, 03:15 PM

When I had my RV6 inspected for the airworthiness certificate, by the FAA, they couldn't have cared less about a photo record or builder's log. I guess it depends on your inspector.

Bob Axsom · #5 03-28-2005, 06:30 PM

It does depend on your inspector of course but evidence of you building the airplane is more the heart of the question when it comes to approving you for a Repairman Certificate for the airplane. This comes later in the sequence of doorways to freedom to fly, maintain and perform the annual condition inspections on your airplane. In the FSDO at Long Beach they were very interested in the written builder's log, the photos and my presence in them doing work. They (several people) read the pages corelated the log with the photos and questioned me about them. They told me "you wouldn't believe what some people bring in here claiming to have built an airplane." You may run into a more casual FSDO employee - really I hope not.