BobbyLucas
Well Known Member
So a Van's Rep is telling people that "you need to prove the the FAA that you built 51% of the aircraft to get your airman repairman certificate."
I believe this to be 100% incorrect. The 51% rule is for the EAB airworthiness certification of the aircraft and has nothing to do with the repairman certificate.
Here is what the FAA says in AC 20-27G section 17: "You can get a [repairman] certificate if you are — a. The primary builder of your aircraft, even as the second builder, and can satisfactorily prove to us that you can determine whether the aircraft is in a condition for safe operation." I don't know how you prove it to them, but it's not that you built 51% of the plane.
I had a potential buyer who was concerned about meeting the 51% rule if he bought my partially complete empennage kit and then also did the quickbuild wings and fuse. I explained that the 51% rule only meant that 51% of the plane had to be built by amateurs and that he could buy a 99% complete plane built by 100 amateurs and still have it certified EAB, QB or not. I also explained the repairman cert as above.
The buyer then said he wanted to talk to Van's and after doing so he decided to pass and forwarded me the email with the quote above. I don't know if the misinformation was why he decided to pass on my kit as the Van's rep also tried to talk him out of buying any partial kit for other reasons(edit: which is fine). Still upsets me though (edit: the misinformation part).
I believe this to be 100% incorrect. The 51% rule is for the EAB airworthiness certification of the aircraft and has nothing to do with the repairman certificate.
Here is what the FAA says in AC 20-27G section 17: "You can get a [repairman] certificate if you are — a. The primary builder of your aircraft, even as the second builder, and can satisfactorily prove to us that you can determine whether the aircraft is in a condition for safe operation." I don't know how you prove it to them, but it's not that you built 51% of the plane.
I had a potential buyer who was concerned about meeting the 51% rule if he bought my partially complete empennage kit and then also did the quickbuild wings and fuse. I explained that the 51% rule only meant that 51% of the plane had to be built by amateurs and that he could buy a 99% complete plane built by 100 amateurs and still have it certified EAB, QB or not. I also explained the repairman cert as above.
The buyer then said he wanted to talk to Van's and after doing so he decided to pass and forwarded me the email with the quote above. I don't know if the misinformation was why he decided to pass on my kit as the Van's rep also tried to talk him out of buying any partial kit for other reasons(edit: which is fine). Still upsets me though (edit: the misinformation part).
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