R

rwagner24

Active Member
Hi All,
I just joined and this is my first post. I have a friend that bought a RV8 Quickbuild kit back in 99. He started building it with his father in law. Sadly His father in law passed away and construction haulted. He is willing to all but give me the kit but I'm trying to figure out if they passed the building point where I won't be able to get a repairmans certificate. The horizontal stabilizer and vertical stablizer are finished, the rudder has not been started. I emailed Vans and they said they think I'm still ok but how do I find out for sure? Any help is greatly appreciated.
 
+1, if you do the rest, no problem getting the repairman's certificate.

I'm sure Mel will be by shortly to give a more in depth answer.

Welcome by the way!

-Jim
 
Ryan,
Welcome to VAF! I think you're going to find lots of help here. As far as the project is concerned, you should be okay for getting the RC. The FAA allows you to have "unpaid" help...you just can't have a "professional" help with more than 49% of the kit. Your friend and his late father-in-law would be considered "unpaid" help, so go for it!

Take on the project if you really want to do it, and maybe talk your friend into helping out when you need a second set of hands as a tribute to his late father-in-law. It could turn out to be very special for both of you.

And don't hesitate to ask questions here along the way. We don't bite.

Well, most of us don't anyway...just don't ask about "to prime or not to prime", CS vs FP, 320 vs 360 and all those other things in the "Never Ending Debates" thread... :D

Seriously, welcome to VAF and enjoy the new journey!

Regards,
 
Thanks alot. I had my mind set on a RV7 untill Oshkosh this year. I flew their demo and was a little dissapointed with the room and getting in and out. My friend was trying to talk me in to the 8 kit he had the whole time and after I flew the 7 and sat in a 8 I told him I would take it if I could get the certificate. I knew his father in law really well if not for him I probably would of never got my ratings. Im thinking of some kind of tribute in the build somthing embroidered on the seats or his initials in the n number.
 
Welcome to VAF!

You're actually asking about two relatively separate things:

The "51% rule" is more correctly referred to as the "major portion rule," since the specific percentage appears nowhere in the actual regs. It simply says that the aircraft is eligible for an experimental, amateur-built special airworthiness certificate only if the major portion of it was built for purposes of education and recreation. It doesn't matter who built it, what matters is why. Since your friend wasn't working on it for money, you're fine on that one. It can get complicated if you shop out a lot of the work or are working with a kit that has not been vetted by the FAA and found compliant. But that's not usually an issue with RVs.

As for the repairbeing certificate, you don't have to have built the major portion to get it. All you have to do is demonstrate to the inspector's satisfaction that your work on the aircraft has given you the familiarity with it necessary to conduct the annual condition inspection. Oh, yeah--they only issue one repairbeing certificate per airplane. So if you built it as a team you have to figure out who gets the certificate. Usually decided on the "last person standing" principle.

And, hey, worst case scenario? Not so bad. The only unique privilege conferred by the repairbeing certificate is that of conducting the aforementioned inspection. That's it. Unless for some reason prohibited in the aircraft's specific operating limitations (and I have never seen such a restriction), anybody can repair and maintain an amateur-built experimental airplane. Anybody.

And, as I have written elsewhere and elsewhen, I think that the privilege of conducting the condition inspection has negative value. Your personal investment in an aircraft you built makes you a far from neutral party. Better to bring in a fresh set of eyes and sensibilities to double-check your work at least once a year.

Thanks, Bob K.
 
Correct

ALL amateur builders (previous owners) work done for 'education and recreation' counts in the 51% total.

The FAA has a great Advisory Circular that explains it all along with the paperwork involved. AC 20-17 at www.FAA.gov

+++++++++++++++++++++++++
(5) Identifying Circumstances Not Considered Commercial Assistance. Commercial assistance does not include the instance where an incomplete aircraft is sold to another builder and the second builder completes the aircraft. In such a case, the work performed by the first builder or subsequent amateur builders, counts toward completion of the major portion by the second builder. The burden of proof that the aircraft is amateur-built and eligible for an experimental certificate remains with and is the responsibility of the applicant. The second builder should obtain as much detailed information and documentation (see paragraph 7h) from the original builder as possible. If this information is not available, we may not be able to find compliance to the major portion requirement of ? 21.191(g).
 
Shouldn't be a problem.

Bob K has it right. The "major portion" rule has to do with the eligibility as amateur-built.
The repairman certificate is a different issue. To qualify, you only have to demonstrate that you built a sufficient amount of the aircraft to competently perform the condition inspection.
 
Ok I have to read more about what is needed to demonstrate it but I'm guessing a logbook and pictures along the way?.
 
Welcome to VAF

You're a lucky guy and I heartily agree with letting your friend help in the tribute to his Dad,

Enjoy,
 
He is more than welcome to help. The only catch is I'm in Pa and he lives in Fl but I'm sure he will be checkin in when he is here to visit family.
 
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