Building/maintaining experience CAN be used to help satisfy the requirements - a lot is left up to the individual Inspector who signs off on your application so that you can test. The biggest problem for many is that building RV’s doesn’t teach you much about tube and fabric….or building engines….or turbines….or those awful questions about fire detection systems….or antique generator systems.
In short - all hours are not equal, and your inspector might make you show experience with a wider range of aircraft tHan just metal light airplanes.
The scariest thing about my A&P is that it allows me to work on anything that flies….large turbine aircraft, helicopters, civilianized military aircraft… it is - humbling!
