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Owner Maintenance: rules and regs ???

Dangerous Dan

Dangerous Dan

Active Member
Seeking guidance on how to legally maintain my future Vans RV.
I will be purchasing a flying airplane.

1st thing after learning to fly it will be modifications.
For example: add a C/S prop, strobe lights, or change the instrument panel and radios. You know, fun stuff.

Since my new bird will be "experimental" there are no field approvals for the mods, or 337s required for my changes / improvements, right?

Since I did not build the airplane.
I am ineligable to earn a repairmans cert for My airplane?
I can do some maintenace myself (like with certified birds)?

There is an "Annual" required but its called an "inspection" and it must be done by an A&P licensed mechanic with IA privaleges?

Are log books required?

Thanks for your inputs, Dan
 
As owner, you may perform any and all maintenance and modifications on your RV. You are not eligible for the repairman certificate. Therefore you may not sign off the annual "condition inspection." This must be done by the original builder, if he/she holds the repairman certificate or any A&P mechanic. IA is not required.
You are required to keep maintenance records.
Your "operating limitations" will cover how to handle modifications. Operating limitations have changed over the years, so it depends on when the airplane was certificated. If the operating limitations are of the "older" type, they can be brought up to date by your FSDO or a DAR.
 
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Experimental rocks!

Wow, that is good news for me.

Wrenching on airplane "improvements" is fun

Having the annual "conditon inspection" done by a professional aircraft mechanic adds safety in my case.

Thank you, Dan
 
Yep, I do maintenance and inspections on quite a number of RV's and other Exp airplanes with no IA. The IA is more of a paperwork sorting type rating than anything else. Having someone looking over your shoulder doing major work isn't a bad thing either.
 
You can do all the dirty work...

Dangerous Dan said:
Wow, that is good news for me.



Thank you, Dan
Click to expand...

....and let the A@P do the easy stuff. You can drain the oil and change the filter, remove and examine the spark plugs, etc. Find an easy going older A@P and it'll make the inspection fun, a learning experience for you and cheaper too.

Regards,
 
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Old Guys RULE

A&P / IA for my Tri-Pacer is 77years old. He works on my bird for fun more than the money. I am very lucky because he has got me field approvals for installing an electric clock, flying with door off for parachuting and my redesigned intrument panel. Stuff "real mechanics" would not take on.

It has been wonderful hearing Old flying stories and learning aircraft maintenance while updating my old "Rag wing". Its a treat for me to "flip the prop" starting his 1936 Piper cub.

Talking to Performance engines about my TP, the sales man suggested checking into experimental birds. I discovered VAF. Reading about RVs; the flying descriptions, the engineering & construction stories got me hooked.

Seems experimentals will let me fly faster and funner than certified, while being able to make improvements with out all the paperwork. RV guys dont worry about "punch tests", STCs, or 337s.

You alls help learning the rules about experimental ownership is great!

Thanks, Dan
 
Can someone point me to the actual regs (what's the number and actual wording) that have information on maintenance and modifications of an experimental aircraft? Is it in Part 43 somewhere?

On a somewhat related note, here's a hypothetical situation. Let's assume I want to do some research and development and have a Cessna 150 available. This R&D work is unrelated to the aircraft systems in any way, it would just be something that needs to be flown around collecting data. It would be large enough that mounting it in a pod on the belly and or cutting holes in the bottom of the fuselage might be necessary. Rather than go out and buy an experimental airplane, what would it take to re-certify the 150 as experimental so I can make the mods and do the R&D work? If this work required airframe modifications (like mounting a pod on the belly, or something), would the same rules apply to the 150 that apply to other experimentals (i.e., could I make the changes and sign the books without involving an A&P)? Before anybody jumps to conclusions, safety would be of our utmost concern. I'm strictly interested in how this would work from a regulations perspective.

Thanks!
Paul
 
Paul, I'm afraid you are talking a different "experimental". The comments so far in this thread have been directed toward "experimental amateur-built". Your modified Cessna would fall under different rules. You would have to put the Cessna into another experimental category such as "research & development".
 
Paul....

Paul..... I gotta say, you are really good at opening cans of worms :) You must have an industrial size can opener... Keep in mind 1 lb is the limit of your neg weight... so a physical weight and balance (or some math....) is in order. You can do a fair amount of stuff on a 337 if you need to do changes to a certified airplane. Go get a FAR/AIM... and let me know if you have any questions.. I'd be more than happy to answer any questions you have.... 2 mins will beat 2 weeks of reading regulations any day. Ask around and find an honest mechanic... pay him/her or bring lots of food and coffee. And listen to Mel.. he knows what he is talking about!
Best
Brian Wallis
brianpwallis at hotmail dot com
404 405 1315.
 
Homebuilt Maintenance - Purchased Airplane

On a purchased homebuilt (built by someone else), my understanding has always been that the new owner can perform maintenance but it must be signed off by an A&P.

Then I read something else. Part 43 governs who may perform maintenance on an aircraft and in 43.1(b) it says:

This part does not apply to any aircraft for which the FAA has issued an experimental certificate, unless the FAA has previously issued a different kind of airworthiness certificate for that aircraft.

Which means that NONE of the requirements of Part 43 apply to experimental aircraft... Which means that anyone can work on an experimental and anyone can sign off on the work...

Is this right? I certainly conflicts with what I've always understood.

If this isn't correct, can someone please tell me the regulation that applies?
 
Matt,
A search of the archives will produce your desired answer. Those that have come before you have taken the time to write responses to help folks in the future. Folks just like you.
Grab the search function, advanced, keyword maintenance, select search titles only, and wallah, your answers are at your fingertips.
Enjoy.
 
Anyone can work on an experimental airplane. The work does not have to be signed off by an A&P. The holder of the repairmans certificate for that specific airplane or an A&P can sign off the annual condition inspection.
 
No need to appologize Matt.
Come on back if you have any questions on what you read.
Fortunately for you, you have a clear cut answer.
 
Thanks - I found an earlier discussion on the topic.

The reason I asked is that my uncle's FSDO (Houston) just got done telling him that on a purchased homebuilt he could do all of the maintenance but it needed to be signed-off by an A&P. It appears that a lot of people (including at least one at the FAA) believe that to be the case - I did as well.
 
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