Originally Posted by
flyrgreen
A few replies have missed a bit in regards to E/AB and maintenance-- you do not need need to be the builder to do maintenance on your experimental. In fact ANYONE can do the work on your E/AB, regardless of their status as a mechanic! This of course is a major money-saver. Experimentals can be either Light Sport qualified or not, but that is a licensing issue about whether you need a Medical & PPL or not; maintenance is not tied to E/AB being flown as LSA or not.
Where the confusion comes from is regarding S-LSA. These are aircraft purpose-built for LSA category, usually sold as a kit or ready-to-fly from the factory. The original builder can perform all maintenance, without an A&P cert. Only an A&P or IA can "annual" the plane. HOWEVER, if you purchase a used S-LSA, you can take a 120-hour course to become legal for all maintenance and annual inspection on your S-SLA.