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Thread: Certifying a restored experimental aircraft

  1. #1

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    Certifying a restored experimental aircraft

    Can someone point me to info on re-certifying an experimental aircraft that was disassembled and stored for many years?
    Thanks
    Gary

  2. #2
    Neil's Avatar
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    Contact your local Designated Airworthiness Representative. (FAA DAR)

  3. #3
    Dana's Avatar
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    If the airworthiness certificate was surrendered or let expire (expiry only being a recent issue with new FAA regs), then it may be difficult or impossible. Otherwise, it's as simple as reassembling it and completing an annual inspection.

  4. #4

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    Certifying a restored experimental aircraft

    Quote Originally Posted by Dana View Post
    If the airworthiness certificate was surrendered or let expire (expiry only being a recent issue with new FAA regs), then it may be difficult or impossible. Otherwise, it's as simple as reassembling it and completing an annual inspection.
    Thanks for the comment. In our case the airworthiness cert was surrendered and the plane was disassembled and parted out. Someone else bought the whole plane afterward, disassembled, (all of the parts) and re-registed it with FAA, but never got it airworthy. We bought all of the plane too. At this time, the FAA has re-registed the plane again and we hope to get it airworthy.

  5. #5

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    Quote Originally Posted by GLS View Post
    Thanks for the comment. In our case the airworthiness cert was surrendered and the plane was disassembled and parted out.
    Did they report the aircraft as destroyed? Does the aircraft have a builder dataplate?

  6. #6
    Dana's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by GLS View Post
    Thanks for the comment. In our case the airworthiness cert was surrendered and the plane was disassembled and parted out. Someone else bought the whole plane afterward, disassembled, (all of the parts) and re-registed it with FAA, but never got it airworthy. We bought all of the plane too. At this time, the FAA has re-registed the plane again and we hope to get it airworthy.
    In this case you have a problem. To qualify for an E-AB airworthiness certificate, you have to show evidence of an amateur build (builder's log, photographs, etc.). Typically this is something that only the original builder can provide. Presumably the original builder canceled the registration to shield himself from liability; this often happens.

    It may come down to how cooperative your local DAR is willing to be.

  7. #7

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    Re-Certifying

    Fortunately, we have all builder info, pictures of the build, inspections, etc. We also have letter to FAA from original builder about de-registering because of an expensive AD on the engine. There is no data plate but we, and the FAA, have a complete paper trail on the aircraft.
    So, I guess this means we call the FAA.
    Thanks

  8. #8
    FlyingRon's Avatar
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    Airworthiness certificates do not expire. Unless the previous owner did something explicit to do something to turn it in it is still valid.
    If you're just putting it back together, you probably need do NOTHING. You will, of course, need to have a condition inspection by an A&P as it is certainly probably out of "annual."

    The biggest issues are: do you have (or can you get replaced) the airworthiness certificate.
    do you have (or can you get replaced) the approved operating limitations.

    If you make changes, you'll most likely need to INFORM the FAA but that's it.

    To get an amateur built experimental certificate you only need to show it was built for recreation or education. You do not need to have been the one who did it.

  9. #9

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    Certifying a restored experimental aircraft

    Thanks for the very informative reply. We're in contact with the builder and wel should be able to resurect the required documents.
    Again, thanks for the info.
    Gary

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