Restoration clarification

[Mr. Hopkins]

I would like to pin down the legality of building an out of production aircraft. And if there any repositories of construction information. As much as I would love to build such an aircraft, this is more for personal knowledge. In this instance the last plane was finished about 60 years ago. The Type Certificate is owned by a company that intended to restart production but as far as I know wont get to actual production for some years if at all. There are erection manuals, maintenance manuals, and a few other pertinent documents sold from oversees, obtained I think from asking/helping England to build some of their own during World War 2. As far as I can tell the documents are thorough but ultimately incomplete. Although they make a nice gift, as pages have engineers notes and supply lists written by hand. It seems a bad idea to rely on them for accuracy as plans, and I don't know the legality of that as well. I do understand the rules, and general forbidding, of trying this as they apply to building in the states but I am less certain if there is some international legal barrier or patents to consider. ITAR not being a factor. Digging through the FAA's registry has not been fruitful as a collection to draw upon for additional airframe information and I don't think Grumman still maintains such things. Northrop Grumman or whatever they go by now from what I understand is essentially an unrelated company to the old Grumman. Again, I just enjoy learning and collecting things related to the aircraft. Building one even if it were legal would be way out of my league and economics, .

[Kyle Boatright]

I would like to pin down the legality of building an out of production aircraft. And if there any repositories of construction information. As much as I would love to build such an aircraft, this is more for personal knowledge. In this instance the last plane was finished about 60 years ago. The Type Certificate is owned by a company that intended to restart production but as far as I know wont get to actual production for some years if at all. There are erection manuals, maintenance manuals, and a few other pertinent documents sold from oversees, obtained I think from asking/helping England to build some of their own during World War 2. As far as I can tell the documents are thorough but ultimately incomplete. Although they make a nice gift, as pages have engineers notes and supply lists written by hand. It seems a bad idea to rely on them for accuracy as plans, and I don't know the legality of that as well. I do understand the rules, and general forbidding, of trying this as they apply to building in the states but I am less certain if there is some international legal barrier or patents to consider. ITAR not being a factor. Digging through the FAA's registry has not been fruitful as a collection to draw upon for additional airframe information and I don't think Grumman still maintains such things. Northrop Grumman or whatever they go by now from what I understand is essentially an unrelated company to the old Grumman. Again, I just enjoy learning and collecting things related to the aircraft. Building one even if it were legal would be way out of my league and economics, .

You may build and fly whatever you want as long as it is not for commercial purposes (i.e. built for sale). If you did build a replica of a Grumman F8F or whatever, you would need to register it as a replica or as some other make/model, not as a "Grumman". There are numerous aircraft (Wacos, Aeroncas, Cubs) where this is routinely done.

[martymayes]

I would like to pin down the legality of building an out of production aircraft.

What country are you in? i.e., what rules/regulations would be followed to build this mental exercise aircraft?

[Mr. Hopkins]

What country are you in? i.e., what rules/regulations would be followed to build this mental exercise aircraft?

I'll be in California for a few years. After that I don't know but I'll still be in the U.S.

[martymayes]

I'll be in California for a few years. After that I don't know but I'll still be in the U.S.

I've been trying to guess what airplane fits you clues and all I can come up with is one of the Grumman amphibs. Something like the G-21 Goose perhaps?

Kyle hit on the basics. While you may be able to build an exact clone of such an airplane, it could only be registered in the experimental category. The FAA is not going to let you build and register a standard category aircraft in your back yard. If you do fabricate and assemble the major portion for education and/or recreation, it could be registered as an experimental amateur built aircraft.

As far as building data, if you obtained all the factory drawings, you could build from that. Or you could obtain every part and reverse engineer it, make your drawings on 8 1/2" x 11" notebook paper if you wish, or some combination of the above. The FAA wouldn't care, the plans would not be subject to any kind of approval. The only requirement for accuracy is what you are comfortable with.

Would the TC holder get upset that you copied his airplane? Perhaps, but since you're doing if for fun and not for profit, doubtful there would be any legal ramifications. They can't really say you stole any proprietary data because it's all available in public domains.

Changing the subject slightly, what are your thoughts on the Gweduck? http://www.gweduck.com/
Granted it's only a generic clone, it's pretty cool.

[Floatsflyer]

Marty, there's also this, http://antillesseaplanes.com/ a rebirth of the Grumman Goose, a new ground-up modern remanufacture with turbines. The company exhibited at Oshkosh a few years ago. Fast forward, there's been dubious activity amidst financial troubles, lawsuits and foreclosures. The company still exists in North Carolina but I can't pinpoint the nature of any activity. They own the Mackinnon STC for turbine Gooses. Its always the money, a lack of sustainable capitalization and a small market for a multi engine, $3.5 million dreamboat.

[FlyingRon]

Your headline is at odds with the body of your post. If you want to build something from plans or looking at an existing rendition, yes you can very much build it as amateur built experimental. However, if you're talking about "restoring" something that's already built, that's a whole 'nother ball of wax.