51 percent rule?

[martymayes]

Hi,
I have a question. I am looking at a Pitts project. It was certified Experimental, but had a forced landing and was damaged. It has sat in a barn for 20 years. needs wings ang gear, new engine. If I tear into this thing. can I recertify it as a new airplane? The only thing I will be using is The Fuselage and tail feathers. Is this any different than buying finished parts in a kit? I figure the amount of work I will be doing is mor than half....any thoughts?

Yes, it is different because I'm guessing those parts were previously built by someone for "education and recreation," which means they count as 'amateur built' on the Form 8000-38, fabrication/assembly checklist. They do not have to be built by you because any number of people can contribute to building a homebuilt, as long as they are doing it for education/recreation. The parts should not count as being fabricated by a commercial entity - because they weren't.

So the answer is YES, you should be able to rebuild the plane, easily comply with the major portion rule, certify the aircraft like it's a new homebuilt and obtain a repairman certificate, as I'm guessing that's your motivation.