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GLS
09-14-2011, 05:24 PM
Assuming one has the wherewithal, how do you go about getting plans for a homebuilt "approved" as such, with an eye on selling the plans?

Neil
09-14-2011, 09:01 PM
Not exactly sure how to take your question.

Generally a prototype aircraft is designed and built with numerous in progress sketches and corrections. A first stage of construction plans is created and a second proof of concept aircraft is built from the plans developed from the prototype. If the design proves to be successful and people like it there will be request for plans from people interested in building the design. There really is no entity that "approves" plans for sale. The integrity of the aircraft is the responsibility of the designer or the person holding the rights to the design.

Of one thing you can be sure. If you design it and sell plans, someone will modify it.

Dana
09-15-2011, 11:14 AM
In the US at least, there is no plans "approval". It's quite possible to draw up plans for an aircraft that has never flown, or not even be flyable, and offer them for sale. Unethical, of course... but there are lots of outfits doing just that, especially in more far out things like "jet packs" and "flying saucers".

GLS
09-15-2011, 01:21 PM
Thanks for the cautionary info.

GLS
09-15-2011, 01:39 PM
Not exactly sure how to take your question.

Generally a prototype aircraft is designed and built with numerous in progress sketches and corrections. A first stage of construction plans is created and a second proof of concept aircraft is built from the plans developed from the prototype. If the design proves to be successful and people like it there will be request for plans from people interested in building the design. There really is no entity that "approves" plans for sale. The integrity of the aircraft is the responsibility of the designer or the person holding the rights to the design.

Of one thing you can be sure. If you design it and sell plans, someone will modify it.

Thanks for the reply. I think my response to you was lost because it didn't show up afterward. Anyway, could you direct me to a publicaiton that speaks to the responsibiity issue? By the way, I was born in Louisiana and raised in Alexandria. Now I live in Connecticut with my Yankee wife. I have a nephew living in Monroe.

Neil
09-15-2011, 05:51 PM
I don't know of any publication of the sort you are looking for. One may exist though. Best bet might be to talk with a lawyer that deals in liability cases.

A Yankee wife isn't a bad thing, they just talk funny.

Dana
09-16-2011, 04:17 PM
The integrity of the aircraft is the responsibility of the designer or the person holding the rights to the design.

No, the integrity of the aircraft is the responsibility of the person who builds it. This is why people can get away with selling garbage plans.

Neil
09-16-2011, 04:44 PM
No, the integrity of the aircraft is the responsibility of the person who builds it. This is why people can get away with selling garbage plans.

An obvious error in wording on my part.

The integrity of the design is up to the designer, the integrity of the airplane is up to the builder. An airplane built precisely from poorly done, under engineered plans will be poorly done and under engineered.

conodeuce
09-17-2011, 08:01 AM
Assuming one has the wherewithal, how do you go about getting plans for a homebuilt "approved" as such, with an eye on selling the plans?

The plans and supporting documents that were created by John Powell forty yeas ago for the Acey Deucy (my project) have the NASAD seal prominently displayed. NASAD is (was?) the National Association of Sport Aircraft Designers. As best I can tell (some quick googling), NASAD is no longer in existence. Apparently this voluntary organization would provide its stamp of approval to a design. Certain criteria needed to be met. But, unless someone knows otherwise, I believe they are no longer in existence.

FlyingRon
09-17-2011, 08:20 AM
You betcha, there's some really troubling drek sold in the rotorcraft segment that is completely unairworthy designs.

Dana
09-17-2011, 08:20 AM
To advertise plans in Sport Aviation, I believe there is a requirement for the prototype having completed some minimum number of flight hours. However, this is not a requirement for other publications, as witness the absurd things offered in, say, Popular Mechanics.

Eric Witherspoon
09-18-2011, 06:42 PM
Yes the SA advertising requirements are right there at the front of of the "plans/kits" section. Not too hard - must have been operated a min of 25 hrs if using an FAA-certified engine, or 40 hours if non-certified engine. Should have satisfactorily demonstrated its advertised qualities. The FAA ops lims must have been amended to permit fight outside the test flight area. So basically, no stuff that has NOT been BUILT and FLOWN (and successfully completed the requirements of "Phase I" ops lims).

Doesn't necessarily mean it will be a design that meets YOUR requirements, or necessarily even a desirable airplane. But at least someone built ONE and flew it.

One issue I grabbed from mid last year showed about 25 ads, with several ads touting multiple different designs - so probably something on the order of 40 different designs being marketed this way.

rpellicciotti
09-30-2011, 08:39 AM
The plans and supporting documents that were created by John Powell forty yeas ago for the Acey Deucy (my project) have the NASAD seal prominently displayed. NASAD is (was?) the National Association of Sport Aircraft Designers. As best I can tell (some quick googling), NASAD is no longer in existence. Apparently this voluntary organization would provide its stamp of approval to a design. Certain criteria needed to be met. But, unless someone knows otherwise, I believe they are no longer in existence.

I am fairly certain that the NASAD standards applied to the plans themselves and how they were organized and produced, not the integrity of the design of the aircraft therein. In the early days, a lot of plans were sold that were incomplete and left the builder to do a lot of "Imagineering (tm)". NASAD attempted to set standards for the completeness of the drawings, how they were organized and the associated builder's manual contents. If I am wrong about this, I am sure that someone will correct me.

David J. Gall
10-13-2011, 11:21 PM
Yes, sadly, NASAD is long defunct.