Reregistering EAB after Cancellation

[mmorrison123]

I've been over the regulations but I'm still not clear on this situation. I'm looking at an EAB that was previously registered and had an Airworthiness Certificate. The registration was cancelled (I don't know why) and the N number was reassigned. Is there a process to get the aircraft reregistered and a new Airworthiness Certificate?

I could see having to get the airworthiness inspection done again, with a new N-number. But it would seem that the proof of amateur built eligibility would be taken care of already by showing the previous Airworthiness Certificate. No construction logs available anymore so proving eligibility otherwise would be difficult.

Anyone been down this road before?

[Greg Bockelman]

I don't have specific answers, but I do have a question or two. What does the cancellation of the registration have to do with the airworthiness certificate? In the certified world, if I understand correctly, you could just get the plane issued a new N-number and a new registration and be done with it. I am sure it isn't that big a deal.

Of course, I could be wrong, but I am just wondering.

[WLIU]

The airworthiness certificate is permanent. The registration can be changed at any time. I have an airplane where we changed the registration. Not a big deal.

Just submit an application for a new registration. Pick an N-number and use the FAA web site to see if it is available and reserve it.

Hopefully your N-numbers are stick on and will peel off to allow the new number to be installed.

Best of luck,

Wes
N78041

[1600vw]

I owned a Fisher Avenger that the owner before me wrote a letter to the faa and declared this airplane destroyed. He then flew it as an ultralight. I never tried to register her, I sold her, or I should say gave her away.
This could be the type of thing this person is dealing with. Just a thought.

[mmorrison123]

Good call 1600VW, I just checked and the reason for cancellation far that the aircraft was destroyed. So, there is no current registration to change, otherwise I agree that it would be easy. And the serial number has been identified as destroyed. Looks like a mess, but there must be some way to do this.

[1600vw]

Are you working with a Avenger? If so I know this airplane and might be able to help you a little. Yellow and red Avenger?

[1600vw]

The hard part with any airplane that someone has removed all numbers from is being able to say this is the airplane you are talking about. When one removes all data tags and such there is no way to say this number went on this airframe.
But if the person in fact did not remove the numbers but covered them then you could be in luck for now its just a matter of jumping through some hoops and doing extra paper work to get everything back in order. It can be done if in fact the numbers are still in place.

[1600vw]

If this is the airplane I speak of. Take a heat gun and heat the red tape on the tail covering the numbers and pull it back. This man whom reported this airplane destroyed taped over those numbers with that red tape. Now I would think someone is in the hot seat for making a false report but maybe not.
I tried to find the builder but was never able to locate him. Either he is no longer with us or he is very good at hiding.

[1600vw]

I kinda made a false statement and would like to correct this. It was not the man I purchased this airplane form whom reported this airplane destroyed but the person whom he purchased the airplane from. I never knew this mans name. But I am sure there is a record of his letter somewhere.
The man whom I purchased this airplane from was an upstanding person in every way. I never met a more honest man in my life. I could tell you stories of picking up this airplane and what this man did to make me feel this way but...That's another story....
I wanted to correct this.

Tony

[mmorrison123]

Thanks for the replies. It is not the Avenger that you referred to, and I'm actually not the buyer. I'm doing some leg work for a friend who does not do much stuff on the net. I would think that if you declare an airplane destroyed, whether or not it actually was, would result in the same situation of the airplane no longer existing as a registered/airworthy airplane. So, to put it in the air legally you would have to apply for a new N number, and acquire a new airworthiness certificate by showing that it meets the EAB criteria. If you had the original builders logs it might not be too hard, but since it has already been shown to meet the EAB criteria perhaps that would replace the need for the builders log.

Another thought. I know that if you use factory built pats, like a wing, on your EAB that you cannot claim credit. But that does not apply to homebuilt parts. You can assemble your EAB from as many different EAB parts as you wish, whether you constructed them or not. You would still need to show that those parts met the EAB criteria and quality, and you might not be able to get the repairman certificate, but you should still easily meet the EAB category. Since the destroyed airplane has parts already meeting the EAB criteria could you reuse those parts to build a new airplane. It just happens that those parts are already assembled and ready to fly! Again, this approach relies on the previous Airworthiness Certificate to show EAB compliance for the parts.

While this approach MIGHT work, it would be great if there was a better way.

[WLIU]

The important question is do you have the paper Airworthiness Certificate and the Operating Limitations? Must folks are not aware that the paper Airworthiness Certificate essentially IS the airplane in the eyes of the FAA. If you have it in hand the airplane has been deregistered but is not in fact destroyed from an FAA paperwork point of view. Destroyed merely means that it no longer has a N-number. I can legally rebuild a certificated airplane around the data plate and the paperwork. The EAA Sport Aviation magazine and the Vintage magazine regularly have stories about airplanes that were restored by replacing all of the parts with new. But the very important detail is that the restorer had the data plate and the paperwork for the airplane.

So in the eyes of the FAA, if you have the paperwork and the data plate, then even if the aircraft was deregistered as "destroyed", you can "restore" it and re-register it. Done all of the time in the antique aircraft community.

Best of luck,

Wes
N78041