• Become a Subscribing Member today!

    The Biplane Forum is a large global active community of biplane builders, owners and pilots. From Pitts to Skybolts, to older barnstormers, all types are welcome.

    The Biplane Forum is a private community. Subscriptions are only $49.99/year or $6.99/month to gain access to this great community and unmatched source of information not found anywhere else on the web.

    Why become a Subscribing Member?

    • In addition to our active community, our content boasts exhaustive technical information which is often sought after for projects and maintenance. This information has accumulated over the 12+ years the forum has been in existence.
    • We are also a great resource for non biplane users, since many GA aircraft are built the same way (fabric and tube construction).
    • Annual membership also comes with two BiplaneForum.com decals.

    Become a Subscribing Member and access the Biplane Forum in full!

    Subscribe Now

"Primary Builder"

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

EAABipe40FF

Registered Users
Supporting Member
Joined
May 29, 2009
Messages
7,316
Reaction score
1,894
Location
Springfield, WV
Roll the dice and win.

Who can be the "Repairman" for an E-AB aircraft? The regulations say "the primary builder", but does not absolutely define it. As I recall the reg. then suggests that the repairman should have the knowledge and skill to inspect and maintain the aircraft and the builder is the one who would likely have such skill.


I have now completed two E-AB aircraft started by others. With the first one I spoke to the inspector at both the MIDO and the FSDO about the issue and they agree that I had done sufficient work in the process to obtain the repairman certificate for my Spezio Tu-holer even though another person had started the project and I put his name down as the "manufacturer".


I did the same thing with the AD2. Based on my previous discussions I could have put myself down as the manufacturer of my AD2 but for future possible liability reasons I preferred not to have my name on the data plate. BTW, there have been four builders of the AD2.

I recently contacted my FSDO to obtain my repairman certificate. The inspector assigned to me called last week and since they were coming to western Md. this week to survey the airports anyway, he could meet me at the airport and issue my temporary certificate rather than me going to Baltimore. GREAT! He then asked me the make, model, ser# etc.?

When I said the "manufacturer" was the person who started the project it only took him 2 sec. to say he could not issue me the certificate. As our discussion proceeded he also stated that only the person who did " 51%" or more could obtain the certificate. I suggested he was confusing the requirement that 51% of the aircraft must have been completed by an amateur in order to obtain an E-AB AWC and that several individuals might contribute to that 51%. We had a rather long discussion. I told him what I had completed and I felt that I had the skills required. I also suggested he maybe consider an airplane completed by a trade school where over several years over 100 persons might have been involved in the build and the repairman certificate had been given to the instructor even though he might not have even turned a wrench?(this is actually rather common...at least in the past) He said he would have to call the certification branch in Ok. City and get back to me. Frankly I was not optimistic considering recent FAA CYA.......

Yesterday afternoon he called back and said he had checked with FAA headquarters and they said "no problem" and that he would meet me at 1W3 after lunch today and exchange my airman certificate application for my temp. certificate. He wants to see my build log and maybe ask me a few questions.

YMMV

Jack
 
Last edited:

Latest posts

Back
Top