New Idea from the Feds on "experimental" parts

[Tom]

The writing has been on the wall for some time that some form of non-commercial conversion will be coming "any year now."  If I remember correctly FAA charged itself with figuring out how to do this as early as 2007 or 8.  The field approval system is fractured/inoperative and there's a multitude of embarrassing duplicitous safety standards in place between EAB and Standard Category aircraft that are completely illogical/unworkable (e.g. installation of autopilots, synthetic vision, um, parachutes) that render legacy aircraft to be, as mentioned on BT "in a state like automobiles in Cuba...stuck in 1959."  Everyone knows that we're losing really low-end certificated planes to the scapyards because the overall market doesn't support keeping them flying.  Moreover at least some manufacturers want little to nothing to do with legacy planes at least for liability reasons, if not also wanting to stop having to support them.  When Cessna wants $13,000 for a new carb heat box for my 182, I assume that they don't want my business.

If/when I have a certified plane that I've converted to experimental...and I go to sell it...I wouldn't worry about the buyer's jitters.  I'd worry about my own jitters.  If the guy who buys my converted Mooney goes out and creates a smoking hole, I have to assume that the next of kin will come after me, no matter how many "as is" phrases that are included in the sales documentation.  Fact is there are fewer and fewer people holding wealth in the country, such that the attorneys (who get by on the wealth created by others) will be drawn to such accidents (apologies for the rant).  Withstanding the fact that people have been selling second-hand EAB planes for decades with seemingly little liability exposure, some EAB sellers today nonetheless part out their planes without an airworthiness certificate (BTDT) to reduce the risk of liability after sale.

 

Edited August 16, 2019 by Tom

[steingar]

7 minutes ago, Tom said:

Withstanding the fact that people have been selling second-hand EAB planes for decades with seemingly little liability exposure, some EAB sellers today nonetheless part out their planes without an airworthiness certificate (BTDT) to reduce the risk of liability after sale.

Lawyers go after deep pockets.  Most people who build EAB do so at least in part because they can't afford new airplanes.  Those that do have substantial estates do indeed part out their aircraft due to liability concerns.  I certainly can't blame them.

[Sandman993]

They won’t do anything... I refer you to butchered basic med... if that doesn’t convince, look at part 23 rewrite that was voted through Congress and the president signed...

its all a racket... always has been. 

Oh wait... then approve Siamese magnetos for a single aircraft engine... practical no?

Some of it makes sense, while some is just silly. 

 

[ExpressJetter]

We will see it happen right around the corner 3056.