On 6 Apr 2005 09:30:37 -0700, (John D. Abrahms) wrote:

Not quite the case. THere are several certified, Normal Category
aircraft out there that are composite construction. Lancair has a
factory built product, and Cirrus is actually the best selling factory
built GA airplane in the world based on last years sales figures. They
are making more airframes than any Cessna model.

Really? What about the canard designs (SC01 Speed Canard, LongEZE,
VariEZE etc)? Are they also normal category?

There are two main airworthiness categories: Standard and Special.

Standard airworthiness aircraft are proven to meet certain FAA standards, and
they must be maintained to ensure their continued compliance with those
standards. At given intervals they must be inspected to ensure they still
conform to the Type Certificate they receive. Since these aircraft are known
quantities, they may be placed into commercial service with no further FAA
certification action (although some additional equipment may be required for
some operation).

Standard airworthiness includes normal, aerobatic, utility, transport, commuter,
and transport categories.

Special airworthiness is used for airplanes that either have not undergone the
FAA certification process, or specific changes are made to them that take them
outside the limits established by their type certificate. Operation of Special
airworthiness aircraft is basically governed on a *per aircraft* basis. The FAA
assigns operations limitations to each aircraft, and these limitation are not
blanket to a given aircraft type nor are they transferrable to an identical
aircraft.

Special airworthiness categories include Limited, Primary, Restricted, Special
Light Sport, and Experimental. Commercial operations are *not* prohibited, but
they require specific FAA approval. The degree to which the FAA grants such
permission varies.

The Experimental category under the Special Airworthiness includes a number of
categories, such as racing, market survey, R&D, Exhibition, experimental LSA,
and amateur-built. The FAA's *policy* may be to deny permission for these
aircraft to operate commercially, but such policies can be waived. You just
have to give the FAA a good reason why the waiver is a good idea.

As others have described very nicely, the L-39 Albatross may be a safe,
professionally-designed aircraft, but it never was awarded a US type
certificate, nor any similar type certificate that the US is treaty-bound to
honor. Hence, it can never be operated normal or any other Standard category.
That tosses it into the Special airworthiness category, and the category it
apparently best fits into the Experimental/Exhibition one.

Obviously, with dozens L-39s being imported to the US, having a school that can
check folks out in them is a real good idea. So the FAA will issue a waiver
allowing them to operate one or several aircraft to train folks. Similarly,
having a school for training civilian test pilots is also beneficial to
aviation, hence a waiver was possible. Similarly, manufacturers of
high-performance homebuilts have received waivers allowing them to provide
training in a company-built example.

The FAA waiver usually demands that these planes receive professional-type
maintenance similar to that of standard airworthiness aircraft (e.g., the L-39
instructor won't be allowed the maintain the plane himself unless he has an A&P
license).

Ron "It's *albatross* bloody flavor" Wanttaja