es330td wrote:


1. Are there people who just build kit/plan planes to sell them?

yes. It doesn't meet the intent of the regs.

2. Does the FAA simply choose to ignore them?

Its difficult to enforce this rule when you are short staffed and have
bigger fish to fry. Choose? not so much. Unable to effectively police?
Probably. You dont rise to their attention, they dont spank you.

3. What responsibilities does the builder have with the plane?

It ends when the transaction is complete. You may hold them liable for
something after the fact, but thats determined in the courts, not in the
regs.

4. As the owner of a homebuilt they didn't build, can the purchaser
work on the plane or does it now become like a 172 that must be
repaired by an A&P guy?

read carefully: ANYONE can work on an experimental amatuer built
airplane. ANYONE. pilot. owner. Joe Bob the Gardner down the street.

Every year, a "condition inspection" must be performed, analagous to an
annual inspection in a certified plane. The condition inspection must be
done by an A&P (doesnt have to be an IA) or the holder of the
Repairman's Certificate for that particular plane/airframe.

In comparison, most maintenance on certified planes must be done by an
A&P (certain preventative maintenance items are excluded from this rule)
and the annual inspection must be done by an IA.

Heres the gotcha: While ANYONE can do the day to day and major
maintenance, John Smith A&P or the original repairman certificate holder
is under no obligation to sign off on a condition inspection for work
they didn't do, or have no reasonable way to validate that any work was
done with proper/up to their standard workmanship. Here's where it pays
to develop a good working relationship with someone qualified to do the
annual condition inspection and go from there.


5. How much can you trust a purchased homebuilt? I know they have to
get an airworthiness inspection to fly but that doesn't mean it was
built well. Is there a certain minimum level of quality a plane must
have to get the certificate?

There is no hard fast line in the sand minimum level. It is subjective
in the eyes of the examiner. And even then its only ready for Phase 1
flight test - solo, VFR day for up to 40 hrs (minimum). The owner is
responsible for moving on from phase 1 operations. If it hasn't shaken
itself apart in 40 hours, the presumption is it wont anytime soon.

Here is where having an experienced inspector on YOUR payroll comes in
handy. Trust is a matter between the builder and the buyer. Shoddy
workmanship where you CAN see it may very well indicate shoddy
workmanship where you CANT see it. Without experience on your side, you
are throwing dice in a crap shoot

Interact with some local EAA technical counselors and flight advisors in
your area. You wont get the requisite experience solely here on usenet.