On Fri, 23 Jan 2009 21:44:04 +1100, "Fonz" wrote:

G'Day all.
Just a quick query for all, both in the US and Australia.
If I was to take a proven aircraft, say a C172, totally dismantle it,
including EVERY rivet and bolt, replace anything corroded (ie:sheetmetal
etc) and any hardware/bolts/cables, and rebuildcorrosionproof it, put in a
certified or auto engine, Photograph the entire process to prove you didn't
cheat, could it be certified as an experimental?
My intertepretation for Australia is that is allowable, and as it is a
proven aircraft, you have all the numbers to prove specs from the original
manufacturer. The only thing that would prevent a simple sign-off after
hour would be if you used an auto engine, and I know there are some
successful Cessnas out there with auto conversions in other countries. If
you fill in the paperwork to prove % as per CASA regs you'd be in without a
problem.
For the airframe you can obtain many engine-free fuselages in the states and
basically have a zero-hour remanufactured aircraft for a small % of the cost
of what Cessna/Beechcraft/Piper are charging.
Any thoughts/opinions/evidence/flaming (please minimise this bit).
References would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
Rob.
Melbourne Australia.


Fonzie
dont torture yourself. In CASA you are dealing with the most assinine
form of government ever created.

a certified aeroplane remains a certified aeroplane in their eyes.
CASA are not logical or sensible when it comes to the regulations.
....in my experience they have developed the regulatory environment
into some sort of religion devoid of any sense, with the overriding
factor being avoidance of liability.
CASA wont even introduce the canadian system of private owner
maintenance into australia, despite it being introduced in canada on
an objective safety case.

if you want safe and proven build an RV under experimental. (it will
be as competent as your building of it) as the builder you will be
free to maintain it.

if you want something cheaper follow the old CASA test pilot's example
and build an Rans S7. (an S6 courier would be my choice)

if you want sense then follow the other 8,000 pilots and join the RAA
and then buy/build one of the better ultralights.
by my accounting 8,000 of Australia's 12,700 or so pilots have joined
the RAA to get free of the wank act that CASA subjects the rest of us
private owners to.


I know of one cessna that was totally dismantled to bits by the
amateur owner, corrosion removed and then fully reassembled.
all amateur work.
it remained certified with just a LAME annual signoff to get it back
in the air. so part of what you outlined is possible.

as a caveat I no longer have anything to do with the SAAA.
their failure to support or go for private owner maintenance must rank
as one of the failures of the century. as a result I doubt their
membership is any more than 3 digits compared to the RAA.

just remember in all your dreamings about cobbling together bits to
make a hybrid aircraft that underpinning aviation are some hard
physical realities that operate irrespective of your understanding of
them. get it wrong and they can kill you real quick.
(most of the fun is knowing that you're getting it right.)

Stealth Pilot