On Nov 18, 7:41*am, jeplane wrote:
Visualize a glider on a experimental certificate:

1- Does it take a "pro" (I.E a glider repair shop used to do this on a
regular basis) to redo the gelcoat on a glider legally, or can it be
done by anyone?

2- What needs to be entered in the logbooks, if any?

In the US, 14CFR43.1(b), Applicability, says that Part 43 applies does
not apply to experimental aircraft. That includes a huge mass of
verbiage about who can perform and sign off various repairs. Ergo,
none (as in not any) of that verbiage applies to experimental
aircraft.

That isn't to say that there aren't any rules, just that they're not
in Part 43. One place where there definitely rules about this is in
the operating limitations that accompany the special airworthiness
certificate issued for the purposes of operating an experimental
aircraft. Those OpLims are actually part of the special AW cert, and
the AW certificate is not valid unless accompanied by them in the
aircraft. So make sure you have your OpLims document and that you have
it in the aircraft. I usually keep two copies in the aircraft; one
folded up and tucked into the clear plastic document holder with the
AW cert and the registration cert, and one tucked under the seat
cushion that I can refer to at need (in flight if necessary).

Personally, if the OpLims do not specifically state that maintenance
and repair must be performed by persons with thus and such
certification (A&P, IA or whatever), I would operate under the
assumption that anybody can do the repair until it is demonstrated
otherwise with a reference to something relevant in the 14CFE or in
the OpLims. If I did the repair, I would document it in the logs with
simple, clear language and sign it with my airman's cert number.

One major control over the maintenance and repair of experimental
aircraft is that the annual condition inspection (not an airworthiness
inspection, by the way) must be signed off by either an A&P mechanic
or an IA or the holder of a repairbeing certificate applicable to the
particular aircraft. If you are the holder of the repaircreature
certificate, no sweat, you hold both the authority and the
responsibility. If you are not said certificate holder, you have to do
the repair in such a way as that you can convince an A&P or IA to sign
off on the condition inspection. If you do a shoddy job and document
it poorly, you might have trouble getting that inspection signoff. So
do good work using good practices such as those described in AC43.13
where applicable, and keep good records of what you did.

Thanks, Bob K.
www.hpaircraft.com