Bob F. writes:

First an "experimental" aircraft in aviation talk is just another
classification. The characteristics may be well known and just doesn't fit
into any other class.

My impression is that many aircraft are called experimental in order to get
around certain troublesome regulations.

Secondly, I have personally flown a number of experimental Boeing aircraft
into LAX when I worked for the flight test group there. I believe B747-100
s/n 1 is still classified as experimental. And I flew B401, 2 and 3 (the
first 3 747-400 designated a/c). They too were classified as experimental
and flew into a lot of large airports with heavy population.

How many hours had they flown elsewhere before they visited those large
airports?