Buying an incomplete project

This is my first trip into the homebuilt world. I'm probably going to
buy a 90% complete project, and want to know if there will be any
paperwork hassles I'll have to jump through to get it registered.

I realize I won't have the repair authorization as I did not build 51%
of the plane, but what should I look for as far as documentation from
the current owner and what will the FAA expect to see from me?

I have AC 20-27F, but during a very quick glance-through I didn't
notice any specific mentions. Any help appreciated!

JAX wrote:

This is my first trip into the homebuilt world. I'm probably going to
buy a 90% complete project, and want to know if there will be any
paperwork hassles I'll have to jump through to get it registered.



Get a tall stack of detail photos for documentation.


I realize I won't have the repair authorization as I did not build 51%
of the plane, but what should I look for as far as documentation from
the current owner and what will the FAA expect to see from me?

Apply for the repairman's certificate when it comes time to
do all the paperwork. The so-called 51% rule does not apply there.

I have AC 20-27F, but during a very quick glance-through I didn't
notice any specific mentions. Any help appreciated!

Study it in detail.

Have fun!

Richard

cavelamb himself wrote:
JAX wrote:

This is my first trip into the homebuilt world. I'm probably going to
buy a 90% complete project, and want to know if there will be any
paperwork hassles I'll have to jump through to get it registered.



Get a tall stack of detail photos for documentation.


I realize I won't have the repair authorization as I did not build 51%
of the plane, but what should I look for as far as documentation from
the current owner and what will the FAA expect to see from me?

Apply for the repairman's certificate when it comes time to
do all the paperwork. The so-called 51% rule does not apply there.

I have AC 20-27F, but during a very quick glance-through I didn't
notice any specific mentions. Any help appreciated!

Study it in detail.

Have fun!

Richard

You will have to convince the examiner/DAR/whatever--that the First builder did it under

"experimental" rules
Get all the documentation you can get from the first builder that
you can--photos showing him working on it, notarized statement would be
helpful--maybe even his telephone # if that stays available.. Jerry

JAX wrote:
This is my first trip into the homebuilt world. I'm probably going to
buy a 90% complete project, and want to know if there will be any
paperwork hassles I'll have to jump through to get it registered.

I realize I won't have the repair authorization as I did not build 51%
of the plane, but what should I look for as far as documentation from
the current owner and what will the FAA expect to see from me?

I have AC 20-27F, but during a very quick glance-through I didn't
notice any specific mentions. Any help appreciated!

If the project you get is 90% done, there will in all likely hood still
be 51% left for you to do. Both technically and in reality. Study the
checklists carefully.

Charles

"JAX" wrote in message
...
This is my first trip into the homebuilt world. I'm probably going to
buy a 90% complete project, and want to know if there will be any
paperwork hassles I'll have to jump through to get it registered.

I realize I won't have the repair authorization as I did not build 51%
of the plane, but what should I look for as far as documentation from
the current owner and what will the FAA expect to see from me?

I have AC 20-27F, but during a very quick glance-through I didn't
notice any specific mentions. Any help appreciated!

Any of the builders who worked on the aircraft can get the repairman's
certificate. The key is that you need to be able to demonstrate that 51% of
the airplane was amateur built.

KB

"Charles Vincent" wrote in message
...
JAX wrote:
This is my first trip into the homebuilt world. I'm probably going to
buy a 90% complete project, and want to know if there will be any
paperwork hassles I'll have to jump through to get it registered.

I realize I won't have the repair authorization as I did not build 51%
of the plane, but what should I look for as far as documentation from
the current owner and what will the FAA expect to see from me?

I have AC 20-27F, but during a very quick glance-through I didn't
notice any specific mentions. Any help appreciated!

If the project you get is 90% done, there will in all likely hood still be
51% left for you to do. Both technically and in reality. Study the
checklists carefully.

Charles

So true. 90% of the work is usuually the last 10% of the project.

On Sat, 5 Jan 2008 17:04:29 -0500, "Kyle Boatright"
wrote:


"JAX" wrote in message
...
This is my first trip into the homebuilt world. I'm probably going to
buy a 90% complete project, and want to know if there will be any
paperwork hassles I'll have to jump through to get it registered.

I realize I won't have the repair authorization as I did not build 51%
of the plane, but what should I look for as far as documentation from
the current owner and what will the FAA expect to see from me?

I have AC 20-27F, but during a very quick glance-through I didn't
notice any specific mentions. Any help appreciated!

Any of the builders who worked on the aircraft can get the repairman's
certificate. The key is that you need to be able to demonstrate that 51% of
the airplane was amateur built.

Technically only the "majority" builder is supposed to get the certificate, but
unless the project is practically turnkey, the OP shouldn't have a problem.
I've known a couple of folks who have received the certificate on projects that
were practically structurally complete when they bought them. The systems work
is probably much more important....

Ron Wanttaja

Greta stuff guys, thanks! Keep it coming, the advice is much
appreciated...


On Jan 5, 6:07 pm, Ron Wanttaja wrote:
On Sat, 5 Jan 2008 17:04:29 -0500, "Kyle Boatright"
wrote:





"JAX" wrote in message
...
This is my first trip into the homebuilt world. I'm probably going to
buy a 90% complete project, and want to know if there will be any
paperwork hassles I'll have to jump through to get it registered.

I realize I won't have the repair authorization as I did not build 51%
of the plane, but what should I look for as far as documentation from
the current owner and what will the FAA expect to see from me?

I have AC 20-27F, but during a very quick glance-through I didn't
notice any specific mentions. Any help appreciated!

Any of the builders who worked on the aircraft can get the repairman's
certificate. The key is that you need to be able to demonstrate that 51% of
the airplane was amateur built.

Technically only the "majority" builder is supposed to get the certificate, but
unless the project is practically turnkey, the OP shouldn't have a problem.
I've known a couple of folks who have received the certificate on projects that
were practically structurally complete when they bought them. The systems work
is probably much more important....

Ron Wanttaja

Kyle Boatright wrote:
The key is that you need to be able to demonstrate that
51% of the airplane was amateur built.

KB

Last I read it was 51% of the TASKS of building the plane.

ergo.. if a plane has 100 ribs in the wing, if you build ONE rib, you
have accomplished the task of building wing ribs and do not have to
build all 100 of them.. or 51 of them...

thats where the quickbuilds tread the line..



Interesting to note that the nonprimary builder can get the repairmans
cert. I knew that only one person COULD have it, but presumed it was the
one who did the majority of the building.

Dave

. *The systems work
is probably much more important....

Ron Wanttaja- Hide quoted text -

Judging by the preponderance of fuel starvation problems in
experimentals in the NTSB database that sounds absolutely right.

It seems like fuel delivery problems account for half of all
experimental accidents and off airport landings.

The other half seems like pilot error in one form or another (which is
par for the flying course).

In the designs I've looked at, not a single structural failure occured
that wasn't pilot caused, and there was only one of those and the
pilot was high on mary jane.