Experimental Catagory: Pros and Cons?

Earlier, wrote:

What are the pros and cons of putting my Schweizer glider under the
Experimental Catagory? With recent trouble in getting parts etc., it
seems to me that is might make some things easier.

First off, realize that there's not one big happy "Experimental"
category. FAR 21.191divides Experimental into several sub-categories,
each with its own purpose and limitations. A few of the more common
ones a

Racing and Exhibition - Like it sounds; operation of the aircraft is
limited to races, shows, transport to and from said events, and also
practice for those events. Fortunately, soaring being what it is,
almost every flight can be said to be "practice." Oh - and every year
you have to send the FAA a program letter that states what events and
practice flights you're going to do (it's easier than it sounds). All
ASW-20, Zunis, and Russias (for example) in the US are licensed as
either Experimental Racing or Experimental Exhibition.

Amateur built - You demonstrate that most of the aircraft was built for
the purposes of education and recreation. After that, you get assigned
a test period (usually 25 or 40 hours) during which you can only fly it
so it drops pieces over sparsely populated areas. If the test period
goes well, you receive operating limitations that are pretty much no
more restrictive than a certificated glider. You can also get a nifty
Repair(perspon)s certificate, unsuitable for framing, that allows you
the dubious priviledge of performing your own annual Condition
inspections.

Research and development - You are testing a prototype aircraft. The
FAA looks quite askance at what you're doing unless you're serious
about the testing.

For all of these Experimental certificate types, the basic ground rules
are that you can do any maintenance or repair work yourself, either the
repair(person) or an A&P does the annual condition inspection, and you
must carry a copy of the Operating Limitations document that says what
you can do with the aircraft, and where.

Anyhow, if your Schweizer is a two-seater, realize that if you really
want to certify it as (for example) Experimental Racing or Experimental
Exhibition, the FAA might hand you OpLims that say that only required
flight crew members can fly. The way I understand it, that's what has
happened to virtually every Antonov AN-2 biplane that has reached the
US - a pity; as otherwise they'd make great skydiving jump planes.

Furthermore (and this is probably the important paragraph for you),
note that buried in the FARs (I think it's 21.303) are rules that allow
the owner of a type certificated aircraft to make their own replacement
parts for the aircraft. Note that the owner can't install the parts,
just make them. That might not sound like much, but it is what keeps
many many little puddle-jumping Aeroncas in the air.

Here's a neat article by Don Dodge on the topic:

http://150cessna.tripod.com/parts.html

Also, most of that is from memory; if I've gotten something wrong I
hope somebody will chime in with corrections.

Thanks, and best regards to all

Bob K.
http://www.hpaircraft.com/hp-24