LightSport Aircraft

WHAT TO DO AND KNOW BEFORE BUILDING AN AMATEUR-BUILT AIRCRAFT.The FAA recommends that before you build your aircraft, you contact the nearest FAA office. Discuss the type of aircraft, its complexity, and its materials.  They are interested in seeing a three-view sketch, drawing, or photograph of the proposed aircraft project and the date you think you will finish.  If you are building a kit, they may already have the information.  If they don’t the kit manufacturer should be able to provide them for you.  The FAA should then give you guidance and information necessary to ensure you thoroughly understand the FAA regulations that apply to your project. If you request them, they will give you all the forms you need to get your aircraft registered and certified.

DESIGNING AND CONSTRUCTING AN AMATEUR-BUILT AIRCRAFT.

Contact the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA). You can get help from the EAA.  The EAA promotes aviation safety and construction of amateur-built aircraft, and provides technical advice and help to its members.  EAA’s Technical Counselors Program helps to ensure amateur-built aircraft are safe and dependable.  EAA Technical Counselors may be available to visit an amateur-built aircraft project and offer to its members advice regarding workmanship.  You should know however, that the EAA does not provide technical help on designing aircraft.

Ask People who are Experts.  During construction, you may ask information from anyone with aviation design or engineering experience.  Perhaps you know other builders or mechanics with aircraft, airframe, and powerplant experience. Check with people who have relevant expertise to inspect your aircraft.  These are the people who can look your project over and check your construction of particular components to verify an acceptable level of safety has been met.

Contracting for Commercial Help. The FAA says that you may contract commercially for several tasks, such as installation of avionics, upholstery, and painting.  AC 20-139 titled ”Commercial Assistance During Construction of Amateur-Built Aircraft” spells out the detail on what types of commercial help you can use.

Purchasing Prefabricated or Assembled Components and Materials. The FAA does not expect you to personally fabricate every part of the aircraft. You may use commercially produced components and materials when constructing your amateur-built aircraft.  However, they will not give credit for fabrication of these components.  There are guidelines to use, especially for parts constituting the primary structure, such as wing spars, critical attachment fittings, and fuselage structural members.  When it come to choices of engines, wheels, propellers, or other components, the FAA recommends you use FAA-approved components (components produced under a production certificate, a technical standard order (TSO), or a parts manufacturer approval).  When it comes to choice of materials being used, the FAA recommends you “use material of established quality” (materials produced under a military specification, SAE, or AN).  When it comes to major components such as the wings, fuselage, and empennage being used from a type-certificated or experimental aircraft, you should know whether the components are in a condition for safe operation.  The FAA specifically spells out that you should not use materials whose identity or quality you do not know.  You may use FAA Form 8000-38, Fabrication/Assembly Operation Checklist as an aid to determine if using certain components would affect the requirement to fabricate and assemble the major portion of your aircraft.

Meeting General Design and Construction Requirements.  Amateur builders are free to develop their own designs or build from existing designs.  It is important to understand that the FAA does not develop standards or approve any specific amatuer designs or design configuration created by designers, kit manufacturers, and amateur builders.  The FAA specifically recommends that you use FAA-approved components, especially when you are building parts constituting the primary structure. You should be able to prove the identity and quality of any materials you use.

Designing the Cockpit/Cabin. When you design the cockpit or cabin, you should avoid creating sharp corners or edges, protrusions, knobs, and similar objects that may cause injury to the pilot or passengers during an accident. If you cannot avoid having them, you should pad them.  You must also install FAA TSO-approved seatbelts and shoulder harnesses.  Cockpit instruments must be marked and placed so they are easy to see.  You must have a fuel selector clearly marked and accessible so the pilot can control the flow of all tanks.  All electrical switches, breakers and system controls must be clearly marked, easy to reach and easy to operate.  Cockpit instrumentation and systems controls need to be easy to be checked and inspected or easy to remove.  Examples of what will need to be checked, inspected, removed or otherwise gone over to meet this requirement are as follows…

Partial list:   

• - CONTROL STICK/YOKE FOR FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT
• -  FLAP CONTROL OPERATION
• - CABLE AND PULLEYS FOR ATTACHMENT AND OPERATION 
• - FLOOD-LIGHT CARBON MONOXIDE TEST
• - COCKPIT INSTRUMENTS ARE PROPERLY MARKED
• - INSTRUMENT LINES SECURITY
• - CHECK/CLEAN/REPLACE INSTRUMENT FILTER
• - COCKPIT FRESH AIR VENTS
• - HEATER VENTS FOR OPERATION 
• - SEATS
• - SEAT BELTS/SHOULDER HARNESS FOR SECURITY AND  ATTACHMENT
• - CORROSION
• - BALLISTIC CHUTE INSTALLATION PER MANUFACTURER   RECOMMENDATIONS
• - EMPENNAGE/CANARD INSPECTION PLATES AND FAIRINGS
• - CANARD ATTACH POINTS FOR SECURITY
• - VERTICAL FIN ATTACH POINTS
• - ELEVATOR/STABILIZER ATTACH POINTS
• - HINGES/TRIM TABS/ROD ENDS FOR ATTACHMENT AND FREE PLAY (SLOP)
• - EMPENNAGE/CANARD SKIN FOR DAMAGE/CORROSION
• - ALL CONTROL CABLES, HINGES AND PULLEYS
• - ALL CONTROL STOPS

You will need to place a firewall between the engine compartment and the cockpit or cabin if the design allows.

Designing the Fuel System. When you design the fuel system, you will need to ensure your fuel tank can supply adequate fuel to the engine in all anticipated flight attitudes.  Also make sure the fuel system controls are easy to reach and operate.  A carburetor heat system is needed to minimize the possibility of carburetor icing.  

Building an Aircraft Using a Plan.

Modifying a Design Plan. If you are working from a design plan and you want to make modifications, you should discuss the changes with the designer, kit manufacturer, or equally knowledgeable person. You should record in your builder’s log any modifications you make.

Buying a Partially Built Aircraft Built From a Plan. If you buy a partially built aircraft built from a plan, you should get all fabrication and assembly records, such as receipts for materials, the builder’s log, and aircraft, engine, and propeller logbooks, from the previous owner. You should add the construction efforts of the previous amateur builders to your builder’s log to show the construction history of the aircraft. This information may help the FAA determine that your aircraft is eligible for amateur-built certification.

Building an Aircraft Using a Kit:  You should always verify the aircraft will be eligible for certification as an amateur-built aircraft.  Advertisements may be somewhat vague and in some cases misleading about whether a kit will produce an aircraft eligible for amateur-built certification. Use the information below as guidance.

Your aircraft would be eligible if:

• You are able to show you built the major portion of the aircraft.
  • The kit you are using or intend to use is one that the FAA has evaluated and placed on their listing of eligible amateur-built aircraft kits.
    • (Note: The FAA does not certify nor approve kits,  kit manufacturers, or kit distributors.  However, they do evaluate kits at the request of the kit manufacturer or distributor, primarily to determine if an aircraft built from a particular kit would meet the major portion requirement. You can contact your local FAA office for the current Web site address of the listing of eligible kits. Kits other than those on the list may produce an aircraft they would certify as amateur-built.)
  • You used a construction kit containing raw materials and some prefabricated components.
    • (Note: The raw materials may include lengths of wood, tubing, extrusions, or similar items that may have been cut to an approximate length. They will also accept some prefabricated parts such as heat-treated ribs, bulkheads, or complex parts made from sheet metal, fiberglass, or polystyrene, and precut/predrilled material, provided you fabricate and assemble the major portion of the aircraft as required by § 21.191(g), Experimental certificates: Operating amateur-built aircraft.)

Your aircraft would not be eligible if:

•  You assembled your aircraft from a kit composed of completely finished, prefabricated components, parts, or precut or predrilled materials, and using these materials means you did not fabricate and assemble the major portion of the aircraft.
• You hired someone to build the aircraft for you, and hiring this person means you did not fabricate and assemble the major portion of the aircraft.

Modifying a Kit. If you are working from a construction kit and you want to make modifications, you should discuss the changes with the kit manufacturer or equally knowledgeable person. You should record in your builder’s log any modifications you make. 

Buying an Aircraft Built From a Partially Completed Kit. If you buy an aircraft built from a partially completed kit, you should get all fabrication and assembly records, such as receipts for materials, the builder’s log, and aircraft, engine, and propeller logbooks, from the previous owner. You should add the construction efforts of the previous amateur builders to your builder’s log to show the construction history of the kit. This information may help the FAA determine that your aircraft is eligible for amateur-built certification.

REGISTERING YOUR AMATEUR-BUILT AIRCRAFT. Section 21.173, Airworthiness certificates: Eligibility, requires that all U.S. civil aircraft be registered before the FAA can issue an airworthiness certificate. Part 47 of 14 CFR, Aircraft Registration, prescribes the regulatory requirements for registering civil aircraft. The procedures for registering an amateur-built aircraft are as follows. 

• The FAA recommends you
  • apply for registration 60 to 120 days before you finish constructing your aircraft and before you submit FAA Form 8130-6 to us.  This should allow you to get your registration information in time for your FAA inspection.  
  • Submit an application under § 47.33 for aircraft not previously registered anywhere to the FAA Aircraft Registration Branch AFS-750.  Include the following in the package:
    • Documentation that you own the aircraft. You may use AC Form 8050-88, Affidavit of Ownership for Amateur-Built Aircraft, or its equivalent. The affidavit must state that you built the aircraft from parts or a kit and that the person signing the affidavit is the owner.
    • A signed bill of sale from the manufacturer of the kit, if the aircraft was built from a kit.  You may use AC Form 8050-2, Aircraft Bill of Sale, but strike out the word “aircraft” and insert the word “kit”.  If you cannot provide a bill of sale for the kit, explain why.  If you are not the original purchaser of an uncompleted kit, you must provide to AFS-750 traceability from the kit manufacturer through the previous builder or builders to yourself.
    • A completed AC Form 8050-1.  Keep the pink copy for your records until you get your Certificate of Aircraft Registration (AC Form 8050-3). Neither this pink copy nor FAA Form 8130-6 gives you temporary authority to operate your aircraft, because your amateur-built aircraft has never been registered or received airworthiness certification. The FAA may consider certifying your aircraft as airworthy once they have verified your aircraft is registered.
    • A check or money order payable to the FAA for the registration fee. The registration fee is $5. If you are requesting a special registration number, it is an extra $10. Therefore, if you submit your registration and request for a special registration number at the same time, the total fee is $15.
    • A special request letter if you want a specific registration number.

Note:  The above information was derived from the US Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration Advisory Circular No.: AC20-27F.

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I want to take an opportunity at the beginning of this article to interject a few words of caution and insight to aircraft building in general.  It is likely that the person who wants to build with wood already sees the monetary advantages.  There are still many pitfalls to watch out for that need careful consideration before spending money.  You will find that wood construction has many variables.  There are as many opinions as there are designs when it comes to construction techniques.  Opinions are great for consideration, but you must remember that this aircraft when completed will be registered with the FAA as (your name followed by the kit manufacturer and model.)  You are the builder and you need to be satisfied with the kit manufacturer’s engineering, or change it to suit yourself.  It is quite likely that the manufacturer’s engineer has used approved and accepted FAA practices, but it always good to ask up front so you know what you getting into.  Whatever changes you make will still need to be acceptable by the FAA inspector or an FAA Designated Airworthiness Representative who will be signing off on the airworthiness of your completed project.

It is likely that you already have some idea in your mind of what your plane looks like.  Choices you make now need focus on increasing the possibility of completing the project.  Beyond the fact that you are planning to build with wood are the basic decisions on utility.  Are you looking for a single place or a two-place model?  Do you prefer high or low wings?  Are you interested in a sleek speedy wing or a high-lift wing requiring shorter take-off and landing distances?  What engine will you be using?  Should an amphibious model be considered?  Will you want floats in the future?  Do you prefer a tail dragger or tri-cycle gear?  A huge problem will likely develop if you change your mind half way through the project. 

Purchasing a partial kit does not help to keep you on task and contributes to lack of vision.  Building from plans without the benefit of any kit at all only makes your effort that much more complicated and time consuming.  “Scratch building” may be a good option for your second plane, but certainly not for a first time builder.  You may save money over the cost of a kit, but the actual cost in materials alone (plus multiple shipping costs) may not be that attractive when you consider locating and using your own parts and materials.   There are countless examples of partially completed and abandoned aircraft projects in garages, basements, hangers and utility sheds throughout the world.  Years of searching leads me to believe that much of it is due to builders purchasing partial kits or “plans only” designs. 

A partial kit can become a huge obstacle, especially for the first time builder.  At the end of the day, you will find that easy access to as many of the materials and as much information possible will only increase your commitment and your focus on finishing the project.  If you need to cut back, I suggest it be limited to purchasing nothing less than the entire kit.  Choosing not to get the fast build form of your kit will still supply you with enough materials and information to keep you working without interruption until the airplane shows promise of having a day when there will be air under the tires.Another major consideration is the weight and performance characteristics of your engine.  Power plant choices can be overwhelming and certainly deserve some careful consideration from the beginning.  Hold off on the engine purchase until you are ready for it, but knowing what engine you plan to use will only help in the building process.  Some designs actually require different placement of structural components that hinge on the weight of the engine.

A full size set of drawings are an absolute must for those of us who are not Master Draftsmen.  Can you imagine trying to make matching and accurate full size patterns of 13-foot wings based upon sketches done on 8.5 x 11 inch sheets of paper?  Unless you are incredibly talented and visionary, I would put this high on the list of requirements.  On the other hand, full-scale prints may not be necessary if you are purchasing a quick build kit that has the larger length pieces precut and the cut lines etched on the plywood.  There are slight problems with any way you do it and manufacturers all have their own way of getting you accurate measurements.  If you get full-scale drawings for patterns and jigs, make sure to keep them in a climate-controlled environment to keep them from shrinking and expanding with humidity. 

A very clear and concise set of instructions will generally keep you from getting ahead of yourself.  Take time to read all of the literature before uncrating the kit.  Chances are the information will be rather abstract, so read it again if you need to.  I understand that some manufacturers will send the literature out to you ahead of time for opportunity to comprehend it.  When your boxes arrive, you will need to carefully inventory, inspect and mark what you have received.  While it is important to know what you have, it is also important to keep track of those things you will not need for a few months.  Most kits have a bill of materials to help you complete this step.  Inform the manufacturer of any damaged or missing parts as soon as possible.

The fast build kits certainly take less time, but you will miss a lot of the fun in doing the detail work.  The money you saved by not purchasing the fast build kit will manifest itself at the very beginning.  Depending upon the kit manufacturer, you will likely find yourself cutting and gluing little pieces of wood together from the start.  Making a jig and gluing together ribs can be very enjoyable and satisfying, at least for a while.  There is always the possibility of making more than one jig to speed the process up, and there is such a thing as needing something else to do on a cold winter night.    

One thing you will immediately become very familiar with is making test glue joints.  During the build process, you will occasionally take a couple pieces of the wood you have been working with and glue them together in the same fashion, just as you have been gluing parts together for the airplane.  After the glue is set, you will need to pull and tug on the joint.  A good glue joint will remain intact while the wood on either side of it will break.  Extremely cautious people tend to make test glue joints with every batch of adhesive mixed up while some simply make one test joint every hour or so.  Others are satisfied with once a day.  You are the person who will be depending upon the structure to remain in one piece, so test your work.  FAA Inspectors can ask for evidence of test glue joints, so you may want to save a few and take some pictures along the way. 

Tom Lyon is an Industrial Maintenance Manager, holds a Private Pilot Certificate and enjoys building Amphibious Light Sport Aircraft.  Visit his site at http://www.lightsport.ws  Permission to reprint this article granted only with this resource box included.

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A rather common occurrence these days is to hear of young aviators being surprised to discover airplanes are still made of wood and fabric.  As a young man, I remember seeing Piper Cubs and Aeronca Chiefs at the local airfield.  There was no consideration at the time of materials used to make these planes.  I just knew I wanted to fly!  After my tour in the Navy as an Avionics Technician, I came home with the underlying thought that all aircraft are made of lightweight metals.   A few years later, I missed flying in the Navy P3C Orions and decided to get a pilot certificate.  After having logged my first 50 hours in a Cessna 150, I found myself being hesitant to fly in a Bellanca Citabria.  For some reason, it was just a little un-nerving to think about flying in a cloth covered wooden wing aircraft from Texas to Illinois.  We lost the nav/com radio shortly after takeoff and it turned into a day of adventure as we continued with only a map and the magnetic compass.  The weather became less than ideal on a couple of occasions, but I was convinced of the aircraft’s structural integrity before the day was over. 

Aluminum became the material of choice by manufacturers such as Cessna and Piper some 40 years ago.  This likely came into being as the many advantages in production and manufacturing became apparent along with the distinct advantages for owners.  Forming and shaping metal is practical for manufacturing, but it is not always practical for the homebuilt designs.  Working with metal requires tools, knowledge and skills that many people do not have.  You can accomplish wood and fabric aircraft designs with skills often learned in high school or passed from generation to generation. 

Wood is actually a great material to use for your homebuilt.  It is easy to cut and can be accomplished with the use of common tools you may already have in your shop or in your garage.  You can form wood into many shapes by making it flexible and pliable with hot water.  There are very few worries about having wood around the home because it is natural, non-toxic and safe.  I understand that a pound of wood used to build an airplane has nearly twice the tensile strength as a pound of aluminum.  Furthermore, modern fabrics are tough enough to withstand much more than you would think.   

Because wood is a natural material, it is not subject to tight manufacturing tolerances.  Individuals trained to do so hand pick aircraft grade wood from lots of high quality lumber.  Of course, there are requirements to meet in order to categorize the wood as aircraft quality, but hidden flaws in the wood may get past the inspector.  If you choose to build with wood, always be careful to re-examine each piece before using it.   Wood is organic and will decay without proper protection from temperature and humidity extremes.  Aircraft grade Sitka Spruce is the most common lumber and is getting more expensive as it becomes harder to find. This tree is quite often more than 50 years old when harvested.  Douglas Fir also offers an excellent strength-to-weight ratio, but may be harder to locate as certified aircraft quality.

There are issues with using adhesives that may be undesirable for some. Proper ventilation usually resolves the majority of potential problems.  There are several adhesive manufacturers from which to choose.  An epoxy product called T-88 has a good all around record of accomplishment for safety and reliability when used according to the instructions.  You simply join the wood with your chosen adhesive in a “butt-joint” configuration sandwiched with plywood gussets to add strength.  Properly designed and glued joints are actually stronger than the individual wood members.  The completed aircraft structure is fabric covered toward the end of the building process.  This fabric is usually a Dacron or Polyester that will shrink when heated with a clothes iron.  You will find the tight envelope of fabric adds even more strength. 

Wood makes for interesting and enjoyable work to the builder of an experimental aircraft.  You can spend a lot of the building time in your basement or in your small shop making the individual parts out of the small pieces before the larger needed space becomes an issue.  This gives you time to think about how and where the final assembly will occur. 

Wood and fabric airplanes tend to be lightweight and perform very well in all respects.  Fisher Flying Products has a full line of one and two seat wooden aircraft available.  Pietenpol Air Camper and Loehle Aviation also specialize in excellent wood and fabric designs.  There is the Bowers Fly Baby and the Evans Volksplane designs to consider.  The list goes on!  Just be sure that you are choosing a proven design before the purchase.  Find an aviation group on the internet with primary discussion on the make or model of interest.  The builders and flyers of these are generally open to helping other aviators.  This is where you can find the grass roots information to compare with manufacturer’s literature in order to help make a good decision. 

Tom Lyon is an Industrial Maintenance Manager,  holds a Private Pilot Certificate and enjoys building Amphibious Light Sport Aircraft.  Visit his site at http://www.lightsport.ws  Permission to reprint this article granted only with this resource box included.

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Building your airplane can be very rewarding.  Regardless of how small or how simple the aircraft is, chances are you will spend a minimum of two years building it.  Quick build kits usually take longer than the claims are.  This is especially true if you have little or no experience.  There are always exceptions, but you will find that people who can build that project in the shorter periods are typically those who have the knowledge and experience combined with sheer dedication.

Be ready for a challenge regardless of the route you are going to take.  Every successful builder I know will tell you that the only way to “git-er-done” is to do something with your project every day.  Building from only a set of plans means you will need to research and specify materials.  It takes a lot of extra time and effort.  You will be cutting and forming most of the pieces.  It is a good way to minimize costs and stretch them out over a longer period, but it may not be the best choice for a first time builder.   Progress may appear to be so slow that the entire project becomes daunting.  One person I know has been working on his plans only project for 9 years and is just now getting close to being finished.

I believe the first thing anyone should do before building is to join a local EAA Chapter.  Spend some time getting to know the members.  Look at the completed projects that members have.  Look at projects underway.  These local chapters are generally loaded with people who have been where you are right now.  I have found that a large amount of the progress made on building is due to conversation, education, encouragement and help from my local chapter members. 

People have many reasons for building.  The most common reason is financial.  While in the course of learning to fly, the student pilot often discovers the cost of owning a certified aircraft such as a Cessna or a Piper.  Certified aircraft need maintenance and inspections done by FAA certified mechanics with FAA certified parts.  The costs can be overwhelming.  Amateur builders can inspect and maintain their own aircraft.  To fit into the Experimental Class, the homebuilt must be made at least 51% by the amateur builder.  It used to be that the  only aircraft that you (yourself) could perform inspections and maintenance on was an aircraft that you (yourself) built.  New FAA rules now allow the owner of experimental aircraft that fits within the Light Sport Category to maintain it even if they were not the builder by simply attending an FAA Light Sport Repairman Class and passing a test.  I mention this only because it is another option to consider if you are more interested in maintaining and flying a previously built and registered experimental model.  Some people want to build an airplane just to know they can do it.  My friend built and sold three experimental models in three years.  One of them was an EAA Grand Champion.   Since then, he has “zero timed” a 1946 Aeronca 7AC Champ.  I am not aware of a single flaw.    He will tell you that buying certified (Yellow Tagged) parts for the Champ cost far more than pieces and parts for the experimental models.

Experimental aircraft may require a private certificate if the aircraft does not meet weight, speed and horsepower requirements.  If the aircraft you will be building falls under the umbrella of the new Light Sport Category, you will be able to get by with a Light Sport Certificate, which costs much less to obtain and requires much less training.

When it comes to safety, we must first consider the position of the FAA.  Their overall  duty is to protect the general population.  It includes making sure things do not start falling out of the sky and result in personal injury and property damage.  In order to accomplish this, the administration needed to establish a framework of control.  This meant they needed to address the fundamental questions of who, what, when, where, why and how.  What followed was a collection of facts and engineering guidelines defining who could fly and what could be flown, along with when, where, how and why.  

You may hear of people concerned with the safety of homebuilt aircraft.  The FAA Authorities actually make builders install a statement in homebuilt aircraft.  THIS AIRCRAFT IS NOT BUILT TO FAA STANDARDS.  You will find that homebuilders usually have much higher standards.  They build their aircraft with love and dedication.  They become increasingly aware of safety factors during the building cycle and take corrective action.  An ironic thing about this is that FAA safety records show that regular factory built airplanes are no more safe than homebuilts.

The KIS Principle is extremely important when it comes to building aircraft.  Keep your project light and simple as possible.  When it is finished, you will know everything about it.  It is hard to beat the feeling when you combine this with your flying skills. 

My project will be ready to fly someday.  All of the time and effort will suddenly become worthwhile as I get to enjoy something that very few people ever get to experience.

Tom Lyon is a Maintenance Manager, holds a Private Pilot Certificate and enjoys building Amphibious Light Sport Aircraft.  Visit his site at  http://www.lightsport.ws  Permission to reprint this article is granted only with this resource box included. 

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