At 10:06 AM 18/06/01 +1000, you wrote:
>Mike,
>
>>However, there is still Experimental now open to the GFA,
>>
>Is there any documentation on how this category works?
Peter,
Go to the CASA website and look at Parts 21 through 35. You will find the
legislation plus a very clear language CAAP.
>like 50hrs airtime. Is this right or just bar room thermals?
Bar room thermals. Our Experimental is exactly like the USA now though
there are those still getting over the shock and who are desperately trying
to avoid interpreting it that way - include the GFA here.
I own a BD4 power plane which used to be in Amateur built 101.28 and is now
Experimental Amateur Built so we can do modifications without CAR35 approval.
There is no "Experimental" category as such, there are about 6 or 7 ranging
from "Experimental R&D" to "Experimental - operation of former prototype".
It used to be that if you did a prototype and proved compliance with
whatever category you wanted you couldn't then use that aircraft in that
category as it hadn't been built as already complying with that category.
Jabiru got over that by selling the compliance prototype to the South
Koreans who apparently didn't have such bureaucratic nonsense.
If you do a mod on a standard category aircraft nowadays with CAR 35
approval the aircraft will need to be in Experimental R&D while you do the
test flying of the mod. This replaces the old permit to fly system. There
is such
a thing as a "special flight permit" but this is mainly for ferrying
slightly damaged but airworthy aircraft to base or ferrying an aircraft
with an expired maintenance release to a maintenance base.
Yes under Part 21 through 35 you can even factory build "Experimental
exhibition/Air Racing" aircraft.
Most of the privately owned modern sailplanes(and aerobatic aircraft) in
the USA are in this latter category even when the FAA gets around to
accepting the German Type Certificate. The conditions are that you can use
the aircraft for - air racing, practice for air racing, ferrying to and
from air racing and activities in support of air racing. I think that about
covers all you might want to do in a modern privately owned glider. There
may be some geographical restrictions which are usually handled by simple
notification if you want to fly outside the 300nm from base usually given
although "continental USA" isn't unknown and you are usually banned from
flying over cities and towns except when taking off and landing. If you
make mods you tell the FAA office who may place temporary operating
restrictions on you while you do a little testing.
If you build your own you go into "Experimental- Amateur Built". There are
no weight limits. The US FAA "ultralight" is for flight with NO formal
pilot qualifications so the weight is limited to limit the damage to the
ground.
Better to have "air racing" than the half baked "certification" that some
gliders with winglets supposedly have and the numerous gliders out there
with unapproved "illegal mods" that still supposedly comply with JAR22.
It never was sensible in my opinion to place gliders in the same formal
airworthiness certification system as CAR3 or FAR 23 power planes which
once certified may be used for carrying innocent fare paying passengers.
Gliders used for commercial flight training and joyrides should of course
be certified unless we agree to call this "adventure aviation" and make it
clear to participants that the aircraft does not necessarily comply with
normal certification safety standards. Those involved can fight that battle
if they wish. I'll cheer from the sidelines.
With "experimental" YOU are responsible for the safety of operation. This
also has the advantage that any legal liability on anyone else is harder to
establish.
Lastly, it is difficult to discern much difference between certified small
aircraft and the uncertified amateur built types when it comes to
airworthiness related accident rates. Most accidents are still caused by
sheer tomfoolery. In fact it shows that for small aircraft the
certification system is certainly well past the point of diminishing
returns. The FAA has recently
recognised this with easier certification standards for some small factory
built, general use, light aircraft.
Mike Borgelt
Borgelt Instruments - manufacturers of quality soaring instruments
ABN 75532924542
Box 7474 Toowoomba M.C.
Queensland 4352
Australia
Tel 0746 355 784
mob 0428 355 784
0429 355 784
fax 0746 358 796
International
phone: int'l+ 61 7 46 355 784
Cellphone:int'l +61 4 28 355 784
int'l +61 4 29 355 784
fax : int'l+ 61 7 46 358 796
email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
website:www.ozemail.com.au/~mborgelt
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