Airworthiness inspections

[Shipl14 19]

What is your experience with DAR's? Did they want to see the build in stages? Do they want to supervise the build? Or just one inspection after completion?

[Allen Sutphin 705]

Depends on the type of aircraft. One such as an Avid/Fox, one inspection is generally all it takes. Some like an RV or composite type, he wants to see inside the wing prior to closing it.  Best to call your DAR and ask?  Pictures are always good. I don't do composite aircraft condition inspections anymore for that reason. Found a Q-2 with the bottom left wing cracked spar to spar from a hard landing, and basically the aircraft was then junk.

Edited 7 Feb 2020 by Allen Sutphin

[akflyer 1427]

When I was trying to set up an inspection the DAR was being elusive at best.  We are fortunate that we have a new FAA crew stationed local here that are REALLY GOOD GUYS!  While being relatively new, they were not overbearing and were very helpful in getting the birds signed off.  Seems OKC has an issue with the letter that kitfox has posted on the website for those who end up with a barn find old skystar kit that is being completed and registered.  That letter no longer satisfied OKC.  The local FAA inspector spent A LOT of time helping Bob, writing the letters and telling him word for word what he needed to do in order to get the old kit registered.  

I was really surprised at the time they spent HELPING and not hindering and leaving him twisting in the wind with a new plane that OKC did not want to register.

When building take lots of pictures.  I organized my "rebuild" book with lots of pics and BASIC write up of repairs done and methods used.  The FAA inspector was impressed as he scanned through it.  He spend about 20 minutes going over the book and maybe a 5 minute walk around the plane then handed me that beautiful pink slip.

 

[72chevy 98]

Interesting information about the kitfox letter, I used it this last summer for the model II I’m building and had my registration in less than a month, totally painless. I did order up the eaa  packet that details the registration process and followed it exactly, maybe that helped but I did use the kitfox letter as I had no bill of sale.

[Allen Sutphin 705]

When I was trying to set up an inspection the DAR was being elusive at best.  We are fortunate that we have a new FAA crew stationed local here that are REALLY GOOD GUYS!  While being relatively new, they were not overbearing and were very helpful in getting the birds signed off.  Seems OKC has an issue with the letter that kitfox has posted on the website for those who end up with a barn find old skystar kit that is being completed and registered.  That letter no longer satisfied OKC.  The local FAA inspector spent A LOT of time helping Bob, writing the letters and telling him word for word what he needed to do in order to get the old kit registered.  

I was really surprised at the time they spent HELPING and not hindering and leaving him twisting in the wind with a new plane that OKC did not want to register.

When building take lots of pictures.  I organized my "rebuild" book with lots of pics and BASIC write up of repairs done and methods used.  The FAA inspector was impressed as he scanned through it.  He spend about 20 minutes going over the book and maybe a 5 minute walk around the plane then handed me that beautiful pink slip.

 

We have a good FAA crew here in WVa also and ARE willing to help anyway they can.  I've never dealt  with a DAR. None in WVa. They tried to get me but I was afraid to fly to Oklahoma City for the class.

[akflyer 1427]

Interesting information about the kitfox letter, I used it this last summer for the model II I’m building and had my registration in less than a month, totally painless. I did order up the eaa  packet that details the registration process and followed it exactly, maybe that helped but I did use the kitfox letter as I had no bill of sale.

OKC kicked it back on Bob last spring when he was trying to get his Mod IV registered.  It became quite an ordeal but with the help of the local FAA inspector he was able to finally get it done.  Took a few months of going back and forth from what I remember.