Inspections

[Sonex1517]

A good question and one to pose here.

What are the legal and practical requirements for having your work looked at prior to closing something up?

[Andy Walker]

Not required, but highly recommended. You should locate a EAA Tech Counselor in your area. I had them look at my tail before riveting, and will do the same with fuselage. The EAA recommends a total of three Tech visits during your build. Get the counselor to sign the EAA form and it will even lower your insurance if you do all three visits.

[Sonex1517]

Thanks Andy! I already had one visit - next one will be prior to closing the horozontal stabilizers. I closed the vertical with just my wife and I looking after taking a lot of detailed photos for reference.

Someone else asked in a Pm so I figured I would put it out here for discussion...

[MichaelFarley56]

I'm not an FAA employee or a DAR, but to the best of my knowledge there are no legal requirements to have anything checked prior to your airworthiness inspection in order to get the actual airworthiness certificate.

Genearlly speaking however, it's never a bad idea to have things looked over prior to closing up anything. I would recommend either a Technical Advisor, fellow Sonex builder, or if nothing else another homebuilder (and the more the merrier). Is this your first homebuilt project?

[Sonex1517]

Mike

Yes, but the question was rhetorical. I fully intend to have the thing looked at repeatedly.

[MichaelFarley56]

Hi Robbie, please don't take offense to me asking if this is your first project. My thought when asking was that I've seen many people who are repeat builders gather lots of outside input for their first (and maybe second) build projects, but as experience is gained and multiple aircraft are finished they will then just build and not worry so much about outside inspections. I can see their point but in my personal opinion, it never hurts to have multiple eyes looking at something so nothing gets missed.

[Sonex1517]

Mike

None taken! More people that critique my efforts the better.

I was away at Soace Camp with my son and just now back to reality.

Robbie