Airworthiness inspection questions

[Bryan Cotton]

Good news - the FAA responded to my web inquiry and will mail out a corrected certificate.

[Bryan Cotton]

I've uploaded my W&B and also a photo of the airplane. So on the AWC website, it says my 8130-6 is unsigned. Is that ok? Is it electronically signed?

W&B that I uploaded is included below. If anybody wants the excel sheet I can share that as well. Then you can plug in your numbers and pdf it like I did.

So now I just need to do the program letter. Should I do the 40 hours or the task-based program letter? Not sure if there are opinions out there but I'd be interested to hear them.

[Sonerai13]

Brian,

I've uploaded my W&B and also a photo of the airplane. So on the AWC website, it says my 8130-6 is unsigned. Is that ok? Is it electronically signed?

Yes, there's always an "unsigned" copy of the -6 in the file in AWC. Not sure why, but it's always there. When you submit the application to the FAA after you've uploaded everything, you electronically sign the application.

So now I just need to do the program letter. Should I do the 40 hours or the task-based program letter? Not sure if there are opinions out there but I'd be interested to hear them.

Task-based fight testing isn't "official" yet, so just use the regular program letter like in the EAA kit. Your program letter doesn't actually request any particular flight test time anyway. That's assigned by the FAA inspector or DAR per the current guidance. The program letter really only requests the flight test area and lets the inspector know whether you want night, ifr, and/or aerobatics.

If you don't have the EAA kit and need a draft program letter, see the attachment.

[Bryan Cotton]

Thanks Joe! I do have the EAA kit.

Is 25nm still customary for the operating limitations? Or should I ask for more? Anybody in my area (Northern Illinois) have any relevant experience to share?

[Rynoth]

Thanks Joe! I do have the EAA kit.

Is 25nm still customary for the operating limitations? Or should I ask for more? Anybody in my area (Northern Illinois) have any relevant experience to share?

If I recall correctly, the center of the 25nm radius can be adjusted, doesn't have to necessarily be the airport the plane is based at. For instance, if you have some big Class B/C airspace say, 15nm to your east, your could center your area 10nm west of your home airport to give you more airspace to work within to the west.

Not sure about asking for a larger area.

[wlarson861]

Contact Josh Bardell, he had an unusual test area due to the airspace around Chicago. If you need a test area different than a 25nm circle just write your proposed test area, The FAA will approve or not. When I tried to expand my test area going back to phase 1 due to engine change, they said they couldn't approve anything other than my first test area with out a lot of red tape. They said they would push it through if I wanted but warned could take weeks as it went up the chain.

[GraemeSmith]

I had my test area moved from the builder's original in SC to RI where I now have the plane when I needed new OL's to go with a new N number. The inspector told me that most of the test areas are now templated in their system. They pick your airport and the system kicks out an "approved" area. Of note that my airport test area gets a fairly large area of farmland, water and islands with a few airports around the perimeter and one in the middle. My airport is on a western corner. Not the middle of the area. At my base airport - two of the runways are not approved for take offs as they climb out over urban areas. He mentioned that to ask for something different was unlikely to be approved as the templates are pretty well considered/worked out.

[Sonex1517]

Thanks Joe! I do have the EAA kit.

Is 25nm still customary for the operating limitations? Or should I ask for more? Anybody in my area (Northern Illinois) have any relevant experience to share?

Bryan

I did my test flights from ARR. I asked for and got an area that was Aurora to Rock Falls (KSQI) to Freeport to Poplar Grove to Aurora.

They approved it.

[Onex107]

I'm in central Illinois but I asked inspector for two centers of flight, two different airports and the flight diameters overlapped. So I had a straight 50 mile shot in one direction. There was no discussion, not a problem.

[Sonerai13]

You can request whatever you want for a flight-test area, and as long as it's mostly over sparsely populated areas, you'll likely get it. Most of the test areas I issue are larger than 25 nm radius. Some are much larger. I've done all kinds of odd shapes too. If you have something in mind, draw it out on a sectional chart and let your inspector take a look. Don't have to be a circle, and your home airport doesn't have to be in the center. Talk it over with your inspector and see what you can work out.