Experimental exhibition limitations question

[Comcast]

I am working toward my glider rating and have an opportunity to purchase a
Russia AC-4A which is registered in the Experimental Exhibition Racing
Category. I am concerned about the limitations that the registration will
present as compared to a standard category glider.

Is there someone that could summarize for me what my legal and practical
limitations would be?

I spent last night attempting to navigate the FAA web site to refresh my
memory as to the letter of the law but I was unable to find any
documentation that spelled out the legal limitations of Experimental
Exhibition Racing.

I know that there is a limit to the number of miles you can travel from your
home airport but I am not sure if that applies to the airport you departed
from or if you have to declare one home airport. I would assume that any
cross country flying may be affected but I am not sure to what extent. It
was mentioned to me that there are annual reporting requirements too.

Regards,

Bob Tezyk

[Frank Whiteley]

Comcast wrote:
> I am working toward my glider rating and have an opportunity to purchase a
> Russia AC-4A which is registered in the Experimental Exhibition Racing
> Category. I am concerned about the limitations that the registration will
> present as compared to a standard category glider.
>
> Is there someone that could summarize for me what my legal and practical
> limitations would be?
>
> I spent last night attempting to navigate the FAA web site to refresh my
> memory as to the letter of the law but I was unable to find any
> documentation that spelled out the legal limitations of Experimental
> Exhibition Racing.
>
> I know that there is a limit to the number of miles you can travel from your
> home airport but I am not sure if that applies to the airport you departed
> from or if you have to declare one home airport. I would assume that any
> cross country flying may be affected but I am not sure to what extent. It
> was mentioned to me that there are annual reporting requirements too.
>
> Regards,
>
> Bob Tezyk

Ask the seller for a copy of his Special Airworthiness Certificate and
attached Operating Limitations and Program Letter and valid W&B. As
the Special Airworthiness Certificate will become invalid upon change
of base of operations, you will need to complete
http://forms.faa.gov/forms/faa8130-6d.pdf.

Verify that the required Flight Test completion statement is recorded
in the aircraft logbook (see 14 CFR 91 part 91.319(b)) If it isn't you
(or the new owner) will need to comply. If it's there, then you may
fly the glider under the extended limitations. Operation is limited to
the purposes stated in the operating limitations and events outline in
your Program Letter and proficiency/practice flights. Normally a 300
mile radius, though some flights may be made without this restriction.

You will need the FSDO or a DAR to write your new operating
limitations, you write the accompanying program letter. See Section 10,
http://tinyurl.com/8a4l3 got Group I applicability (Group I or ALL by
paragraph) for general Operating Limitations guidance.

You'll need a condition inspection every 12 months and to submit a new
Program Letter annually. Written amendments to your program letter may
be submitted at any time (as well as a new program letter), but at
least 24 hours by FAX to your local FSDO.

The Operating Limitations become part of your FAA Form 8130-7, Special
Airworthiness Certificate and must be carried in the aircraft.

It may look daunting at first, but it's a very straight forward
process. If you can fly the Russia out of the 300mile radius
regularly, you'll be doing very well indeed;^) Be sure the placards
are in place and N number is on the panel and EXPERIMENTAL is visible
to pilot.

Frank Whiteley

[Frank Whiteley]

>Operation is limited to
>the purposes stated in the operating limitations and events outline in
>your Program Letter and proficiency/practice flights. Normally a 300
>mile radius, though some flights may be made without this restriction.
That is, events outlined in your Program Letter may well lie outside
the 300 mile radius, e.g. FAI and SSA sanctioned meets, camps and
flights in pursuit of FAI or SSA awards, and so on.

Frank

[Frank Whiteley]

Yeah, I was assuming the Russia was post moratorium, like the glider I
recently purchased. That being said, the two prior owners clearly
never read the operating limitations for it. That would have only come
to the attention of the FAA in the event of an incident or ramp check
followup. What matters is that the current owner is in compliance.
You're right about pre-moratorium gliders. Less hassle for sure. I
agree that for most single place gliders, Experimental Exhibition and
Racing is the better option for the owner. However, this is not the
FAA's official position with the manufacturers.

OBTW, if you do buy, don't forget to PRINT your name under your
signature on the registration form (too many hours on the road, the
form has a design issue, and requirement is from 2004, think Homeland
Security). Just spent an ADDITIONAL 21 days getting the error
correction through the FAA batch processing:^( Hopefully the
'fly-wire' FAX will arrive today. Hard copy won't arrive until next
week.

Frank

[Andy]

Some life insurance policies don't provide coverage for flight in
experimental aircraft. That may, or may not, be a concern for you.


Andy

[jphoenix]

Pre-1993 Ops Limitations are pre-moratorium and do not require renewal
or anything else annually or when the glider is sold. Lots of details
in the FAA Order 8130.2F, go to www.faa.gov and search for orders or
8130.2F. That order has sample Ops Limitations for each category.

Don't forget to carry a current copy of the SSA dataplate exemption
(available on the SSA website) in your glider along with your Ops
Limitations, etc. Unless you have an external dataplate, of course.

Jim

[Bill Daniels]

"jphoenix" > wrote in message
oups.com...
>
> Pre-1993 Ops Limitations are pre-moratorium and do not require renewal
> or anything else annually or when the glider is sold. Lots of details
> in the FAA Order 8130.2F, go to www.faa.gov and search for orders or
> 8130.2F. That order has sample Ops Limitations for each category.
>
> Don't forget to carry a current copy of the SSA dataplate exemption
> (available on the SSA website) in your glider along with your Ops
> Limitations, etc. Unless you have an external dataplate, of course.
>
> Jim
>

Thanks for that. My Nimbus 2C with an Exhibition & Racing Airworthiness
Certificate is to get it's annual condition inspection and I was worried
that the AI doing it might object to the unrestricted pre-'93 ops
limitations letter. Now I can point him to the right FAA order.

Bill Daniels

[Bob Tezyk]

Frank and Todd,

Thank you all of that good information. I will take your suggestions and
look at all of the documentation you outlined.

I will get to see the glider on Sunday so I will let you know what happens.
Would you mind if I got in touch directly via email if I have any more
questions?

Regards,

Bob Tezyk