"Del Rawlins" wrote in message
...
snip
I'm still trying to find a regulation (which AC20-27F and the last
document are not) that says they will inspect for safety standards,
and more importantly, what those standards are.

I remember talking to one of the inspectors from the Seattle office many
years ago. Memory fails but I believe his last name was Clark. At the time,
the Feds had a lighter workload and a bigger budget. He told me that while
he couldn't refuse a certificate, he could set test parameters.

First off, if he found an airplane which needed some fixin' up, he'd try to
explain to the builder just what were the deficiencies and how to correct
them. Failing his compliance, he would contact other reputable builders in
the area and the EAA chapter to see if they couldn't 'splain things to the
Darwin candidate.

If all the above failed, he would set up the test area at someplace like the
Mojave desert, all flights to take place between Sunrise and Six am on
alternate Thursdays. And *that* man knew airplanes.

Rich S.