FAA Small AIrcraft Directorate Position on Experimental AirworthinessCertificates

I spoke with the head of the FAA Small Aircraft Directorate for
gliders yesterday regarding Experimental Airworthiness Certificates
for gliders. In at least several states and particularly Arizona all
gliders are having their Experimental Airworthiness certificates
reviewed. Due to an issue causing my DG505 to have its Standard
Airworthiness certificate recently revoked, which I further lost on
Federal appeal in front of the NTSB (see my posting June 8th 2010),
due to bad paperwork supplied by AMS Flight, d.o.o., I was caused to
engage the FAA in this dialogue.

I was informed by the head of the FAA Small Aircraft Directorate for
gliders that he recently had conversations with his supervisors in
Washington, D.C. and that in order to obtain or retain an Experimental
Airworthiness certificate the glider must be engaged in "racing" and
"preparation for racing". He said an agenda of racing events must be
supplied to the FAA at the local FSDO level at the time of issuance or
revision of paperwork. I was told that the Experimental Airworthiness
Certificate was NOT meant to be used for "fun flying".

I asked if badge flying would be considered as a type of racing. He
said that one could attempt to engage the local FSDO with this to see
if in their judgement it would be valid, but he would not commit one
way or the other. Having recently engaged the FAA in federal court I
have found that they can be a bit of a sticky wicket. You may want to
look at the code on the definition of Experimental Certification if
you plan on obtaining or maintaining this type of certification. An
electronic version of the code is easily reached online.

Neil AZ