Experimental/Exhibition

I fly a racing sailplane under Exp/Exh and it has not been a problem at all.
Actually, this is the second glider I have owned that is Exp/Exh. The first
one was built in the early '80's and was very generous WRT operating
limitations. The current one, bought new in 2001, was still pretty lenient
WRT operating limitations. This was after the fall of the Soviet bloc and
the importing of military aircraft had become a bit of a problem, making the
FAA more nervous.

The FSDO came out to the local airport to look at the aircraft and its
paperwork. My partner and I gave him our program letter stating the events
that we _PLANNED_ to attend. We listed our bases of operation (all the
gliderports in three states that we might ever fly out of). He offered us a
flight radius of 300 nm from our 'bases'. We countered that we would be
attempting SSA badge and record flights that may go father than that
regularly and were able to get the radius increased to 500 nm. He told us
that if we wanted to fly from other bases or farther than the 500 mile
radius that we could fax a note to the FSDO explaining what we were planning
to do.

The only part of our Exp/Exh certificate that could be much of much concern
is the prohibition from flying over congested areas.

We are able to do all the repairs and minor modifications to the aircraft
that we wish. We need an A&P to sign off the annual condition inspection.

For single seat aircraft that will not be flown over urban areas, Exp/Exh is
a good way to go. Our insurance company has been fine with it, too. For
more than one seat or flying in and out of large airports in big cities you
may have a problem. Insurance companies may have a problem with it , too.
Experimental/amateur built would of course be better, if it is possible.

Juan, I think the source of your problem is a turbine engine. The FAA
relates turbine Exp/Exh to Mig 15/17's and a F-86 burning in a ice cream
parlor. Make sure that you understand the meaning of "conservative" when
you deal with them.
-Bob Korves

"Juan Jimenez" wrote in message
...

"Bob K." wrote in message
ups.com...
Earlier, Juan Jimenez wrote:

...For example, 8130.2F says that you
must provide a letter stating all air
shows and other exhibition activities,
including "static displays" in which
the aircraft will participate, and
lists the letter as a mandatory
requirement. However, it doesn't say
what happens when no plans have yet
been made to attend any exhibition
activities...

Ah, the infamous "program letter." My suggestion would be to talk to
the kinds of people who routinely file program letters and have no
problems with them at all: competition sailplane pilots. There are
probably more than a thousand European competition sailplanes in the US
being operated on Experimental/Exhibition or Experimental/Racing
certificates, and I've heard of very few complaints about their
operating limitations or program letters.

Interesting, I hadn't thought of that. I will look into that. Thanks!

I think that the most common approach is to include on the program
letter any contest or event that you might possibly attend, and then
add some extra verbiage about proficiency flights.

Kinda hard to do that when you're sitting on an island in the Caribbean
more
than 1k miles from the nearest airshow, and the plane doesn't have
anywhere
near the range to get there.

If you search rec.aviation.soaring on the phrase "program letter"
you'll find a lot of general advice, but probably few concrete examples
of complete program letters.

I think what I will do is state that I have no plans as of yet to attend
any
specific airshows because there are none on the island, but I am pursuing
sponsors, will do static displays and perhaps some solo flybys over the
beach to entertain people.

Thanks, and best regards to all
Bob K.
http://www.hpaircraft.com/hp-24

Thanks for your help!

Juan