Certificating the SparrowHawk

On 6 May 2004 11:24:09 -0700, (Finbar) wrote:


I actually think it would make a lot of sense in general to allow
manufactured aircraft to be certificated one at a time using the
Amateur-build Experimental flight testing program. This would allow
manufacturers to get sales started without having to go through the
cost of full certification. If the model was successful, a flight
test program could then be done by the manufacturer, allowing them to
get a Normal category type certificate, and all later units would be
sold with type certification rather than as Experimental. Not only
would this help US manufacturers, it could help improve the safety of
the current Amateur-built Experimental market by allowing people to
buy a manufactured version of the same aircraft (instead of being
required to build it themselves). As the buyer, I'd probably want the
factory to do the test flight program...! (Although if they had a
good reputation and a proven design, who'd worry?)

Just some thoughts.

Certainly for purely sporting gliders and motorglider not in
commercial use did it ever make sense to have formal government
certification? Kind of like requiring a F1 race car to meet normal
roadworthiness requirements.
Germany does seem to have some sort of limited production and sales of
new models before complete certification. Any German pilots know more
about this?

Mike Borgelt