Standard Airworthy Certificated Gliders in the US

Can anyone give me some pointers on how to research the FAA database to find out if a glider has a standard airworthiness certificate or must be registered in the experimental category?
Thanks,
Uli

Most any aircraft or glider will have a "Type Certificate Data Sheet" on file with the Federal Aviation Administration. You can search for the TCDS by Make/Model on FAA.gov. The TCDS will have the registration category listed. Some may change by serial number.

A copy of the TCDS should be part of the aircraft records.

BillT

On Tuesday, July 15, 2014 11:19:28 PM UTC-4, Bill T wrote:
Most any aircraft or glider will have a "Type Certificate Data Sheet" on file with the Federal Aviation Administration. You can search for the TCDS by Make/Model on FAA.gov. The TCDS will have the registration category listed. Some may change by serial number.



A copy of the TCDS should be part of the aircraft records.



BillT

Thanks Bill! I wasn't familiar with that terminology. Found the db for the TCDSs.
Uli

At 03:01 16 July 2014, GM wrote:
Can anyone give me some pointers on how to research the FAA
database to
find out if a glider has a standard airworthiness certificate or must
be
registered in the experimental category?
Thanks,
Uli

Uli,
go to http://www.faa.gov
in the search bar type in (TCDS)
From there click on the link on the left side current model/By Make
Click on the letter at the top of the manufacturer name. It will give
alphabetical order.
If it is not listed then it could be under a different type certificate.
Check back here if you have a specific manufacturer not listed.
Best of Luck, Doug

At 05:10 16 July 2014, Doug Mueller wrote:
At 03:01 16 July 2014, GM wrote:
Can anyone give me some pointers on how to research the FAA
database to
find out if a glider has a standard airworthiness certificate or
must
be
registered in the experimental category?
Thanks,
Uli

Uli,
go to http://www.faa.gov
in the search bar type in (TCDS)
From there click on the link on the left side current model/By
Make
Click on the letter at the top of the manufacturer name. It will
give
alphabetical order.
If it is not listed then it could be under a different type certificate.
Check back here if you have a specific manufacturer not listed.
Best of Luck, Doug


Sorry for the repeat info.

Originally Posted by GM

Can anyone give me some pointers on how to research the FAA database to find out if a glider has a standard airworthiness certificate or must be registered in the experimental category?
Thanks,
Uli

If looking up a glider by N-number, you can simply look at the registration to determine what category airworthiness cert it has. Under the "Airworthiness" section, look for "classification". It will be either "Standard" or "Experimental". This is the easiest way to tell for a particular glider, since some models have ended up in both the standard and experimental categories over the years.

Interesting - I could not find either AB Sportine Aviacija or LAK in the
TCDS database. Is that because my glider is Experimental?

Dan Marotta

On 7/15/2014 11:10 PM, Doug Mueller wrote:
At 03:01 16 July 2014, GM wrote:
Can anyone give me some pointers on how to research the FAA
database to
find out if a glider has a standard airworthiness certificate or must
be
registered in the experimental category?
Thanks,
Uli

Uli,
go to http://www.faa.gov
in the search bar type in (TCDS)
From there click on the link on the left side current model/By Make
Click on the letter at the top of the manufacturer name. It will give
alphabetical order.
If it is not listed then it could be under a different type certificate.
Check back here if you have a specific manufacturer not listed.
Best of Luck, Doug

On Wednesday, July 16, 2014 3:38:56 AM UTC-7, Matt G. wrote:

If looking up a glider by N-number, you can simply look at the
registration to determine what category airworthiness cert it has. Under
the "Airworthiness" section, look for "classification". It will be
either "Standard" or "Experimental". This is the easiest way to tell for
a particular glider, since some models have ended up in both the
standard and experimental categories over the years...

Be cautious about what you learn by doing that; the FAA's records sometimes contain errors about certificate type. For example, I think that there is at least one Russia sailplane for which the certificate type is shown as "Standard" despite the absence of an actual type certificate.

Thanks, Bob K.

On Wednesday, July 16, 2014 7:29:22 AM UTC-7, Dan Marotta wrote:
Interesting - I could not find either AB Sportine Aviacija or LAK in the

TCDS database. Is that because my glider is Experimental?

I think the cause and effect are the other way around, but, yeah.

On Wednesday, July 16, 2014 4:38:56 AM UTC-6, Matt G. wrote:
GM;886150 Wrote:

Can anyone give me some pointers on how to research the FAA database to

find out if a glider has a standard airworthiness certificate or must be

registered in the experimental category?

Thanks,

Uli



If looking up a glider by N-number, you can simply look at the

registration to determine what category airworthiness cert it has. Under

the "Airworthiness" section, look for "classification". It will be

either "Standard" or "Experimental". This is the easiest way to tell for

a particular glider, since some models have ended up in both the

standard and experimental categories over the years.









--

Matt G.

Not always. I've found the information lacking on more than one record. Of note, one was the SZD-54 Perkoz in the winch accident a couple of years ago.

Frank Whiteley