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I wonder if some of you got the
announcement from Epic aircraft that they flew their first prototype
recently. The CEO is Rick Schrameck (my memory says - he's one of us,
right?) Anyway, the price of the plane is $1.1 million but it will initially be
certified in the "amateur built category". I thought the rules were
simply: You build 51% of the plane and you get to fly in the 'experimental
class'. And you can sell the plane too. If you don't build the
plane, you buy a 'certified' model.
If Rick is building planes for sale,
he's the same as Piper and Cessna, and should be playing by the same
rules. Similarly for the 'builder assist' guys out there: If
you're building the IVs for other owners who have not put anywhere near 51%
of the effort (who's kidding who here) then there's going to be trouble at some
point.
Maybe Epic's got it all worked
out. But this is no joke. There are an awful lot of IVs going down
and it's only a matter of time before someone takes out a school bus loaded with
kids. The paperwork better be squeaky clean, or, not only will there be
hell to pay, but our category could be at risk.
Maybe I'm wrong, but I'm thinking
that some guys (that are circumventing what I understand to be the spirit of the
amateur built class, and probably not even on this list) are putting our
existence at risk.
I look forward to having my mind put
at ease...
Ed de Chazal
Lowly 360 driver (and
builder)
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