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Date: Sun, 01 Mar 2009 17:29:17 -0500
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From: "Janie & Ed Smith" <2luv2fly@cox.net>
Subject: Fw: Operating Limitations
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 Group,

 For those of you have "been there - done that", disregard this note.
 However, those of you who are still building and will eventually need an
 airworthiness inspection, I urge you to give serious consideration to those
 who you let inspect your airplane and issue you your airworthiness
 certificate, along with your operating limitations. I urge you to employ
 someone who knows the airplane you are building, its idiosyncrasies, quirks
 and what it takes to accomplish the Phase I testing.

There has been some discussion recently about someone accompanying you
during flight testing and that it was a definite "No - No". As discussed
this week with our local FSDO, it is still the intent that no one accompany
 you on any flight during the testing phase. However, there are exceptions
available when your operating limitations are properly interpreted. One
example of someone being essential to the purpose of the flight is the
calibration of the AOA. In the AOA installation manual, it specifically
 states that two people are recommended while calibrating the AOA - one to
 fly the plane and one to calibrate the instrument. I'm sure there are other
 instances where another person in the plane is essential to the purpose or
 safety of the flight. Our FSDO requested that if we have an additional
person in the airplane that we please notify them of the purpose and date of
the occurrence. To me, that sounds very reasonable and puts you in the
position of being a "team player".

 Our discussion with the local FSDO was a surprise phone call, but not
 totally unexpected because of correspondence forwarded to them recently
(from this list) by someone questioning another person in our airplane.  As
a result of this, I would caution all of you to choose your words (and
pictures)  wisely and think "what someone else would think" about any post
that you make.  By the way, does ANYONE have personal knowledge of a
violation or enforcement action against a pilot operating with a person /
 pilot in the co-pilot seat (with a declared and planned PURPOSE) during
phase 1 operations?

Tailwinds,

Ed Smith
Chesapeake, VA
N9JE - Flying!!