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Posted for CHBAviation@aol.com:

In response to the recent discussions regarding obtaining builder assistance.

Getting the Fed's involved is probably not a good idea.  They are pretty busy these days with other concerns.  And this something we should be able to self regulate without "Big Brother's" hand.  FAA inspectors are not really inspecting the airplane in the manner you might expect.  What they are looking for is a correct paper trail.  There are a few general things they look at.  With all the varieties of kitplanes out there, there is no way they can become familiar with them all and their corkiness.

Perhaps there could be a "helpful eye" that could monitor the building of the aircraft in various stages to insure that it's being done correctly.  This would insure that individuals as well as builder assist shops were producing airplanes that are airworthy.

I've been assisting others with Lancair's for over 8 years and have seen several builder assist shops come and go.  I've also seen a lot of life threatening workmanship from both.  And I've seen a lot of GREAT work out there as well.  It's just so unfortunate for those who are entering the research phase that they don't have the knowledge and resources to fully understand what to look for in a builder assist.  Nor do they fully understand the scope of the project should they decide to build themselves.  What may be helpful would be a list of builder assist shops for them to shop from.  A shop needs to be interviewed and visited.  But remember, he (or she) will be assist building an aircraft that his client feels is the "perfect" custom airplane, not a reflection of his/her definition.  Most important is to insure the shop follows safety and function before beauty.  Getting along with the builder is crucial so that you can communicate thoughts and ideas without insulting one another.

Chuck Brenner
CHB Aviation LLC

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