09/11/2018
RANS S-21 OUTBOUND
TEXT MANUAL
20
REGISTERING YOUR AIRCRAFT
Refer to the FAA website, www.faa.gov for info on registering your aircraft.
After you have written the Aircraft Registry requesting an "N" number, or applied on-line,
you will receive a form letter giving your number assignment. After completion of the
aircraft, complete the on-line Application for Aircraft Registration (AC FORM 8050-1)
and return it to the Aircraft Registry along with the $5.00 registration fee.
Retain a copy which is your authority to operate the aircraft,
when carried in the
aircraft with an appropriate and current airworthiness certificate
.
RECEIVING AUTHORITY TO FLY YOUR AIRCRAFT
Registration alone does not authorize you to fly your aircraft. The aircraft must, after it
has been properly registered, also obtain an Airworthiness Inspection by an inspector
for the FAA, at which time the necessary Airworthiness Certificate may be issued. Then,
and only then, is your aircraft ready for flight.
WHAT IS THE PROCEDURE FOR OBTAINING AN AIRWORTHINESS CERTIFICATE
Since the final step in obtaining an Airworthiness Certificate is to obtain an inspection of
your airplane by an official for the FAA, it is a good idea to make an early contact with
the FAA inspector's office nearest your home. Members of the local EAA chapter or a
local flying service may be able to help direct you to this office. The purpose of such an
early contact would be to discuss with the FAA representative, your proposed home
built project and to generally familiarize yourself with the procedures established by the
FAA for home built projects. At this time, you can establish a tentative plan for
inspection of the aircraft upon completion. The typical FAA inspector is interested in
your project and wants to help you do a good job. A person that has been designated by
the FAA for the purpose of inspecting aircraft is a Designated Airworthiness
Representative or DAR. It is a good Idea to contact the DAR that you plan to use and
ask him what he would like to see at inspection.
The FAA requires that everyone building an airplane must maintain a construction log of
the work he does on his airplane. You can use a notebook of conventional size and
keep a daily diary of the work done on your aircraft. It is a good idea to also make notes
in the Assembly Manual as well as listing dates when certain procedures were done. It
is a very good idea to take photographs of work on your plane in various stages. This
helps to document that you, the builder, actually completed 51% of this kit. (The latest
revision of Advisory Circular 20-27 (AC 20-27) is available from the FAA or EAA
describes the procedure used so that your logbook will be a verification of having
completed at least 51% of the aircraft yourself.)
