Homebuilt aircraft

Also known as amateur-built aircraft, homebuilt aircraft are constructed by one or more persons for whom this is not a professional activity. These aircraft may be constructed from "scratch," from plans, or from assembly kits. Although the aircraft is constructed by an amateur, the finished product is often of good quality.

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In the United States, such aircraft may be flown as Experimental Aircraft under FAA regulations, provided that the owner has done at least 51% of the construction work her or himself.

Related Topics:
United States - Experimental Aircraft - FAA

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The first aircraft to be offered for sale in this form was the Ace Baby Ace in the late 1920s. Homebuilt aircraft gained in popularity in the US in the 1950s with the formation of the Experimental Aircraft Association and with a large demand for light aircraft created by ex-military pilots after World War II.

Related Topics:
Ace Baby Ace - 1920s - 1950s - Experimental Aircraft Association - World War II

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Homebuilt aircraft are typically small, one- to four-seat sportsplanes, and employ simple methods of construction. Fabric-covered wood or metal frames and plywood are common in the aircraft structure, but increasingly, fiberglass is being used. Engines are often converted from automobile engines, with Volkswagen air-cooled flat-4s proving popular. This helps to keep costs down, but some builders use dedicated aircraft engines which typically give better performance. There are some newer aircraft engines becoming common, such as those from Rotax, that use modern technology to keep costs and fuel burn down compared to the small Lycoming or Continental engines.

Related Topics:
Sportsplane - Plywood - Fiberglass - Automobile - Volkswagen - Flat-4 - Aircraft engine - Rotax - Lycoming - Continental

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