Can a club build a home-built?

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PilotGreg

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PilotGreg
Hello,

I was wondering if a club could legally license a home built aircraft such as the Sonex if everyone pitched in to construct it? Technically it is not then built 51% by one person correct? Would a club be able to license a Sonex as a LSA rather then experimental and avoid this? Sorry for all the questions but any insight you may have to the licensing procedure in this regard would be very helpful!

Thanks!
Greg
 
PilotGreg said:
Hello,

I was wondering if a club could legally license a home built aircraft such as the Sonex if everyone pitched in to construct it? Technically it is not then built 51% by one person correct? Would a club be able to license a Sonex as a LSA rather then experimental and avoid this? Sorry for all the questions but any insight you may have to the licensing procedure in this regard would be very helpful!

Thanks!
Greg
Click to expand...

Welcome to POA.

I'm not an expert, so I could be wrong. But I think that any amateur-built aircraft must be registered as an experimental, which would probably create all manner of problems for your club.

-Rich
 
PilotGreg said:
Hello,

I was wondering if a club could legally license a home built aircraft such as the Sonex if everyone pitched in to construct it? Technically it is not then built 51% by one person correct? Would a club be able to license a Sonex as a LSA rather then experimental and avoid this? Sorry for all the questions but any insight you may have to the licensing procedure in this regard would be very helpful!

Thanks!
Greg
Click to expand...


the short answer is yes, school classes do it all the time, but only one person gets the repairman's certificate for that aircraft.
 
Well, clearly it can be done...

But it'd be a good idea to make sure the bird you build is easy to fly. You should also make sure they are good pilots, or you might have problems like this and we'll end up talking about you.

So yes, it can be done... But tread carefully.

PS - It's not entirely clear what the status of the club is. Their web site is still operational, but it also still lists the crashed plane and the dead guy with no note of the accident and no apparent changes to anything on the site since before the accident which was almost 2 years ago. But, I would imagine it's hard to come back from something like that.
 
PilotGreg said:
Hello,

I was wondering if a club could legally license a home built aircraft such as the Sonex if everyone pitched in to construct it? Technically it is not then built 51% by one person correct?
Click to expand...
The rule is not that one person perform 51% of the work, but that 51% of the work be performed for recreational or educational purposes. It doesn't matter how many people laid hands on the project, as long as those people weren't being compensated.

As was posted, the Repairman Certificate can only be issued to the "majority builder." You'll need to pick someone (usually the person leading the building effort) to apply for the Repairman Certificate.

Ron Wanttaja
 
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Tom-D said:
the short answer is yes, school classes do it all the time, but only one person gets the repairman's certificate for that aircraft.
Click to expand...

Yup. Happens a lot. My ride was built from a kit by two guys.

The E-LSA could get you around the so called 51% rule if the kit falls in that (rather narrow) catagory - I don't think the Sonex does. I don't personally see any point to going that way if it isn't necessary - and it isn't necessary.
 
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Yes, you can "club build" an Experimental - Amateur Built aircraft and register it.
 
Hello everyone!

Thanks for the warm welcomes and clearing up my question! We are a student organization at a university whose members would really benefit from the experience of such a project, plus the organization would have a plane in the end which would be pretty cool for pilots. We are incorporated as a not-for-profit, waiting for 501(c)3 status, and understand the necessity to always put safety first. Thank you for looking out for us and hopefully we won't be the next hot topic :wink2:. If this project does get underway there will be an experienced project leader checking the work etc. so hopefully they will be the "majority builder".

Thanks again for all of your help, I really appreciate it!
 
Greg, please stick around and let us know how your project progresses; there is an almost limitless reserve of talent (and helpful folks) here.
 
Tom-D said:
the short answer is yes, school classes do it all the time, but only one person gets the repairman's certificate for that aircraft.
Click to expand...

^^^ What he said.

Welcome to PoA, by the way!
 
I will most definitely stick around! I am sure we will run into trouble and need help at points, where would the fun and challenge be if we didn't!? Hopefully we can get creative in raising the necessary funds!


Thanks again!
Greg
 
Gerg:

I assume you and/or others involved in the project are EAA members? And you've contacted the local EAA chapter as expert assistance?

Where are you located?
 
Hi Greg ...

You've picked a good plane. I've got a Sonex .. didn't build it .. and it's
about the easiest flying thing I've been in all these years. I've built an
experimental just not this one.

Check with your local FSDO early in the project and work with them. It
makes life easier. Mine was very helpful. Also be sure how they interpret
the repairman certificate requirements. I've heard of some saying the
repairman has to actually do 51% of the work. (Not true the way I read it.)

Also go here .. lots of help:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sonextalk/?yguid=280783618


RT
 
Welcome to POA. As suggested above, I'd talk to the FSDO early (they'll be the one to give you your airworthiness certificate and repairman certificate, so it's good to talk to them!) and consider joining/calling the EAA... they have great resources and experience to answer questions like these!
 
If you haven't already applied for 501(c)3 status, I'd give a heavy consideration to whether or not you really want to do it before sending in the paperwork and the money. If it's just for an airplane, then I'm not sure the IRS will accept it. Having gone through the process myself for my aviation-based non-profit, it's not particularly easy or cheap.

If you're just using it as a holding company for the airplane, there's not a reason to be a 501(c)3 per se. The real purpose for the status is if you're doing some sort of charitable work. While any aircraft owner knows that aircraft ownership is a form of charity, they usually want to see you doing other things with it. ;)
 
PilotGreg said:
Thanks for the warm welcomes and clearing up my question! We are a student organization at a university whose members would really benefit from the experience of such a project, plus the organization would have a plane in the end which would be pretty cool for pilots. We are incorporated as a not-for-profit, waiting for 501(c)3 status, and understand the necessity to always put safety first.
Click to expand...

If the purpose is primarily educational, you should be able to get 501(c)(3), but if you don't, you can become a 501(c)(7) non-profit social organization. Donations to the group would not be tax-deductible, but the org would not have to pay taxes.
 
As has been posted, join EAA, working with Sonex Factory Tech support, and all the POA know how, you can't help but be successful
As for the 501(c)3 ,I think the IRS might look at the Educational part ok,but what do you do after the project is complete. I don't think they'll go for just flying it and I don't think you can rent it out as a trainer, so you may be stuck.
Kent is right (c) 3 may not be the right category . I know we spent many ,many thousands to get our 501(c)3 for our historic airfield but it was our small museum that put us over the top with the IRS. But then again you may get lucky.
A lawyer and a highly detailed letter on your organization will be needed to convince the IRS.
Now if you would like to donate that Sonex to a 501(c)3 museum, give me a call:wink2:
 
We got a 501c3 for our local craft organization, and it required neither lawyers nor thousands of dollars. Our organization is primarily educational in nature, so it was an easy sell to the IRS. It did take a bit of work though. The primary reason we did it was so we could receive tax-exempt donations, which is the main benefit of a 501c3. If the OP isn't going to solicit donations, it may not be worth the bother.
 
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