CUSTOM PLANES • October 1999

Setting a Standard of Excellence

TEXT AND PHOTOS BY VICKI CRUSE

It is often said that we Americans take things for granted, and for the most part, this rings true, particularly when discussing the FAA and the regulations enforced by the agency. What we don't realize is the number of privileges we have compared to pilots in other countries. Our rights as pilots and airplane builders are just thatrights, not privileges and we often complain about new enforcement actions and new regulations. To complicate the issue, toss in an airplane not previously built in the country. Most U.S. pilots and amateur builders have no idea what building and flying are like outside the United States. Challenges abound, but they are not impossibilities. This is the story of one builder who overcame the odds and completed the first airplane of its kind in the United Kingdom - and what an airplane it is!

Building in the United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom the governing aviation agency is the Civil Aviation Agency (CAA). The Popular Flying Association (PFA) is the representative body in the United Kingdom for amateur aircraft construction and recreational and sport flying. The CAA is much like our FAA, and the PFA is similar to the Experimental Aircraft Association but with much more responsibility for certifying experimental aircraft. The engineering section of the PFA has been given design authority by the CAA to approve, decline and suggest modifications to aircraft designs, which will then be approved and issued a permit to fly by the CAA.

The PFA regulates experimental aircraft of 200 hp and below and those that have a maximum gross weight of 2000 pounds for a twoseat aircraft, although they can negotiate with the CAA to raise these limits on particular designs to include up to 250 hp and a 2500 pound gross weight for a four-seat aircraft. Any aircraft exceeding these limits must receive approval through the CAA, which unlike the PFA, charges for its services on an hourly basis. Builders pay nothing to the PFA as they proceed through the approval process for their airplane, but the inspectors usually charge a fee for their services. Each year, experimental aircraft owners must pay a fee to renew their permit to fly. This fee, as well as project registration and test flying permit fees, support the work of the PFA and compensate the eight employees within the organization.

There are about 1,500 homebuilts currently flying in the United Kingdom, with another 1,200 under construction. The most popular aircraft is the Europa, which is produced in the United Kingdom, as well. Hangar space in the United Kingdom is scarce and expensive, and the climate is really not suitable for keeping an aircraft outside. The ability to fold the wings and trailer the aircraft to the airport is a high priority; the Europa was designed with this in mind. The next most popular experimental aircraft is, not surprisingly, the Van's RV series.

Before a builder decides to build an airplane, he must write the PFA, informing it of the type of airplane he intends to build. If it is a design that has already been approved, the builder will receive a registration card to be returned to the PFA with a fee of approximately $75. The builder then receives an airplane-specific PFA Project Build Book, along with a project number unique to his airplane. The book includes inspection parameters that must be signed off by a PFA-approved inspector, and it must stay with the aircraft during the duration of the project.

If the builder requests to build an aircraft not previously approved by the PFA, he must provide the PFA engineering staff with all the documentation necessary to fully satisfy it with regard to structural integrity, safety and history of the design. This must be done prior to the purchase of the kit. In case you are wondering, there are a few plans and kits produced in the United States that, for various reasons, are not approved for building in the United Kingdom. The PFA maintains a list of approximately 200 approved designs. The most recent design added to the list was the Berkut.

The nose of the aircraft has a landing light built in, plus panels than can be opened to check the interior components and structure.

The Berkut has clean frontal view. Waters did a superb job in the construction of this aircraft.