So you want to buy a partial built Long Ez.....

[Britguy59]

Me too, as I've posted before. I have one almost in my grasp. I'm hoping not to screw up and get a lemon, so......here's the current question.
There are no builder logs or access to the person who built the fuselage. Will this be an issue come time to get it signed off for flight, etc? I see no referance to this in postings. I don't want to invest in a kit thats built well but can't be flown due to paperwork concerns. Its all open for inspection still, should I be concerned??
 Thanks to all, hope this serves as help for others like me. :shock:

[Bruce Hughes]

Hi Britguy

First you MUST have an experienced builder look at it, preferably
an A & P who HAS HIS OWN LONGEZE.  

Where do you live?  We probably can suggest someone to look at it.

Are you getting the plans?   If not, FORGET that project.

How far along is the project?   You must tell us for any good judgement.

I bought a project which was up to the covering of the strakes.   I was
 lucky, maybe.   The 2nd owner sold it to me and told me that the
weight was OK.   Do I believe him - maybe.  

I ended up with a fairly heavy Longeze (essentially finished).   May be
my fault as I did a lot of filling and sanding with West System.   Maybe
I did too much filling and not enough sanding or maybe the 1st builder
 was not so good at fiberglass work.  

The 2nd builder did very little.   Did he lie about the weight?
I don't know.

You MUST be able to learn the weight BEFORE you put up your $$$$$
I don't know what a partially finished fuselage or wing or canard should
weigh.   That is a BIG research project.

Did he do ALL of the oni and bid layups just as the plans show?

You are taking a risk.  

Bruce Hughes

[spy]

IF YOU WHERE NOT THER TO SEE THE BUILDER " BUILD  IT"   OR DID NOT   BUILD IT YOURSELF....NO ONE KNOWS... ....IT DOES NOT TAKE A WHOLE PLANE T0 BE BAD.. or  TO BE UNAIRWORTHY.....MOST OF THE TIME ITS ONE SMALL THING..., PAPERWORK ., OR YET FRAME OF MIND.... :shock:
 EXPERIMENTALS.. ARE JUST. NOT FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT A GUARANTEE ON EVERYTHING. ...  
      lateley all i have been reading is  people.. WHO ar unfamiliar with homebuilts and or new to flying.>>>.BLAMING PREVIOUS OWNERS..& BUILDERS..... i see very little support  for sellers from fellow canardians.

[Drew]

I am sure there are many sales that go just fine----it is just the bad ones that get the scrutiny.

Even when you buy a gem (which I believe that I did), be prepared to do some work----I have done quite a lot lately.  If you buy an experimental, you will need to work on it.

The bad sales include a varieze that had a major problem "covered up".  The owner sold the plane saying there were no problems.  Unfortunately, the buyer did not bring a Varieze guy with him to look at the plane---otherwise he would have caught it.

There are several others out there where people are advertising performance values that can't be met as well as grossly overstating the condition of the aircraft.

There is nothing wrong about asking any price you want for your plane.  There is nothing wrong with selling an aircraft in any type of condition that you can think of (you just need to let the buyer aware of what he is getting).  Telling a buyer that the plane has no fuel problems (when it does), or telling him it weighs 650lbs when it weighs 750 is dishonest.  Covering up problems is not good.

[Britguy59]

Thanks to all. I'm not without experiance, I was a field engineer for many tears, owned and rebuilt a fibreglass sailboat for instance. My potential  buy  has a complete fuselage to the firewall, and complete wings built proffessionally by some guy named John Queener, whom I can find little info except that he has done work on Cozy's et al as well. Much of the structure is visible and I feel its built well. I'm trying to get the present owner (an older guy in his seventies) to help me find the other builders. He seems short on memory but I don't think its deliberate! I'm going to search his paperwork (has the plans he says) and see if I can glean some info. If anyone is in the Broosville, Pasco county area I could use the help. (Think hernando county airport.) I have some leads on local builders but yet have to make contact. Assuming all is well, how do you get it certified once done?

Martin

Martin,
A lot of people get hung up on the amateur built and 51% stuff.  The rule does not say that YOU have to build 51% of the airplane.  The rule says that 51% of the build has to have been done by amateurs.  It could be 5, 10 or 100 people that actually built the airplane.

When you buy the project, get a bill of sale.  It can say something as generic as "lot of airplane parts".   Or it can be as specific as "parially built Long-Ez, plans serial number ###".  It doesn't matter.  Just hang onto that bill of sale and all of your other receipts for parts and materials that you buy.  When it comes time to certify, you will fill out an "Affadavit of Ownership" in which you will state that you built the airplane from parts and materials.  The receipts and bill of sale will back that up.  I have never had a FAA Inspector or a DAR ask to see the supporting documents.  All they are interested in is that I signed the Affadavit and attested to the fact that it is a true statement.

With any luck, the present owner has a file of receipts and you will get them along with the rest of the project.  Not required but nice to have.

Regards,

Rick Pellicciotti