Wrecked model 4

[Captdill]

Does anybody know of a totaled model 4 that the pilot walked away from? If you could pass me some information about the owner, I am mainly looking for his airworthiness certificate , I have most of the pieces but might be able to purchase some of the salvage as well.

[kitfoxnick]

Why not just build it from parts and apply for a new airworthiness you could get a repairmens certificate as well. Just a thought.

[Captdill]

Can't, unless I do not call it a Kitfox. It's complicated, but I would wind up selling it anyway, already have one. I have most of it, needs all ribs, landing gear,and radiator, and propstrike inspection quoted at $250 by leading edge airfoils on a 25 hr 582. Yours for $5000. I think I have to build it up to get it off my plate.

[HighWing]

Can't, unless I do not call it a Kitfox.

I don't understand. When I finished my currently flying Model IV, rather than hassle with the paper trail - I was the second owner of the kit - I registered it as constructed from miscellaneous parts. I had made some significant modifications and had some documentation, but didn't get a single question. Application sent and registration back in the mail. Registered as Kitfox.

[Av8r3400]

How did you do this, Lowell?

I bought my "Mangy Fox" as a project (it was certificated E-AB). I have rebuilt it far further than the original builder did the original kit. I'd love to reregister it using "built from parts" as a new experimental plane. Even as a "Mangy Mark I" if I had to.

BUT-- I don't have receipts for the "parts" used to assemble it. (Sales tax issue, too...)

[Captdill]

Previous owner completely dismantled it after once around the pattern. Turned in the airworthiness certificate. Does not want name on the airworthiness. It flew. Hate to be overly cryptic.

[rcsfca]

Somebody in West Virginia is advertising a Model 4 Speedster 912 for parts on Barnstormers.

Worth a try??

[HighWing]

I got the miscellaneous parts idea from a guy on one of the early email lists who registered his that way. This was after the FAA demanded the paper trail through all owners back to the original purchase of the kit.

On the "Affidavit of Ownership for Amateur Built and Other Non Certificated Aircraft", there are four boxes, one of which needs to be checked.

The first box reads:
More than 50% of the above-described aircraft was built from miscellaneous parts and I am the owner. (This option is for aircraft eligible for amateur built certification)

I recall the 50% thing has been discussed in the past and there is still some argument as to just what constitutes a part. Is a bolt or a circuit breaker the equivalent of an elevator, for example. I built the landing gear, engine mount, all the ribs for the Horizontal stabilizer, elevator, vertical stabilizer, rudder and gap seals, and added a home brew leading edge. I also got new lexan for the windshield and quarter windows, all wiring, instruments, circuit breakers, fabric, finish tapes riblace cord and on and on, I felt pretty secure that I could prove over 50%, but the question never came up. I signed and notarized the documents, sent the application to Oklahoma City and the registration certificate for the airplane came back in my name. I used an inspector from the local FSDO for the airworthiness inspection and had a binder that showed what I had done, but even then the 50% thing never came up. I don't know if this method is more or less foggy than the common practice of restoring a certified airplane then using a registration from a totally different airplane for re-registration. I guess the only thing I would do if I was using a "salvage" fuselage for a new registration is change the serial number as the old one is likely on file. But that would have to be done if someone was to use another airplane's registration anyway.

I guess my feeling is, if you are using salvage major parts along with everything that will be purchased and used to complete a flying airplane, I would think it would be pretty straight forward to claim that over 50% is miscellaneous parts especially since there is no question on the registration form as to whether any of the parts used have been part of a previously registered airplane. It just seems pretty clean to me. and I kind of like clean.

[wwillyard]

If it is mine you are refering to, I would build new wings as it wouldn't be much more work than repairing, plus an up grade to newer ethanol tolerant fuel tanks. New bare bones fuselage, check out engine and transfer all other parts and apply for new registration. This would yield a new aircraft plus repairmans certificate. I don't have the ambition to undertake another project, otherwise this is the approach I would take minis the new registration as I have the repairmans certificate. I have another aircraft to fly and that is what I would rather do at this point in life. Just a little disappointed that the new Rotax part let me down as I was preparing to attend the factory fly in:'(