I know Art Jensen made it through the DAR inspection with his completely
built at the factory Legacy. I'm assuming that the inspection was in
Redmond. The DAR didn't hiccup at his "never leaving the factory" amateur
built airplane.
What if Lancair had their kits approved at "ES plus 2 weeks in
Redmond"? What about "ES plus 16 weeks in Redmond"? Of course,
that's assuming the builder is there, working along side with the Lancair
personnel.
Maybe the FAA, the EAA, and the kit manufacturers can come up with an
approved list that includes builder assist. Their factory assist and
completion programs could be pre-approved, eliminating any surprises at
inspection time. Not only would it make for great marketing, but it makes
complete sense.
Leaving too much up to the DAR at inspection time would be too risky for me
to plunk down $200K+ hoping to get a certification at the end. Not to
mention the one million plus for an Epic LT.
Just a thought.
Mike