> This is somewhat of a gray area, isn't it?
> > Suppose you buy pieces of an experimental to assist in the building of
> yours.  How many 'pieces' can you buy before you can't get the repairman
> certificate? Exactly 49% !  Now, how that 49% is calculated is not grey - it's
non-existent!  You take your best guess at the total labor that would be
involved in the original kit or plans and then deduct the estimated labor to
build the parts you bought. You, the builder, are supposed to have invested
51% of the effort.  However, this isn't even the way the FAA does it - because many guys spend
half their building hours on the finish and not on the airframe. So, under
my little scenario above you could buy a completed RV-x and then spend 700
or so hours painting it and making it look pretty and claim you built 51%
based on hours alone!  Take your best guess!
Joe Hull
Cozy Mk-IV #991 (In Phase1 Flight Test - 10.9 hrs flown) Redmond (Seattle), Washington