Certification of a Repairman (Experimental Aircraft Builders)

Advisory

U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Aviation

Circular

Administration Subject: Certification of a Repairman Date: 9/27/24 AC No: AC 65-23B (Experimental Aircraft Builders) Initiated by: AFS-300 Change: 1 PURPOSE OF THIS ADVISORY CIRCULAR (AC). This AC provides information to builders of experimental aircraft concerning repairman certification. This AC supports regulatory requirements in Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 65 .

The contents of this document do not have the force and effect of law and are not meant to bind the public in any way, and the document is intended only to provide information to the public regarding existing requirements under the law or agency policies.

2 AUDIENCE. This AC applies to Experimental Aircraft Builders seeking to receive a Repairman Certificate as an Experimental Aircraft Builder.

3 WHERE YOU CAN FIND THIS AC. You can find this AC on the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) website at https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/advisory_cir culars and the Dynamic Regulatory System (DRS) at https://drs.faa.gov .

4 WHAT THIS AC CANCELS. AC 65-23A, Certification of Repairmen (Experimental Aircraft Builders), dated July 22, 1987, is canceled.

5 RELATED REGULATIONS. These U.S. regulations include safety rules that govern work performed on civil aviation products and articles. Persons in the civil aviation maintenance profession need to be familiar with the specific rules that apply to a professional’s specific occupation. These and other government requirements are available through the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (e-CFR) website at https://www.ecfr.gov . Regulations of particular importance to persons interested in the field of civil aviation maintenance include 14 CFR: • Part 3 , §§ 3.301, 3.302, and 3.303.

• Part 21 , §§ 21.171 , 21.173 , 21.175 , 21.179 , 21.181 , 21.191 , 21.193 , and 21.195 .

• Part 43 Appendix D .

• Part 65 , §§ 65.1 , 65.12 , 65.13 , 65.15 , 65.16 , 65.20 , 65.21 , and 65.104 .

• Part 91 .

6 RELATED READING MATERIAL (current editions). FAA orders can be found at https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/orders_notices/ and on DRS at https://drs.faa.gov . FAA ACs can be found at https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/a dvisory_circulars/ and on DRS.

9/27/24 AC 65-23B • Title 49 of the United States Code (U.S.C.) § 44703 .

• AC 3-1, U.S. Agents for Service on Individuals with Foreign Addresses Who Hold or Apply for Certain Certificates, Ratings, or Authorizations.

• AC 65-24 , Certification of a Repairman (General).

• AC 65-32 , Certification of Repairmen (Light-Sport Aircraft).

• FAA Order 8130.2 , Airworthiness Certification of Aircraft.

• FAA Form 8130-12 , Eligibility Statement Amateur-Built Aircraft.

7 BACKGROUND.

7.1 Previously, experimental Airworthiness Certificates were effective for 1 year after the date of issuance or renewal, unless a shorter period was prescribed by the Administrator.

Under the provisions of § 21.181(a)(4), experimental certificates issued to aircraft for the purpose of exhibition, air racing, or operating amateur-built aircraft have an unlimited duration unless the Administrator finds that a specific period should be established. Thus, performance of recertification inspections on these aircraft by FAA inspectors is no longer required. However, inspectors will continue to perform original certification inspections of amateur-built aircraft, amateur-built exhibition aircraft, and air-racing aircraft.

7.2 In conjunction with § 21.181(a)(4), § 65.104 is used. This section provides that a qualified builder of an amateur-built aircraft may be certificated as a repairman and would be privileged to perform condition inspections in accordance with the aircraft’s issued operating limitations. However, aircraft manufacturing companies who produce experimental aircraft are not eligible for Repairman Certificates.

7.3 When provided by the aircraft operating limitations, exhibition, air-racing, and amateur-built aircraft may be inspected (condition inspections) by FAA-certificated mechanics holding an Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) rating, or certificated repair stations, in accordance with part 43 appendix D.

8 ELIGIBILITY. An individual desiring to be certificated as a repairman is required to: 1. Complete an application for a Repairman Certificate (Experimental Aircraft Builder) and provide FAA Form 8130-12 attesting to building more than 50 percent of the aircraft, which must be notarized.

2. Be a U.S. citizen, or an individual of a foreign country, who has been admitted for permanent residence in the United States.

Note: Applicants with a foreign address for official record purposes must comply with the U.S. agent for service requirements in part 3 subpart C, which requires any individual who has a foreign address and no U.S. physical address of record on file with the FAA to designate a U.S. agent for service if they apply for a certificate, rating, or authorization issued under 14 CFR part 47 , 61 , 63 , 65, 67 ,

9/27/24 AC 65-23B or 107 , or hold a certificate, rating, or authorization issued under any of these parts. Refer to AC 3-1 for information on designating a U.S. agent for service.

3. Be 18 years of age or older and the primary builder of the aircraft. For example, when a school, club, or partnership builds an aircraft, only one individual will be considered for a Repairman Certificate for each aircraft built, such as the class instructor or designated project leader. This individual is considered the primary builder.

4. Demonstrate to the certificating FAA inspector the ability to perform condition inspections and to determine whether the subject aircraft is in a condition for safe operation.

5. Present satisfactory evidence of building the aircraft such as a construction logbook, pictures, or drawings to be eligible for the certificate.

Note: The eligibility requirements of § 65.104 are in no way associated with the eligibility requirements for a repairman shown in § 65.101 .

9 PRIVILEGES AND LIMITATIONS. Holders of Repairman Certificates (Experimental Aircraft Builder) may perform condition inspections on specific aircraft built by the certificate holder (CH). Consistent with § 65.104(b), the aircraft will be identified by make, model, and serial number as shown on the Repairman Certificate. During the aircraft certification procedure, the FAA issues operating limitations, as necessary per part 91, § 91.319 , to ensure an adequate level of safety. These limitations may require that the subject aircraft be inspected annually by a repairman (Experimental Aircraft Builder), the holder of an FAA Mechanic Certificate with appropriate ratings (A&P), or an appropriately rated FAA repair station. Condition inspections will be performed in accordance with the scope and detail of part 43 appendix D. Operating limitations will also require that an appropriate entry be made in the aircraft maintenance records to show performance of this inspection.

Note: It should be noted that the privileges and limitations of § 65.104 are not associated with the privileges and limitations of § 65.103 .

10 APPLICATION. Applicants may obtain copies of FAA Form 8610-3 , Airman Certificate and/or Rating Application – Repairman (14 CFR Part 65), online at https://www.faa.gov/forms . Applicants should complete sections I, II, and IV of this form and submit it to the responsible Flight Standards District Office (FSDO). See Appendix A for an example. The box for “§ 65.104 Experimental Aircraft Builder Repairman” (at top of form) should be checked. Also, section II block B should be checked, and the information requested in blocks B1, B2, B3, and B4 inserted.

10.1 Privacy Act Statement. Applicants should read the Privacy Act statement attached to FAA Form 8610-3 prior to completing this form.

10.2 Issuance of Certificates. When an applicant meets the certificate eligibility requirements, FAA Form 8060-4, Temporary Airman Certificate, will be issued.

Permanent certificates will be mailed to the holder of a Temporary Airman Certificate within 120 days of issuance.

9/27/24 AC 65-23B 11 SURRENDER CERTIFICATES PROCEDURES. Repairman Certificates (Experimental Aircraft Builder) should be surrendered whenever the aircraft is destroyed or sold. However, in the latter situation, the repairman may elect to retain the certificate in order to perform condition inspections on the aircraft for the new owner. Surrendered certificates should be forwarded to the FAA Airmen Certification Branch, P.O. Box 25082, Oklahoma City, OK 73125, with a brief statement of the reason for surrender.

12 TYPICAL AIRCRAFT OPERATING LIMITATIONS. The following similarly worded aircraft operating limitations may be issued at the time of aircraft certification: 1. No person may operate this aircraft unless within the preceding 12 calendar months it has had a condition inspection performed in accordance with part 43 appendix D, and is found to be in a condition safe for operation. Additionally, this inspection shall be recorded in accordance with the limitation in item 4 below.

2. For amateur-built aircraft, only an experimental aircraft builder certificated as a repairman under § 65.104 for the aircraft or a mechanic holding an A&P rating may perform condition inspections in accordance with part 43 appendix D.

3. For other exhibition and air-racing aircraft, only FAA-certificated and rated A&P mechanics, or appropriately rated repair stations, may perform condition inspections in accordance with part 43 appendix D.

4. Condition inspections shall be recorded in the aircraft maintenance records showing the following, or a similarly worded, statement: “I certify that this aircraft has been inspected on (insert date) in accordance with the scope and detail of part 43, appendix D, and found to be in a condition safe for operation.” The entry will include the total time in service, the name, signature, certificate type, and number of the person performing the inspection.

13 AC FEEDBACK FORM. For your convenience, the AC Feedback Form is the last page of this AC. Note any deficiencies found, clarifications needed, or suggested improvements regarding the contents of this AC on the Feedback Form.

Robert M. Ruiz for Lawrence Fields Executive Director, Flight Standards Service 9/27/24 AC 65-23B Appendix A APPENDIX A. SAMPLE FAA FORM 8610-3, AIRMAN CERTIFICATE AND/OR RATING APPLICATION – REPAIRMAN (14 CFR PART 65) A-1 9/27/24 AC 65-23B Appendix A A-2 Advisory Circular Feedback Form If you find an error in this AC, have recommendations for improving it, or have suggestions for new items/subjects to be added, you may let us know by contacting the Flight Standards Directives Management Officer at 9-AWA-AF B -1 2 0-Directives@faa.gov .

Subject: AC 65-23B, Certification of a Repairman (Experimental Aircraft Builders) Date: _____________________ Please check all appropriate line items: An error (procedural or typographical) has been noted in paragraph ____________ on page _______.

Recommend paragraph _____________ on page __________ be changed as follows: ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ In a future change to this AC, please cover the following subject: (Briefly describe what you want added.)

______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ Other comments: ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ I would like to discuss the above. Please contact me.

Submitted by: Date: ______________________