Tips on Registration?

[Utah-Jay]

I have my N-Number reserved, but a friend of mine says the registration process can take a long time. I am likely late to the game.

I have zero clue about this. Anyone have any helpful hints? Lists of Docs needed?

[AKKen07]

Just did this actually. Google EAA Aircraft Registration and you should find a good link with the info. Also recommend purchasing their certification kit from their website which has all the forms. I mailed them USPS. Took a couple weeks to be on the FAA database but still waiting for the registration in the mail.
Overview of How to Register and Certify Your Homebuilt (eaa.org)
Also the first step would be to get your serial # from Mark - that is needed for the forms.
And another note - the registration process is still snail-mail but once you get that back the airworthiness certification is online contrary to somewhat outdated EAA info, which your DAR should be able to help with. It's on the new FAA AWC website.

[Mark Goldberg]

The EAA sells a nice packet of info with the forms on how to do this. Mark

[Utah-Jay]

Filling out forms is painful

But thanks for the info and link/s

[alaskabearhawk]

I was told by a DAR early this year that it's taking 6 months or longer for a registration. I filed for mine because I am still a ways out before even considering flying. I received it in the mail two weeks later. Then this fall I got a letter from our tax assessor asking how much my airplane was worth...personal property tax!

[Paul Johnston]

image.jpg The certification kit can also be gotten from aircraft spruce.I’ve never used a dar , but hear he is an expensive nightmare.They want the aircraft opened Up for inspection- like an annual. And charge each time they come -at least twice- for inspection- Instead, contact faa at your local FSDO and ask for certification.you’ll be connected with a team member who will receive your forms and walk you through it. In the end he comes in person and has your airworthiness & repairman certificates in hand-he wants the airplane ready to fly at that juncture/ fuel in tanks. Not open. It’s a walk around like a preflight. He will move the stick to see if the controls are rigged in reverse then get to the paperwork. The walk around is usually 5 minutes.The visit is free and he’s gone within an hour- they have all been friendly.You may require a dar if you are remote. The picture is a “shop ticket holder 5”x8”.I use these for on board documents and attach with a couple zip ties. Sold on Amazon.

[rodsmith]

I think people forget that the FAA inspection is an alternative to hiring a DAR, but I think it depends on your FSDO, I hope I can go that route. Having said that I have not heard of more than one inspection by a DAR. Seems like if they only find a few minor items, they pass you with the provision that you will correct them. That is the experience some builders in our local chapter have had, but the DAR that covered our area has retired.

[rodsmith]

If you are registering or renewing a registration for a certified aircraft it is taking about 6 months. Because there are no 90 day pink slips for new experimental registrations, the FAA is prioritizing new homebuilt registrations. I received mine in less than 3 weeks. I found the EAA registration kit to be worth the $20.

[whee]

I too used the EAA registration kit and felt it was worth while; definitely worth the cost.

On the inspection side, it is fully dependent on which FSDO boundary you live in. My FSDO does not do EAB inspections at all, you must hire a DAR. I contacted the DAR early on and he laid everything out and I had to do things 100% his way. The inspections was painless. Yes, the airplane was "opened up" and he inspected everything as though he was doing an annual. This is a good thing, IMO. I had to wait a period of time after the plane passed inspection to get the repairman's certificate. To do so I submitted a form to the FSDO, setup and appointment for an oral exam with a maintenance inspector, had to show my build log and answer questions for about 90 minutes. None of it was a big deal or expensive but those were the policies of my FSDO. Utah-Jay is in the same FSDO as I am

[TrueAirSpeed]

Jon, I’m in the same FSDO as you and believe I used the same DAR as you ($600.00). Retired FAA maintenance inspector and nice guy. Again I had to open up everything as in an annual inspection. For me the rub came when seeking the Repairman Certificate. First the local FSDO wouldn’t accept my Repairman Certificate application until the 40 hours was flown off. Then they were too busy and sent me out of state to another FSDO where after many hoops the certificate was granted. I guess I didn't know how good I had it in 2010 when in another state the DAR even filled out the paperwork for the Repairman Certificate when he did the Airworthiness paperwork for my RV-7.

[whee]

That’s right, had to finish the phase 1 before they would issue the repairman’s. I couldn’t remember what period of time I had to wait. They were really busy for me too but I said I’d wait as long as I had to as long as it got done before my first condition inspection. The appointment was set like 6 months in advance.

[Brett795]

I had a different experience than Paul when it came to both a DAR & FSDO with 4 different experimentals.
My first experience on finishing a Quickie Q-2, I used the Indy FSDO back in 2010. I heard it would be easy, but that was not the case on this one. The FAA rep was super nice but I was with him for 7 hours. I don’t know if that was normal for him or if it was because I was an A&P that mainly works with Experimental planes and he was passing on tips and knowledge he had with his 30 some years experience. He had me remove the cowl and went through the plane with a fine tooth comb. In the end, he handed me my A/W cert. and I think called me a few times over the next months to see how the plane was flying.
In 2012 & 2013 I used a DAR out of Ft. Wayne (Steve) when I finished my Long Ez & a 2nd Q-2 for my dad. Steve was also an IA and came out to do the inspections after we both were off work and just charged me a flat fee for each one (I think $400?). The plane was closed up and on my Long I offered to pull the cowl for him to make sure he didn’t see any issues. He did not have my A/W cert on the visit because he did say most people don’t have their paperwork correct but he would drop it off the next day at our funeral home. The next inspection went smoothly & he also brought the A/W that time.
When I finished our Velocity in 2016, Steve had retired from being a DAR so I went with our FSDO again. This time the FAA rep brought 2 others with him for training. I thought this inspection would take forever but just the opposite. I think they briefly looked over the Velocity and spent the majority of time going over my paperwork but didn’t even ask for a builders log. I think it was less than an hour. They did look over our other canard planes since none of them had seen one let alone 4 in a hanger for any future inspections they had.
When I get to the point of finishing my BH5 and do this process again I will probably check to see if there is a DAR in our area and see what they charge & expect and see if the timing is better than the Indy FSDO. Every experience can be different by the person doing the inspection.

[Utah-Jay]

Called OKC this morning to check on the possibility I had already sent in my registration application as I had a completed photo copy in my folder. Imagine when I heard the recording that they are currently processing applications received in MAY of 2022. OMG I started to panic. I got a really nice guy on the phone and he confirmed I had applied for registration when I reserved my N-number (it was required to ensure I did in fact get my N-number after previously applying and NOT getting two previous choices). Apparently I received a letter back that I left a line blank nearly a year ago. I never saw this affidavit they sent me, I am blaming my wife for this. Anyway, I re-submitted the application and he said it would be processed asap as it would revert back to my original application submission date.

I think I got lucky on this one

[AKKen07]

Just got my registration in the mail today. I believe I put the paperwork in the mail 3-4 weeks ago (although time seems to have lost traction with me) so certainly not a 6 month horror story or anything.
Cheers