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A&P School Project Build

Phantom Pilot

I'm New Here
Has anyone ever had an aviation mechanic school build a plane for them as a project? I'm dying to get an RV, but I know I can't build it myself. I thought if I bought one a local A&P trade school may use it as a project build. With supervision I'm thinking it would be a great build. Thoughts?
 
Back in 1994, I stopped at a school (same as A&P school in USA) in Japan that built one RV-4 and was building another. You can read about it in one of the old RVators that was published back in the mid '90s.

Typically my experience in the US is that some A&P schools may work on flying airplanes but many do not want the liability that does with working on a flying airplane.
 
It's an interesting idea, but the truth is that being a mechanic and beeing a builder are two different things. Many mechanics build beautiful, solid experimental aircraft. Some will just drill holes through their fingers. The A&P exam does not emphasize the same things required in building an airplane, and schools are training and educating people to pass the exams.

Then, of course, comes the fact that if you simply buy the kit and have someone else build it, you are not going to be the builder of record anyway, and won't qualify for the repairman's certificate (unless you lie on the forms about who built it). So you might as well expand your search beyond A&P schools.

The good news is that there are thousands of experimental aircraft out there, many of which change hands - and usually for the cost of the materials it took to build them. If you want an airplane, buy an airplane. If you want to build an airplane, build an airplane. But there's no need to complicate things by having one built for you.

Paul
 
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You may want to contact dweyant on here. Dan has a cool thing he is working on with schools build planes and it might be what you're looking for.
 
History

In the mid 50's Paul Poberezny enlisted the help of Jim Stewart, an Aeronautical Engineer with Allison Engines. With the help of three other Allison engineers they designed and drew up plans for the EAA Biplane. The prototype was built at St. Ritas High School in Chicago. The Aviation Program students at St. Ritas had already completed a Baby Ace under the supervision of Bob Blacker. The Biplane was completed between 1957 and 1960.
This evolved into EAA Project Schoolflight. Several High Schools started projects but the program was never successful and ended in1960.
EAA Biplane plans were sold by EAA until 1972. Paul by then had moved on to other airplanes including the Acro Sport I and II.
In the 50's and 60's there were quite a few Vocational High Schools that had Aviation Programs. I made a lot of the parts for my first homebuilt during night classes at one of those schools.
The prototype EAA Biplane is on display at the EAA Museum.
 
A&P Schools to build an RV?

You might be able to pull this off if you left the a/c there for 15-20 yrs! :) The A&P school that I went to had a set FAA approved syllabus which went from General to Powerplant to Airframe. We did academics and then practical labs as well, but everything was driven by the syllabus and ensured everyone attained the prescribed number of classroom and practical hours. With that said, I don't see how the short amount of time allotted for learning to rivet, weld, etc. would allow a class to get much done on an RV kit prior to moving onto the next syllabus requirement...but it never hurts to ask.

Doug Lomheim
RV-3A sold
RV-9A Mazda 13B FWF
 
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