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Thread: Replacement A/W certificate

  1. #1

    Join Date
    Sep 2017
    Location
    East Wenatchee, WA
    Posts
    10

    Default Replacement A/W certificate

    As requested on the Kitfox Facebook group page, below is my experience in acquiring a lost airworthiness certificate that my local FSDO and the FAA registry had no copy of.

    "Replacement A/W cert. acquired! Let me share a cautionary tale with you all...
    A little over a year ago I acquired a Kitfox 1 from an estate. They had no logs however I could see when looking up the N# on the FAA registry that the registration was current and showed an airworthiness date of 7/20/1988. I wasn't worried too much about the logs since the plane was a basket case and I'd have to pretty much rework the entire plane to get it airworthy again. I also knew I could request a copy of the aircraft records from the registry. The plane was a good deal and while looking at it with the estate they had received calls wanting to buy the plane sight unseen.

    So feeling the pressure and assuring myself that all would work out, I pulled the trigger, trailered the plane home, and work began restoring the Kitfox. I used the FAA online request for a CD copy of the aircraft records and a week later I received it. I poured through the PDFs and when I came to the a/w record all that it showed was half of a calibration sheet from what I assume was their scanner from when the FAA moved away from physical records in the mid 90's. I was dismayed but had hope that my local FSDO would be of help.
    Thus began my nearly year long battle of trying to acquire a copy of the A/W cert. My local FSDO was initially of no help stating that they have no more physical records and whatever they did have was sent to the Oklahoma offices. I called the FAA Registry office and they said that all physical records are sent to a different branch of the government and would be near impossible to acquire. I contacted the FSDO again and asked what my options were. They said since I had no logs I had no way to prove that the A/W was issued. I presented the evidence I had which was that it had a recorded airworthiness date in the FAA registry, over 300 hrs on the hobbs, and even video evidence of it flying in early Kitfox marketing videos. It had no effect.

    Frustration and reality was starting to sink in that I could just have a pile of parts instead of the aircraft I originally valued it as. I contacted an EAA representative who agreed with me that the evidence was there to support my case and suggested I contact a DAR in my area. I tracked him down and he also agreed with me however didn't feel he could do anything about it since I'm not the original builder. He did suggest contacting a new PMI within my local FSDO. This PMI was much more helpful than the last and actually made efforts to help me. He however hit a wall and asked if I could try getting in touch with the original builder to try and get anything. I had personal reservations on this since I didn't want to open a can of worms that the builder didn't want get involved with. However desperation was setting in and so I started digging.
    In my google searching and internet stalking of trying to come up with current contact info for the builder I came upon the solution to my problem. I did an FAA airmen inquiry on the builder, and came upon his certifications and noticed his repairmen certificate for my specific Kitfox. I researched more and found out that you can not receive a repairmen's certificate unless the A/W had been issued for that specific aircraft. The stars had aligned and when I gave my PMI this information he concluded that this was evidence enough that an special airworthiness certificate had been issued for my Kitfox and that he could issue a replacement.

    He still needed to physically inspect the plane for the correct placards and that it actually was an aircraft. Last Thursday the Kitfox passed with flying colors and he issued the new/replacement special airworthiness certificate. Since I have no logs to prove that phase 1 was ever completed I will need to do so but he gave me a 75 mile radius to work with so I can't complain too much. He stated that finding the builder's repairmen certificate was the only reason I could get a replacement. I really dodged a bullet and I'm thankful that I now have a legal Kitfox. Hopefully in the next few weeks I'll be taking it up on it's second first flight.

    Sorry for the wall of text, I just needed to vent and hopefully give some information and experience that might help someone in the future. It's a happy ending but could've easily been a big bummer.

    TL;DR summary,
    Before you buy, make sure to have physical records of the registration and more importantly the special a/w cert along with the conditions and limitations. Don't assume the FAA registry will have it or that the FSDO can easily issue a replacement. Don't be pressured and rushed into a deal no matter how good it is."

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  2. #2
    Administrator DesertFox4's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    Arizona
    Posts
    3,562

    Default Re: Replacement A/W certificate

    Congrats Brandon on a great looking Kitfox and your persistance and sluthing abilities in hunting down the kernal of evidence that allowed you to get your AW. Quite a story. Now go out and enjoy the fruits of your labor.
    Enjoy every flight. 😎👍


    DesertFox4
    Admin.
    7 Super Sport
    912 ULS Tri-gear


  3. #3
    Senior Member GWright6970's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Vacaville, CA
    Posts
    359

    Default Re: Replacement A/W certificate

    Brandon,
    I wish to thank you for re-posting your experience here. I am positive that your write up will help others in the future. Thanks again!

    Looking forward to seeing photos of your fox in the air!

    cheers!
    Grover Wright
    Flying a KF IV-1200
    ROTAX 912UL

  4. #4
    Senior Member bbs428's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2015
    Location
    SW Missouri
    Posts
    649

    Default Re: Replacement A/W certificate

    Great info. Appreciate you posting your experience. As with all things... "Caveat emptor"
    Somebody said that carrier pilots were the best in the world, and they must be or there wouldn't be any of them left alive. — Ernie Pyle

    Brett Butler
    Flying: 1998 Model 5 Outback, 912ul Zipper 110hp, G3x avionics, ss7 upgrades

  5. #5

    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    N Little Rock Ar
    Posts
    128

    Default Re: Replacement A/W certificate

    you are smart and lucky many years back the FAA hired a company to scan and make all records digital that guy went under next guy used a differant system and had to start over

    It was a mess. I have done a number of replacement certifications when the owner lost a certificate then found no record of the lost cert in the FAA files.

    also when you buy an EAB aircraft you need to get the Limitations for Phase one flight changed to your area.

    David Kelm
    AP, IA, DART, DARF
    7SS, Big Bore 912iS, Garmin Touch

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