EAA's Second AB-DAR Offering

EAA’s Earl Lawrence and Joe Norris were at the Transportation Safety Institute (TSI) in Oklahoma City (OK), this week to help instruct the second of three scheduled amateur-built designated airworthiness representative (AB-DAR) courses. The course, required by FAA for individuals who wish to volunteer their services to perform airworthiness inspections on newly finished homebuilt aircraft, runs March 30 through April 1. This is chronologically the second course to be conducted, but it’s actually the third to be scheduled after high demand created a waiting list for the June 8-10 course. The first course was held January 27-29.

Lawrence, EAA vice president of industry and regulatory affairs, and Norris, senior aviation information specialist and a certified AB-DAR himself, provide an overall review of amateur-built aircraft construction methods, aircraft designs and procedures AB-DARs may face when inspecting aircraft. Many candidates appointed as AB-DARs were selected as candidates by local FSDOs (Flight Standards District Office) or MIDOs (Manufacturing Inspection District Office).

There are currently 13 volunteer AB-DARs who have been designated as a result of the new program.

EAA and FAA created this program to help alleviate the backlog of inspection requests from homebuilders. Along with significant input into the curriculum, EAA also donated three homebuilt aircraft to the FAA so prospective AB-DARs can obtain hands-on training during the course. The aircraft include a 1998 Lancair Tigress; a 1979 Smyth/Pieper Sidewinder, and a 1965 Welsh Rabbit (Model A). EAA also provided FAA the use of its 1998 Buckeye Dream Machine powered parachute. These four aircraft cover the vast majority of construction methods employed by homebuilders today.

FMI: www.eaa.org