Building a homebuilt experimental aircraft means dedicating a fair amount of time, some perseverance and resources into your new aircraft project. But the rewards for this investment, when finished, are much higher. Having built an aircraft with your own hands, the smoking start of the engine running for the first time, initial taxi runs and the exiting first flight before flying between the clouds into the sunset...

Before we dive into this fascinating subject lets establish some definitions on homebuilt- and experimental aircraft as they need not be the same type. It all depends a little on your point of view.

Some definitions

Homebuilt Aircraft
Also known as amateur built aircraft, homebuilt aircraft are constructed by persons for whom this is not a professional activity. This is not to say that these builders do not build their aircraft professionally, they absolutely do and create a beautiful piece of work.

Experimental Aircraft
In generic use, an experimental aircraft is an aircraft that has not yet been fully proven in flight. Often, this implies that new aerospace technologies are being tested on the aircraft, though the label is more broad. Experimental aircraft is also a specific term referring to an aircraft flown with an experimental category airworthiness certificate (also issued for homebuilt aircraft). The term experimental aircraft is often mistakenly used to mean homebuilt aircraft. While all homebuilt aircraft are experimental, there are many types of experimental aircraft that are not home or amateur built.

Light Sport Aircraft (US only)
The Federal Aviation Administration has defined Light Sport Aircraft as an airplane with a maximum gross takeoff weight (MTOW) of less than 600 kg (1,320 lb) for landplanes and 649 kg (1,430 lb) for seaplanes with a maximum airspeed in level flight of not more than 120 knots (222 km/h), and a maximum stall speed of 45 knots (83 km/h). Other limitations are: maximum of two seats, fixed undercarriage, fixed-pitch or ground adjustable propeller and a single reciprocating engine.
You will need a Sport Pilot certificate to fly a LSA. Which is easier to obtain than a conventional recreational, private or commercial pilot licence required for normal certificated aircraft. LSA's also have less restrictive maintenance requirements and can even be maintained by their pilots and/or owners.

LSA aircraft can be compared to advanced European ultralights. Most LSA manufacturers have been selling their aircraft as ultralights in Europe for some years now.

Introduction

Building your own propeller driven (or a turboprop like the Turbine Legend or jet like the Viper Jet) aircraft can be a very rewarding project. Don't think too lightly about such an undertaking as it will consume a reasonable amount of time and dedication and it probably will take some 3 years or more to complete your aircraft. This could be much more if you are going to built an aircraft from plans (or roughly between 1000 and 3000 hours of construction, in some cases people have been building for 10 or more years). It helps a lot to have some friends around, preferably builders themselves, to help every now and then.
But believe me, it will be worthwhile and taking off for the first time in your own homebuilt aircraft is something not many people will do in their lifetime. But then again, some of us lucky few will do it more than once.

Why build an airplane
This can be for a number of reasons. Some of us really enjoy building an airplane, finish (and sometimes sell) the project and then go on to build another. I am on my fourth project now. Two were together with friends, one was sold before it was finished due to a number of reasons and the one I am starting now: well, I'm gonna keep and finish that one and fly all over the world. For others it can be for financial reasons to build their own airplane, a new factory build Cessna (the single engine types) can cost around 150,000.-- USD (or more) and a homebuilt can be build for much less (but not all of them, though). Frankly, I build airplanes just for the fun of it.. It keeps me off the street and out of questionable bars...

Pilot license
Yes. You will need a pilot license (a PPL or RPL would do fine) to fly a homebuilt. But the fun part is that you can do all the training at a flight school and get your pilot license with your own homebuilt airplane! It's cheaper too (if you forget the cost (fun factor) of building) and you will only have to hire/find an instructor comfortable with the type you just build. Building flight time and getting experience with a homebuilt can be done too, these are legal flying hours.

Regulations
Homebuilt aircraft have to obey to the same air law as certified aircraft. Some countries have restrictions for those aircraft as the reliability is not proven for certain designs. Low flying over congested area's, except for take off and landing, is one of them.
In some countries is it possible to fly at VFR night and even IFR with your homebuilt were as others do not allow that type of flying with a homebuilt. You will need to check that with your local authorities.

Aircraft registration
The registration you will find on an aircraft is a combination of a country code and a country registration number (or letters). The country codes are assigned by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), this is because they are also used as radio call signs and that part is governed by the ITU. The aircraft nationality marks are requested at the ITU from a list assigned to that state and then reported to ICAO, and we have a copy of the latest list here sorted in alphabetical and numerical order.

Safety
Some people are concerned with the safety of homebuilt aircraft. Even the authorities made us install a statement in our aircraft that it is NOT built to standards. Well, that is correct. Aircraft homebuilders usually have much higher standards and they build their aircraft with love and dedication and not so much for a paying daytime job. Anyway, the safety records show that homebuilt are not unsafer than regular factory build airplanes.

Aircraft Maintenance
Having build your own aircraft entitles you to do your own maintenance, obviously. Because you are the only person that has seen the aircraft from the inside and out and all the way back. Now it pays to have that knowledge and this saves a lot of money in maintenance department. But even in this situation specialized maintenance such as engine rebuilds or top-end overhauls and more must be done by specialized companies. These things are best done by professionals. Those of you with an aviation maintenance school background will benefit from that education.