THE CONSTRUCTION OF AN AMATEUR BUILT PLANE DOES NOT FINISH WITH THE RECEPTION OF THE PINK SLIP FROM THE DAR.
Normally the
guys that put considerable deals of money, sacrifice, efforts, and even joys
in the construction of an aircraft, consider the inspection and approval from
the DAR -documented in the coveted "Pink Slip"- as the
milestone that marks the completion of the construction process.
This is quite
not true.
It is one of
the most dangerous half lies/half truths. Here's why: "The construction
stage ends when the plane is ready to accomplish its purpose, it is to
fly".
That the
plane is ready means -more than a legal status- that it is apt, able, prepared, capable. And therefore, to fly also implies that is
safe and consistent to it design intent.
So, when the
construction ends ?
The
construction of an Amateur Built Aircraft finishes after it is tested, all
squaks are corrected and everything is properly documented in the Pilot
Operating Handbook. It is then
when we have a finished airworthy airplane!
The Airworthiness Certificate –the Pink Slip– is the way to state that aircraft you built is legally apt to be flown in order to test and establish its operating limits.
Sorry, despite
the customary use of: “…is a plane! Received
the Pink Slip”, indeed it is not. And as said before, it could be a dangerous
half truth. Because it leads to think and act as if it is a reliable, dependable
plane.
The real
stuff is that it has to be tested, squaks or issues found and corrected. And
finally, operating limits defined and established. Then you have a plane!
That’s why
testing is so fundamental. It is last step of the construction.
