The FAA has updated its policy on experimental-amateur built (E-AB) aircraft to allow pilots who build their own airplanes to bring along a qualified additional pilot on their initial test flights, EAA said on Monday. “This policy change comes after years of data suggesting that the most accidents in the E-AB fleet occur in aircraft during their first eight hours of operation,” EAA said. “The majority of those accidents were related to pilot loss of control and were preventable.” The new policy (PDF) should “drastically reduce” the number of such accidents, EAA said. The change is voluntary, and pilots still can fly on their own if they choose to.
“This is the first time that builders can get the best of both worlds: going airborne on the plane’s first flights and having an experienced test pilot on board to add an additional layer of safety,” said Tom Charpentier, EAA government advocacy specialist. “The APP [Additional Pilot Program] is a great example of a program that is a constructive response to safety data,” Charpentier said. He said the change has “significant potential” to reduce the number of accidents during the initial flight-test phase. “We hope this will set the stage for additional positive reforms in the future,” Charpentier added.
