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Notes

14 C.F.R. §§ 21.191–21.195

3 sections in range

§21.191. Issue of experimental airworthiness certificates.

14 C.F.R. § 21.191

Experimental airworthiness certificates are issued for the following experimental purposes:
(a)
Research and development. Testing new aircraft design concepts, new aircraft equipment, new aircraft installations, new aircraft operating techniques, or new uses for aircraft.
(b)
Showing compliance with regulations. Conducting flight tests and other operations to show compliance with the airworthiness regulations including flights to show compliance for issuance of type and supplemental type certificates, flights to substantiate major design changes, and flights to show compliance with the function and reliability requirements of the regulations.
(c)
Crew training. Training of the applicant's flight crews.
(d)
Exhibition. Exhibiting the aircraft's flight capabilities, performance, or unusual characteristics at air shows, motion picture, television, and similar productions, and the maintenance of exhibition flight proficiency, including (for persons exhibiting aircraft) flying to and from such air shows and productions.
(e)
Air racing. Participating in air races, including (for such participants) practicing for such air races and flying to and from racing events.
(f)
Market surveys. Use of aircraft for purposes of conducting market surveys, sales demonstrations, and customer crew training only as provided in § 21.195.
(g)
Operating amateur-built aircraft. Operating an aircraft the major portion of which has been fabricated and assembled by persons who undertook the construction project solely for their own education or recreation.
(h)
Operating primary kit-built aircraft. Operating a primary category aircraft that meets the criteria of § 21.24(a)(1) that was assembled by a person from a kit manufactured by the holder of a production certificate for that kit, without the supervision and quality control of the production certificate holder under § 21.184(a).
(i)
Operating light-sport aircraft. Operating a light-sport aircraft that—
(1)
Has not been issued a U.S. or foreign airworthiness certificate and does not meet the provisions of § 103.1 of this chapter. An experimental airworthiness certificate will not be issued under this paragraph (i) for these aircraft after January 31, 2008;
(2)
Has been assembled—
(i)
From an aircraft kit; and
(ii)
In accordance with manufacturer's assembly instructions that meet an applicable consensus standard; and
(iii)
An experimental airworthiness certificate will not be issued under this paragraph (i)(2) for these aircraft after October 22, 2025; or
(3)
Has been previously issued a special airworthiness certificate in the light-sport category under § 21.190. An experimental airworthiness certificate will not be issued under this paragraph for these aircraft after October 22, 2025.
(j)
Operating former military aircraft. Operating a former military aircraft that meets the following requirements:
(1)
The aircraft is not an unmanned aircraft.
(2)
The aircraft was manufactured by, purchased by, modified by, or on the registry of the U.S. Armed Forces or a foreign military.
(3)
The aircraft is operated for one of the following purposes—
(i)
Flying the aircraft to a base where repairs, alterations, or maintenance are to be performed and for check flights following those repairs, alterations, or maintenance;
(ii)
Flying to a point of storage; or
(iii)
Repositioning the aircraft for operation as a public aircraft.
(k)
Operating light-sport category kit-built aircraft. Operating an aircraft of a type that has been certificated under § 21.190 and assembled from an aircraft kit in accordance with manufacturer's assembly instructions that meet an applicable FAA-accepted consensus standard.
(l)
Operating former light-sport category aircraft. Operating an aircraft that previously has been issued a special airworthiness certificate in the light-sport category under § 21.190.
Notes, amendments, and revision history

Amendments

[Amdt. 21-21, 38 FR 6858, May 7, 1968, as amended by Amdt. 21-57, 49 FR 39651, Oct. 9, 1984; Amdt. 21-70, 57 FR 41369, Sept. 9, 1992; Amdt. 21-85, 69 FR 44862, July 27, 2004; Amdt. 21-85, 69 FR 53336, Sept. 1, 2004; Amdt. 21-109, 90 FR 35207, July 24, 2025; Amdt. No. 21-109, 90 FR 35207, July 24, 2025]

Source

Source: Docket No. 5085, 29 FR 14569, Oct. 24, 1964, unless otherwise noted.

Authority

Authority: 42 U.S.C. 7572; 49 U.S.C. 106(f), 40105, 40113, 44701-44702, 44704, 44707, 44709, 44711, 44713, 44715, 45303.

Amendments

[Amdt. 21-21, 38 FR 6858, May 7, 1968, as amended by Amdt. 21-57, 49 FR 39651, Oct. 9, 1984; Amdt. 21-70, 57 FR 41369, Sept. 9, 1992; Amdt. 21-85, 69 FR 44862, July 27, 2004; Amdt. 21-85, 69 FR 53336, Sept. 1, 2004; Amdt. 21-109, 90 FR 35207, July 24, 2025; Amdt. No. 21-109, 90 FR 35207, July 24, 2025]

§21.193. Application for special airworthiness certificates issued for experimental purposes.

14 C.F.R. § 21.193

An applicant for an experimental airworthiness certificate must submit the following information in a form and manner prescribed by the FAA:
(a)
The experimental purpose for which the aircraft is to be used.
(b)
Enough information to describe the operation, equipment, or test as applicable.
(c)
The estimated time or number of flights required for the operation, for an applicant seeking issuance of an experimental airworthiness certificate for those experimental purposes specified in § 21.191(a) through (f).
(d)
The areas over which flights will be conducted.
(e)
Enough data to identify the aircraft.
(f)
Except for a previously type certificated aircraft without an appreciable change in its external configuration, three-view drawings or three-view dimensional photographs of the aircraft.
(g)
Upon inspection of the aircraft, any pertinent information found necessary by the FAA to safeguard the general public.
(h)
In the case of a light-sport category aircraft assembled from a kit to be certificated in accordance with § 21.191(k), an applicant must provide the following:
(1)
Evidence that an aircraft of the same make and model was manufactured and assembled by the aircraft kit manufacturer and issued a special airworthiness certificate in the light-sport category under § 21.190.
(2)
The pilot's operating handbook that includes a flight training supplement.
(3)
The aircraft's maintenance and inspection procedures.
(4)
The manufacturer's statement of compliance for the aircraft kit used in the aircraft assembly that meets the applicable requirements of § 21.190 in effect at the time the aircraft kit was manufactured, except the statement need not indicate compliance with § 22.195 of this chapter. The statement must identify assembly instructions for the aircraft that meet an applicable consensus standard.
(5)
For an aircraft kit manufactured outside the United States, evidence that the aircraft kit was manufactured in a country with which the United States has a Bilateral Airworthiness Agreement concerning airplanes or a Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement with associated Implementation Procedures for Airworthiness concerning airplanes, or an equivalent airworthiness agreement.
Notes, amendments, and revision history

Amendments

[Amdt. No. 21-109, 90 FR 35207, July 24, 2025]

Source

Source: Docket No. 5085, 29 FR 14569, Oct. 24, 1964, unless otherwise noted.

Authority

Authority: 42 U.S.C. 7572; 49 U.S.C. 106(f), 40105, 40113, 44701-44702, 44704, 44707, 44709, 44711, 44713, 44715, 45303.

Amendments

[Amdt. No. 21-109, 90 FR 35207, July 24, 2025]

§21.195. Experimental airworthiness certificates: Aircraft to be used for market surveys, sales demonstrations, and customer crew training.

14 C.F.R. § 21.195

(a)
A manufacturer of aircraft manufactured within the United States may apply for an experimental airworthiness certificate for an aircraft that is to be used for market surveys, sales demonstrations, or customer crew training.
(b)
A manufacturer of an aircraft engine manufactured by him within the United States, that has altered a type certificated aircraft by installing an engine it has manufactured, may apply for an experimental airworthiness certificate for that aircraft to be used for market surveys, sales demonstrations, or customer crew training, if the basic aircraft, before alteration, was type certificated in the normal, utility, acrobatic, commuter, transport, primary, or restricted category.
(c)
A person who has altered the design of a type certificated aircraft may apply for an experimental airworthiness certificate for an altered aircraft to be used for market surveys, sales demonstrations, or customer crew training, if the basic aircraft, before alteration, was type certificated in the normal, utility, acrobatic, commuter, transport, primary, or restricted category.
(d)
An applicant for an experimental airworthiness certificate under paragraph (a), (b), or (c) of this section is entitled to that certificate if, in addition to meeting the requirements of § 21.193—
(1)
He has established an inspection and maintenance program for the continued airworthiness of the aircraft; and
(2)
The applicant shows that the aircraft has been flown for at least 50 hours, or for at least 5 hours if it is a type certificated aircraft which has been altered. FAA may reduce these operational requirements if the applicant provides adequate justification.
Notes, amendments, and revision history

Amendments

[Docket No. FAA-2023-1377, Amdt. 21-109, 90 FR 35208, July 24, 2025]

Source

Source: Docket No. 5085, 29 FR 14569, Oct. 24, 1964, unless otherwise noted.

Authority

Authority: 42 U.S.C. 7572; 49 U.S.C. 106(f), 40105, 40113, 44701-44702, 44704, 44707, 44709, 44711, 44713, 44715, 45303.

Amendments

[Docket No. FAA-2023-1377, Amdt. 21-109, 90 FR 35208, July 24, 2025]