Advanced Pilot: Should I fly that?

The accident record of amateur-built aircraft has long been and remains sharply worse than that of their certified counterparts. That fact reflects a series of complex interactions. How to weigh and interpret them remains a point of friendly disagreement between homebuilding enthusiasts and their more traditional neighbors.

At first glance, the raw numbers seem unforgiving: Relative to hours flown, amateur-built aircraft have three to four times more accidents, and they’re significantly more likely to be fatal. But if general aviation encompasses a broad spectrum of equipment and flight profiles, the amateur-built sector is even more diverse, since odd and highly specialized designs make up a larger proportion of that fleet. In particular, it encompasses extremes from near-zero occupant protection such as the Breezy to fast travelers whose aerodynamic slipperiness translates into high approach speeds and unforgiving stall behavior.

The certification process itself removes some risks. A groundbreaking 2012 study by the NTSB and EAA found that about 15 percent of all homebuilt accidents occurred during Phase I flight testing—the 25 to 40 flight hours devoted to documenting the aircraft’s performance and handling characteristics while shaking out mechanical discrepancies. Those test flights often are undertaken by builders with little experience in make and model whose building time during construction can come at the expense of flying time. Adequate transition training is a broader issue; another 7 percent of accidents occurred on new owners’ first flights in airplanes they’d bought used.

The Van’s RV series avoids most of those extremes. It has earned a reputation for sound design and honest handling, with cabin integrity comparable to other contemporary piston singles. The RV–10 chosen as the AOPA sweeps airplane has flown far beyond the usual test period, and Editor at Large Dave Hirschman has extensive experience with amateur-builts (including RVs) and a good eye for workmanship. The latter is important, because construction quality is the other variable that’s far less predictable in the amateur-built world.

If you don’t win the sweepstakes but remain interested in amateur-built aircraft, seek out expert advice (including a detailed prepurchase inspection if you’re buying rather than building)—especially if you lack a background in hot-rodding, auto restoration, and aeronautical engineering.

David Jack Kenny is a freelance aviation writer and airline transport pilot based in Maryland.

JARGON: Amateur-built
Often called homebuilts, these are defined as aircraft “the major portion of which has been fabricated and assembled by person(s) who undertook the construction project solely for their own education or recreation.”