FAR 21.193 — Experimental Airworthiness Certificates
FAR 21.193 lists what an applicant must submit to obtain an experimental airworthiness certificate, including purpose, aircraft data, and kit-built LSA requirements.
FAR 21.193 spells out what you must submit to the FAA when applying for an experimental airworthiness certificate. This matters because experimental aircraft (homebuilts, R&D testbeds, kit-built LSAs, etc.) don't go through full type certification, so the FAA needs specific information up front to evaluate the aircraft and protect the public.
Every applicant must provide:
- A statement describing the purpose the aircraft will be used for, in the form the FAA prescribes.
- Enough data (such as photographs) to identify the aircraft.
- Any additional information the FAA finds necessary after inspecting the aircraft to safeguard the public.
If the aircraft will be used for experimental purposes, you must also submit the purpose of the experiment, the estimated time or number of flights needed, the areas where it will be flown, and three-view drawings or dimensioned photos (unless it's a converted type-certificated aircraft with no appreciable external change).
For a light-sport aircraft assembled from a kit under § 21.191(k), additional items are required: proof the manufacturer built and certificated the same make/model, operating instructions, maintenance and inspection procedures, the manufacturer's statement of compliance, a flight training supplement, and—if the kit was made abroad—evidence the country has a Bilateral Airworthiness Agreement with the U.S.