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First Weight-Shift Repairman Inspection Course On November 12-13, 2005 the first FAA accepted Weight Shift Repairman Inspection course was held. Rainbow Aviation Services, the only full service sport pilot facility in the United States, hosted the course. The goal of this seminar is to provide the information necessary to delineate all of the knowledge need to determine that a light-sport weight-shift aircraft is in condition for safe operation. Aircraft owners are only required to attend the course once in their lifetime and the certificate issued is good for any ELSA (experimental light sport aircraft) an individual owns now, or purchases in the future, as long as it is the same class as the repairman certificate he or she holds. For example, if an individual owns both a weight-shift controlled and fixed-wing airplane ELSA, he or she would need to attend a Repairman Inspection course for fixed-wing airplane as well as the course for weight-shift. It is important to note that students do not need to be pilots or aircraft owners to attend the course. The certificate does not expire and may be turned in to the local Fight Standards District Office (FSDO) for a repairman certificate with a current registration certificate at any time. Husband and wife, Brian and Carol Carpenter, team-taught the course, allowing the attendees to complete the all requirements in only two days. Seminar participates came to Rainbow Aviation’s location at the Corning Municipal Airport in Corning, California from as far as Illinois. A few choose to camp on the airport premises. Two participants flew into the airport in a private aircraft and took advantage of the local casino’s free shuttle service for transportation throughout the weekend. Local pilot, Bill Haviland, provide his North Wing weight shift ultralight for the practical portion of the course. Bill, an experienced weight shift pilot and a local EAA Chapter member, also attended the Repairman Inspection Course. The course was a huge success. All participants passed the required test with a score of 90% or better. “I think there were six or seven participates who scored 100% on the test. This was the fourth course that we have hosted in Corning. The first three were for fixed-wing airplane,” commented Carol. “This was the first course held in the country for weight shift control. We received a lot of positive feedback form everyone who attended.” Rainbow Aviation also holds the first FAA letter of acceptance and course identification number for fixed wing airplane. “The local businesses have been very supportive by offering discounts for both accommodations and meals to seminar participants.” This winter the Carpenters will be hosting the first Repairman Maintenance Course. “While the Inspection Course is just two days, the maintenance course will be three weeks. Participates will need to stay for 21- 25 days to complete all five modules offered. The Holiday Inn has been very generous in offering a substantial discount to attendees for the three-week stay. The Carpenters are planning to offer the Maintenance Course four to five times a year. Future Inspection courses will be held in Corning on the second weekend of each month. “We are also planning to hold a weight shift course in Minnesota, a power parachute course in Nebraska and a fix wing course in both Alaska and Illinois.” Seminars held out of State are normally scheduled on the last weekend of the month. “The course is an excellent first step in transitioning to Sport Pilot,” explains Carol. “Since there is so much information on the new sport pilot rule packed into the course.” The 16 hour course is 75% lecture and 25% practical experience. There is only one Repairman Certificate, but there are two ratings: Inspection and Maintenance. A Repairman with an Inspection rating may perform an annual condition inspection on any ELSA he or she owns. They may still do all maintenance, just as with any experimental aircraft. A Repairman with a Maintenance rating may perform an annual condition inspections, 100-hour inspections, and maintenance on both experimental light sport aircraft and special light sport aircraft (factory built, turn key), owned by himself or others, within the class of light-sport identified on the repairman certificate. The required number of hours is different for each class. For example the training required for airplane is 120 hours while the training for weight shift control is 104 hours. The Carpenters, authors of A Professional Approach to Ultralights and Sport Pilot Airplane, are uniquely qualified to teach the course. Brian is one of only a handful of Certificated Sport Pilot Airplane Flight Instructor Examiners in the United States. He is also a Designated Airworthiness Representative (DAR) with function codes for amateur built and light-sport aircraft, a FAA Certificated Flight Instructor, an Airplane and Powerplant (A&P) aircraft mechanic with an Inspection Authorization rating (IA), an EAA Technical Counselor and Flight Advisor. Carol is a FAA Private Pilot, a FAA Certificated Advanced Ground Instructor, a registered EAA Ultralight Pilot Instructor, an, and she holds a California teaching credential. Registration for the two-day seminar is normally $349.00 or $299.00 with EAA or USUA Membership. Due to the limited class size, pre-registration is required. To register for the course call 530-824-0644, email carol@rainbowaviation.com, or write to Rainbow Aviation Services, N 930 Marguerite Ave, Corning, CA 96021. A schedule of future courses is available at www.rainbowaviation.com. |