By Lisa Turner, EAA Lifetime 509911/Vintage 724296
This piece originally ran in Lisa’s Airworthy column in the October 2025 issue of EAA Sport Aviation magazine.
You know by now that the FAA, with help from EAA and aircraft industry groups, delivered on the Modernization of Special Airworthiness Certification (MOSAIC). The rule changes to light-sport aircraft criteria and sport pilot privileges provide a wonderful new world of flight opportunity to both builders and pilots.
Many of these welcome changes are to the light-sport aircraft (LSA) characteristics themselves, opening up a much wider range of aircraft that sport pilots can fly. Almost as an afterthought, we notice that there’s another critical change to who can do the condition inspections on experimental amateur-built (E-AB) aircraft, or, as we colloquially call them, homebuilts.
When you think about it, it makes sense for the amateur builder, who has spent many hours getting familiar with every part of their machine, fine-tuning it, and making the checklists and doing the testing, to do the inspections. But many builders did not go through the additional hoop of applying for the FAA-issued repairman certificate.
If you built your E-AB and didn’t apply for the repairman certificate, you were not allowed to do the condition inspection. You needed to get an A&P mechanic for the sign-off. If you bought an E-AB from a builder who had their repairman certificate for that airplane, then you might have been able to talk them into conducting your condition inspection, since FAA-issued repairman certificates are not transferable. This was rarely practical, since the aircraft was likely in a different location. If it worked out, it was often an awkward arrangement that didn’t last long.
Now, with MOSAIC, if you own an E-AB or experimental light-sport aircraft (E-LSA), you will need the repairman certificate for the E-AB as the builder or either a 16-hour light sport repairman with an inspection rating (LSRI) certificate or a 120-hour light sport repairman with a maintenance rating (LSRM) certificate to do the condition inspection. Additionally, if you take the LSA maintenance course, you can work on any E-AB or LSA, even commercially, including special light-sport aircraft.
Good. Owners of homebuilts now have sensible inspection options. But just because you can conduct the condition inspection doesn’t mean you should.
In September 2021, I talked about the complexity of who can do what on aircraft (EAA Sport Aviation, “Maintenance: Who Can Do What?”). All the variables can make it quite confusing. Think about pilot certificates, the category the airplane is in, whether it is certificated or not, whether a person built their airplane or not, who owns the airplane, and, in the case of special light-sport aircraft (S-LSA), what the manufacturer says you can and can’t do.
If you are an E-AB owner but didn’t apply for the repairman certificate, should you immediately sign up for the LSRI class? Here’s what to consider.
Why You Should Take the Two-Day Light Sport Repairman Inspection Class (or Not)
If you love working on your airplane and you are confident in your skills, yes, get your LSRI. There’s no downside.
On the other hand, if you’re not entirely comfortable working on the airplane yourself, consider not doing your own condition inspection until you’ve gained more skill and experience. The reason for this is simple: We may feel pressured to do our own maintenance and inspections because we think we should, because of peer pressure, or to save money. When it comes to safety, none of these are good reasons.
Another advantage to getting the LSRI is when you purchase a secondhand E-AB. Previously, as a secondhand E-AB owner without the builder’s repairman certificate, you’d need an A&P mechanic to do your condition inspection. Now, with the LSRI, you can do the inspection yourself. However, I will still offer some caveats.
If you’re not a mechanic, and don’t want to be one, it’s clear-cut. It’s to your advantage to heed your common sense and find someone else who will do your maintenance and inspections. You should do some research, finding the best possible shop or A&P mechanic that you can.
Take some thoughtful time to assess your practical level of experience. You may want to hang out with your local EAA chapter builders or local repair shop to get some experience before launching into your inspections.
Why You Should Take the Three-Week Light Sport Repairman Maintenance Class (or Not)
If you’re not an A&P mechanic but really love aircraft mechanics, the maintenance course is perfect. You’ll be able to work on and inspect not only your own E-AB, but also other E-ABs or LSA that you don’t own, even commercially.
Another alternative is to get your A&P certificate. It’s not simple. It takes considerable time and effort. But if you are all in on wrenching, adore it, and can dedicate the resources, then you’ll be happy you did. A&P mechanics are in high demand.
To become an A&P mechanic, you’ll need to be 18 or older. You’ll need to get on-the-job experience or attend an FAA-certificated aircraft maintenance technician school (AMTS). You’ll need to pass a series of written knowledge exams and a practical exam. These are not the only requirements but also the core of the effort. I’ve included a link at EAA.org/Extras about what the FAA says you need to do.
Need Experience?
If you’re all in on wrenching, I’d pursue an apprenticeship or entry-level position working on the aircraft of your choice. Whether that is general aviation light aircraft, helicopters, drones, or jets, go to the airport and see what you can get into. Talking to the shop people and hanging out with them will give you a good sense for what’s involved. At that point, you can decide what training you’ll need. The good news about LSRM is that this time spent working on light-sport aircraft can accrue toward your eventual A&P certificate if that’s what you want.
It’s important to remember that the airworthiness certificate for a specific E-AB carries with it a set of operating limitations. The operating limitations will tell you what you can and cannot do around testing, maintenance, and operations.
Thoughts
A note of caution. Even though you can do most everything on your E-AB without advanced credentialing, EAA technical counselors, EAA flight advisors, and designated airworthiness representatives continue to report that most builders and self-made mechanics would benefit from additional training. Trucks and airplanes are different. Get a consultation from a technical counselor and work with them on a self-assessment to ensure the quality of your work. Spend time shadowing an A&P mechanic.
Undecided? The important thing is to not let pride or what others think you should do influence your decision to do your own maintenance and inspections. As a technical counselor, I’ve seen many builders do a nice job on their homebuilt, but they tell me they don’t really want to maintain it or inspect it. I applaud that level of recognition and maturity.
Lisa Turner, EAA Lifetime 509911/Vintage 724296, is a retired avionics manufacturing engineer, an EAA technical counselor/flight advisor, and A&P mechanic. Lisa has authored six books. Dream Take Flight details her Pulsar building and flying adventures. For the Love of an Airplane is the biography of Jerry Stadtmiller, a man who restored more than 100 antique aircraft to flying condition. Learn more at DreamTakeFlight.com. Write Lisa at Lisa@DreamTakeFlight.com.