Am I ruined forever? Got to fly a Citabria

Put a Citabria on floats and it's not aerobatic any more...
There is more to life than flying upside down. It doesn't take long to switch back and forth between wheels and floats. Sometimes you need a floatplane more than a marginal aerobatic airplane.
 
well I was 20 hrs into my ppl flying a 172S, when i decided to do some extra credit and also work on tail dragger. Saturday I flew 2.2 hrs with Joy at Texas Tail Draggers and within 5 minutes of being airborn I was hooked. I absolutely love flying that plane. Sunday I soloed the 172 in the pattern for 1.2 hrs. The plane I once thought was fun to fly now feels like an old mini van.

Joy at Texas Taildraggers huh? Not a bad idea for a birthday present for hubby. Hmmm.
 
Joy at Texas Taildraggers huh? Not a bad idea for a birthday present for hubby. Hmmm.

Will be money well spent! She is awesome! I have lots of tailwheel time in lots of airplanes and Joy is the best tailwheel instructor I have seen. She did my tailwheel endorsement 13 years ago and she checked me out in the Stearman last month.
 
Now what are everyone’s thoughts on this article? On a simple plane could someone buy a basket case Cub, Citabria, etc ad “rebuild” it after surrendering its old data plates and airworthiness as salvage?

https://seaplanemagazine.com/2017/10/13/the-sum-of-all-parts/
It has been done, and not just for airplanes. I've seen burned out hulks of Firebirds for sale for a few AMUs. I'm sure the buyers just got them for the VINs.

My Ab Inito was in a 7ECA Citabria. They handle like cow ponies compared to the C-172 plough horse. I even think the GlasAir GlaStar handles better than the C-172. I've had a familiarization flight in the Evektor SportStar, and it handles similarly to the Citabria. I'm done with the Citabria because it's too damn loud for me, until I can get some extreme attenuating ANR head sets. The SportStar was quiet enough for me.
 
Now what are everyone’s thoughts on this article? On a simple plane could someone buy a basket case Cub, Citabria, etc ad “rebuild” it after surrendering its old data plates and airworthiness as salvage?

https://seaplanemagazine.com/2017/10/13/the-sum-of-all-parts/

No. But not surrendering the data plate and airworthiness certificate, many people have "repaired" planes by replacing parts one by one (wink wink nudge nudge). Legal? Perhaps, perhaps not. Kinda like the guy with Abraham Lincoln's axe... the head was replaced once or twice, and the handle has been replaced a few times, but it's still Abe's axe...

The Taylorcraft I used to own at one point (before I owned it) had the fuselage replaced with a new fuselage, later the wings were replaced with a set of "good used wings". I don't think the tailfeathers were original, either. As near as I could tell, the only certain original parts were the engine (maybe) and the landing gear. But it was still a 1941 T-Craft.
 

No. But not surrendering the data plate and airworthiness certificate, many people have "repaired" planes by replacing parts one by one (wink wink nudge nudge). Legal? Perhaps, perhaps not. Kinda like the guy with Abraham Lincoln's axe... the head was replaced once or twice, and the handle has been replaced a few times, but it's still Abe's axe...

The Taylorcraft I used to own at one point (before I owned it) had the fuselage replaced with a new fuselage, later the wings were replaced with a set of "good used wings". I don't think the tailfeathers were original, either. As near as I could tell, the only certain original parts were the engine (maybe) and the landing gear. But it was still a 1941 T-Craft.

Im saying treat it like a kit. Just take the fuselage. Wire it yourself. Put new spare in the wings. Cover it yourself. Build a new interior for it, cut new control cables, put in a new fuel system, etc. Document all of this and fill out the 51% worksheet. Even reading over some of the FAA’s own guidelines it seems like if you built enough of the plane yourself you could build a Citabria or Decathlon clone by starting with a fuselage frame and some wing ribs and then assembling those, then fabricating enough smaller parts to get over the 51% rule. Basically keep the wings and fuselage, then build the rest.
 
Absolutely you could build a Citabria as an E-AB. The 51% Worksheet is public information. Do a trial and talk to a DAR about it.
 
Use of Salvaged Assemblies from Type-Certificated Aircraft.
The use of used or salvaged assemblies (for example, landing gear, horizontal stabilizer, and engine mount) from type-certificated aircraft is permitted, as long as they are in a
condition for safe operation. However—
(1)
You should contact your local FAA MIDO or FSDO prior to using a major assembly or subassembly, such as wings, fuselage, or tail assembly from a type-certificated aircraft. As an amateur builder, you should be aware that when building your aircraft, the excessive use of major assemblies or subassemblies from type-certificated aircraft would most likely
render it ineligible for certification under § 21.191(g).
(2)
You will not receive credit for work done on, or the use of, salvaged major assemblies or subassemblies when determining whether your amateur-built aircraft has
met the major portion requirement. This would include any “rebuilding” or “alteration”activities to return these components to an airworthy condition.

(3)
All fabrication, installation, and assembly tasks on the Amateur-Built Aircraft Fabrication and Assembly Checklist (2009) that you’ve completed by the use of used or salvaged assemblies can only be annotated in the “Mfr Kit/Part/Component” column.
 
You can fashion your own kit from parts you collect. My kit came with assembled wings and welded airframe. Welded gear. Completed control surfaces. Who assembled and welded those parts is irrelevent. I still complied with the 51% worksheet with ease. Hell, look at what Cubcrafters is doing with their FX. You help build a few parts and they build the airplane as E-AB. Completely legal.

My kit was approved on the 51% kit list. If a guy wants to put his own “kit” together he’d be wise to get a DAR to approve the plan prior to building it. And not all DARs are the same, so ask around and find one you think will work with you.
 
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