What is wrong with this plane?

[Jimmy cooper]

When this cessna was around, it's competition was the mooney and the Comanche single. They were very very popular, covered ground, good looking and not hard to fly. The inline twin cessna was never really popular and was not even in the running. The cost of maintaining two engines, loud and not very good looking all contributed to this. The heart of the light aircraft market was the middle class during this era and it did not appeal to them. Today with the middle class in bad shape and light aircraft manufacturers in real trouble , people are forced to pay too much for aircraft that were built long ago and many of which are in questionable condition.

 

[Norman]

My boss got a Navion into the experimental category before I worked there. It was because the owner wanted to install a TSIO 520. Work completed; plane flew as experimental for several years, then was placed back into normal category. Boss said the paperwork was a real PITA.

 

[Jimmy cooper]

I was always told once the category was changed it could never go back. Anybody?

 

[mkosmo]

I was always told once the category was changed it could never go back. Anybody?

It can go back once it conforms with the TCDS again.

 

[Dav8or]

My boss got a Navion into the experimental category before I worked there. It was because the owner wanted to install a TSIO 520. Work completed; plane flew as experimental for several years, then was placed back into normal category. Boss said the paperwork was a real PITA.

Yeah, it's pretty easy to put a certified airplane into the experimental research category. You basically just tell the FAA you're working on a engine swap project. The problem is, this type of certification is not at all like the experimental amateur built category the Vans guys operate under. The research category has tons of restrictions on it and it's not expected to be forever. Basically after a time the FAA expects you to either, get the STC, scrap the plane, return it back to it's original TCDS, or convince them to give you a one off field approval. Likely that field approval will come with restrictions too, I'm not sure. I'm sure that's what your boss had to do.

IMO, it's all pretty stupid. The homebuilders and kit builders have shown that you can safely build and fly airplanes with FAA oversight and not cause massive carnage. I can't understand why a guy can't buy certified airplane, change it's status to be exactly like a used Vans RV-whatever and have all the same privileges and restrictions. Oh well. I have to be glad my government actually allows me to fly up in the air. Many of the world's governments wouldn't even allow me that.