The FAA has made it official, in a written notice published Friday, that existing aircraft kits already approved by the FAA will not be re-evaluated. The clarification is certainly a relief to many kit manufacturers, as well as homebuilders with unfinished kit projects. The agency has temporarily suspended kit evaluations while it develops new procedures, and speculation as to whether existing kits might be re-evaluated has been widespread. "Previous FAA-conducted amateur-built aircraft kit evaluations remain valid," the agency now declares. "As is current practice, a re-evaluation of any kit on the current eligibility list would only occur if a potentially unsafe condition is identified." Kim Smith, manager of the FAA's Small Airplane Directorate, first announced the "grandfathering" policy at a forum at Sun 'n Fun.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://www.avweb.com/news/existing-aircraft-kits-grandfathered-by-faa