Title:
Whats Involved in Building Your Own Kit Aircraft
Topic:
Kit Planning and Selection, Building, Inspection, Documentation, Flight Testing and More
Speaker(s):
Robert Di Meo, EAA Technical Counselor and RV-8 builder
Brief Description:
Have you ever wondered what’s involved in building your own aircraft from a kit? In this 2-1/2 hour free seminar, you will learn about the planning, kit selection, building, documentation, inspection, repairing, flight testing, and operating your “homebuilt” (aka E/A-B, Experimental / Amateur-Built) kit aircraft.
Select Number:
EA61145999
Location of Seminar:
EAA Chapter 106 Hangar - GATE 4 - North Ramp of LWM
19 Holt Road
North Andover, MA 01845
Directions to Venue:
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No GPS address for airport GATE 4, so when near 19 Holt Rd, North Andover, MA, follow the EAA signs. Ideally, please arrive between 8:30-10:30 when we will have someone manning the gate for entry. Outside those times, please call the number on the paper taped to the yellow post for someone to escort you in.
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Seating:
50
seats at the facility,
43
remaining for online registration.
Registration Information:
Sponsoring Division:
FAASTeam
Additional Event Information & Acknowledgement of Industry Sponsor(s):
Additional Event Information
0930 start time
Have you ever wondered what’s involved in building your own aircraft from a kit and do you ask yourself these questions?
- How do I start the process?
- What planning should I do, such as time, money, location, tools, etc?
- How do I pick the right kit for me?
- How complicated is it to build an aircraft?
- What documentation will be needed for getting my kit built aircraft certified under the FAA Experimental / Amateur-Built category?
- How do I get my aircraft inspected for that E/A-B certification?
- What options are there for flight testing my aircraft?
- What operating limitations are there with a E/A-B aircraft?
- ?What options are there for getting the kit I built repaired?
- ?Where do I go to learn more?
The 2026 Experimental Fly-In will not only have displays of amateur-built aircraft but stay for the afternoon workshops: Basic Metal Aircraft Construction workshop and Composite Aircraft Construction and Repair workshop (EA61146001). Both workshops start at 1:00 PM in adjacent hangars.
About our speaker:
Robert Di Meo. Flying since 1979. 6500 hours, ATP, MEI, CFI, CFII, EAA Tech Counselor and FAAST team member. Currently flying for Kollsman Inc. as a test pilot for HUD, EVS and Joint Strike Fighter product lines. Have owned a Piper Arrow, C-172, Piper Aerostar and Piper Comanche. Built and currently flying a Vans RV-8.
Event website: https://chapters.eaa.org/EAA106/northeast-experimental-fly-in
About the EVENT, DIRECTIONS, SPONSOR:
This seminar is being held at the 2026 NorthEast Experimental Fly-In (FREE Admission, Seminars, & Parking) where many homebuilt aircraft are expected to be on display, including several Van’s RV and Rutan canard aircraft, as well as Zenith, Sonex, Kitfox, and more. Stay after this seminar for lunch and then a choice of two afternoon workshops where you will learn some of the basics of building your own metal or composite aircraft. Both of these workshops start at 1 PM in adjacent hangars.
IF FLYING IN:
HOMEBUILT AIRCRAFT: Please taxi along ECHO to the northwest at LWM to the junction ramp between the red and the white hangars; Ground team will identify parking for homebuilts. Pre-registered your E-AB to be displayed to receive one free all-u-want breakfast and lunch combo ticket.
PRODUCTION AIRCRAFT: Please park on the North Ramp (large parking area next to Echo) where available spaces will be identified with a chalk circle around the space number, then walk past the red hangars to the event.
IF DRIVING IN:
Turn onto Holt Rd off Rt-125 in No. Andover (about 1 mile north of where Rt-133 turns East). At end of Holt Rd, turn right (Clark St). GATE 4 will be on the left.
Gate 4 will be manned 9:00am-10:30am so that our volunteers can also attend the seminars which start at 10:30am. We will have a cell phone # sheet on the yellow post to call at other times for someone to drive down and escort you in.
DIRECTIONS with MAPS – Go to About Us at the below link:
SPONSOR: EAA Chapter 106 https://chapters.eaa.org/eaa106 is an all-volunteer 501(c)(3) educational public charity. EAA106 organizes and hosts this annual event which showcases amateur-built aircraft and offers several seminars throughout the day (similar to Oshkosh ‘forums’). EAA106 schedules educational seminars and programs for those building their own aircraft as well as active pilots throughout the year. EAA106 also flies Young Eagles and hosts museum aircraft.
The educational benefit is the reason EAA106 offers this FREE event, but come hungry – the chapter will have breakfast (9:00-11:00am) & lunch (11:00am-1:30pm) available to help offset their speaker and other expenses.
Equal Access Information:
The FAA Safety Team (FAASTeam) is committed to providing equal access to this meeting/event for all participants. If you need alternative formats or services because of a disability, please communicate your request as soon as possible with the person in the “Contact Information” area of the meeting/event notice. Note that two weeks is usually required to arrange services.
Credit Applicability:
1 Credit for Basic Knowledge Topic 3
FAASTeam Project Information:
National Project:
Light Sport, Experimental, and Amateur Built Aircraft Owner/Builder Outreach
Additional Event Documents:
