I planned to tak few pics as well but it departed before me.
There are lots of homebuilt US experimentals stationed here so it seems to generally work. You need a permit every year and there was some uncertainty last year (because the FAA sent an email to the German LBA saying it does not consider itself to be responsible for N-reg homebuilts stationed outside of the US but that was later taken back, apparently written by some junior guy).
What I don't fully understand is how freely one can roam in Europe, what about special permits that are required for each flight and the legality of filing IFR with them.
The Lancair turboprop would tick a lot of boxes for me...
PS: They're building the hangar for the King Air that is on your pictures, they bought that aircraft as a VIP shuttle. Losinj by car/ferry takes a lot of time and not everybody has a pilot license 
Perfect candidate for euroga.org ;-)
Here is the story behind this aircraft.
I looked quickly over that link, but it’s basically an account of the ferry flight from the factory to the owner’s home. I am curious to know, how the new owner could build it himself at the Lancair factory? In the price list, it says that the purchase price of the kit includes two consecutive weeks of working at Lancair with factory mentors “to help you get your kit ready for final completion”. Where and how is that “final completion” done? Obviously at or close to the factory, otherwise there could have been no ferry flight of a finished aircraft across the Atlantic. What has become of the 51-percent-rule?
“Lancair gets you started by including two weeks of factory-supervised assistance. At the completion of these two weeks your airframe is structurally complete, sitting on the main gear, less firewall forward equipment
Many builders then employ the advice and assistance of professional mentors that can supply direction, tools, and workspace. Furthermore, they can do much of the work not required by Transport Canada or the FAA to comply with the regulation that states the owner builder complete 50.1% of the tasks required for Certification in the Experimental Category."
So it’s all in how “50.1% of the tasks” are interpreted ^^ – especially given the fact that a non-US resident cannot own a N-reg outright…
On paper the Lancair Evo is pretty much the “perfect” 4-seater – turbine, pressurized, all glass, side stick control, modern design & cool looking.
If it’d been certified, that would have been my imaginary upgrade plane.
Lack of airframe deice is probably its biggest issue. Wx radar would have been good. Also a new one w/owner assist will still set you back > USD 1m. And who has the time to build their own plane.
Would love to fly one though…
In the price list, it says that the purchase price of the kit includes two consecutive weeks of working at Lancair with factory mentors “to help you get your kit ready for final completion”. Where and how is that “final completion” done? Obviously at or close to the factory, otherwise there could have been no ferry flight of a finished aircraft across the Atlantic. What has become of the 51-percent-rule?
The thing is, the two weeks are just to glue together wing halves, fuselage sections etc. This has to be done at the factory using specialized tools and jigs. Jigs and tools and owens that probably on it’s own cost much more than the kit, and is impossible for a person to make at home. But, according to the 51% rule, such things still have to be done by an amateur. When this is done, there are still at least 1000 hours of building left. As I understand the 51% only counts on things that makes an aircraft airworthy (main structures typically). Such things as exotic paint and hand made leather interior does not count (things that often are mistaken as build quality by the way). All in all, the builder does not have to do much more than this “Airfix gluing” on the main structure. The rest is wiring and rigging. Doing this stuff at the factory with tools and materials laid out each morning and with a professional holding your hand each step of the way, takes a fraction of the time compared to doing this at home alone. It is still within the 51% rule. Interiors and painting is done by professionals.
