Financing Experimental and Homebuilt Aircraft

FLYING Finance gives buyers and builders a rundown for unusual financing needs.

Saturday, June 06, 2026 at 09:00 AM ET

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Key Takeaways:

Experimental amateur-built aircraft represent a growing segment, with increased accessibility due to MOSAIC regulations, but financing and insuring them differ significantly from certified aircraft.
Lenders for completed experimental aircraft often impose unique requirements, such as the "25-and-3 Rule" for market valuation, leading to stricter terms like higher down payments, shorter loan terms, and higher interest rates.
Financing a kit build is particularly challenging, typically involving staged disbursements, shorter loan terms, and higher interest rates due to the increased risk of incomplete projects, while insurance is also more expensive and requires extensive documentation.

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Experimental amateur-built aircraft are no longer a niche curiosity at the far end of the ramp.

According to testimony the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) delivered to Congress in 2023, amateur-built aircraft account for more than 17 percent of the entire active single-engine piston fleet in the U.S., and the community adds approximately 1,000 new homebuilt aircraft to the National Airspace System (NAS) every year. The active amateur-built fleet has grown more than 30 percent over the past two decades, and in 2025 fatal accidents in that segment declined by more than 25 percent compared to the previous decade.