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:

Financing experimental amateur-built aircraft presents unique challenges compared to certified aircraft, requiring early planning due to specific lender requirements and documentation standards.
Lenders for completed experimental aircraft often apply a "25-and-3 rule," requiring a minimum of 25 registered aircraft of the same type and 3 comparable listings for sale to establish market value, leading to higher down payments and shorter loan terms.
Financing a kit build in progress is difficult, with home equity lines of credit (HELOCs) typically being the most practical option for the build phase, after which the completed aircraft can be refinanced.
Experimental aircraft insurance is generally more expensive than for comparable certified aircraft, with underwriters requiring extensive documentation (build logs, photos) due to build quality variability and limited historical data.

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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.