[n86121]

I was at an aeronautics conference in the midwest some years back.

One fellow told how he 87 year old dad wanted to fly his tail dragger to the event, (we are talking open plains), but his medical had lapsed.

The son said, quite correctly, "Dad, what are they going to do to you?"

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The only real constraints, other than the laws of physics, are those we follow voluntarily. Like most laws or regulations, they only apply to anyone paying attention.

The issue would be limited availability of insurance.

But then, my gosh, there are places and people who don't carry any...

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Yes, the FAA has a path to 'certify' an aircraft 'experimental,' but only for a limited time, subject to renewal.

My own 337 had some ...ah, er, um 'modifications' (for the USGOV), and the paperwork makes interesting reading.

If my choice was to fly a 'something like' 190HP 337,
because there was no path for the FAA to act (willing or otherwise),
or write it off and park the airplane in the trees, ....

Somewhere in ....somewhere, I read somewhere, is a single Russian helicopter that someone stuffed a V8 agricultural engine into it. It actually flies....last I read.

So physics FIRST. Then other considerations come into play.