Sure we can. If you built an airplane you can self certify it passes applicable regs. It’s a different story if you or I are wrong about our certification bec

Sure we can. If you built an airplane you can self certify it passes applicable regs. It’s a different story if you or I are wrong about our certification because we don’t have the deep pockets to prevent litigation that a multi-billion dollar company has. You can build a lightweight craft (see FAR 103), self certify as such and fly without ever talking to the FAA. Your lightweight craft could be 100lbs over the limit and no one would know until it crashed and the NTSB got involved. Your lightweight craft could also be a Cessna. You are guaranteed to get into more trouble when the FAA finds out you are grossly violating the law.. especially if loss of life is involved, see Boeing as an example.