Skälen till att sådana flygplan (inklusive Spirit of St.Louis som påpekats av @ymb) fick flyga förklaras i ett annat svar . Citera från det:
You don't need a panoramic view to land, ... Navigation is easy enough through side windows ... and you can just yaw the plane left and right for the times you do want to line up with something.
Even today, tail draggers have basically zero forward visibility on the ground so they taxi by watching the edge of the pavement with the occasional sharp s-turn to check ahead.
När det gäller certifieringskrav kan du få ett försöksbevis och flyga det. FAA utfärdar försöksbevis för racerflygplan :
§21.191 Experimental certificates.
Experimental certificates are issued for the following purposes:
(e) Air racing. Participating in air races, including (for such participants) practicing for such air races and flying to and from racing events.
GeeBee R2 flyger så nyligen som 2001 (inte det nyligen, jag vet), så jag är ganska säker på att någon kan flyga om de är upp till den. FAA kräver specialpilotbehörighet för denna typ av flygplan:
What type of experimental aircraft requires an FAA issued authorization?
This information applies to pilots of aircraft to which the FAA has issued Special Airworthiness Certificates for the purpose of Experimental under Title 14 CFR section 21.191 and are one of the following:
"Large" aircraft (more than 12,500 pounds),
Turbojet powered, or
Airplanes that have a VNE (never exceed speed) in excess of 250 KIAS and more than 800 HP.
