New  FAA regulations forbid changing a certified plane over to
experimental or for that mater even using part of it such as a
fuselage or a wing to build a plane.
  Ken Welter

Interesting observation. It seams to me that many a certified plane still
get modified to test new engines, wing modifications, parts etc. The
certificate holder likely retains the right to do so (my guess). Also any
company going for an STC would have to perform such mods and tests.

Regardless, we are located in Canada and will be doing all of our test
flying up here.

I see the rational to some extent not wanting someone's modification idea
flying over populated centers, but then again the experimental category does
that all the time.

All of our project is high risk flying and will be conducted over test range
areas under special permits.

I am proud to say we are still the only other group in the world to this day
along with Burt Rutan's Scaled Composites to receive a full government
approval to fly a manned suborbital flight to space and put the insurance in
place to do so - in our case, Canada. Financing has always been the long
pole in the tent to getting there, but we're keeping at it.

Cheers
Brian Feeney
DreamSpace Group