Certification & Approval Having worked out a promising-looking layout, initial three-view and performance and weight specifications, now is the stage where the hard work begins of transforming concepts to working drawings. Essential decisions have to be made about types of material to be used, the structural arrangement, exact choice of powerplant and so on. You’ll probably need to make a cockpit mock-up to check the ergonomics and control system arrangements, and maybe build a flying radio controlled model of the design to give faith in the handling characteristics. With the basic geometry laid out, stress calculations and assembly drawings come next, then drawings of individual piece parts. Keep an up-to-date tally on weights. As the drawings get more detailed you must re-evaluate whether you are going to meet your original targets in terms of weight, strength and aerodynamic cleanliness, whether you need to re-visit your original assumptions or re-design from scratch. Is there a way that the part or assembly can be made more easily, more cheaply, lighter, stronger, more fatigue or corrosion resistant ? Fewer parts and fewer joints generally means fewer problems and less weight. Can you use off the shelf parts rather than having to make them specially ? Are there other aeroplanes around that have already solved a particular problem in a clever way ? Will the aircraft be easy to inspect in service, easy to repair if it gets damaged ? Can it be broken down for transportation ? If the handling isn’t quite right when the prototype is test flown, does the design make provision for ‘tweaks’ to put it right ? Does the design include reserves of strength to cope with weight growth in service and more powerful engines, or is everything pared down to the minimum ? Downloadable Spreadsheets Technical Leaflets Design Tutorials

Popular Flying Magazine 1957 Click on the links below to open each issue of Light Aviation Magazine from 1957 Jan 1955 PFA Bulletin March 1957 May/June 1957 July/August 1957 October/November 1957 December 1957 April 1957 September 1957

We provide a system whereby members can build an aircraft in the comfort of their own home (or wherever they choose) from either a set of plans or from a kit of parts. Every year around 100 newly-constructed aircraft are added to the LAA fleet, with members generally taking around 1 to 4 years to complete their kit projects. A whole range of aircraft is available to build, from single-seaters to four-seaters, aerobatic to amphibian, and WWI replica triplanes to gyroplanes. The LAA is tasked with ensuring that the designs members build meet minimum airworthiness requirements, appropriate to the type. Proposals for accepting other designs of aircraft can be put to the LAA, and a number of such types are accepted each year following a review of their airworthiness, amongst other things. This requires a member to champion the type through the process, arranging for the necessary technical information to be passed to the Engineering department and to build and test the first example. Similarly, it is possible for a member to build an aircraft of their own design. LAA provides support for this (see the Designing aircraft section), but due to limited resources only the most promising/developed designs can be advanced through the system. Building Aircraft One of the founding principles of the LAA is to provide for members wishing to build their own aircraft, either for their own education or to enable them to own an affordable aircraft. Of course, whichever type you choose it is usually possible to customise it to your liking using the LAA’s modification system. So if it’s an elaborate avionics suite that takes your fancy or an automotive engine conversion, there’s a route to investigating whether it’s possible. If you like the idea of building, but feel you lack the skills, then there are courses on various aspects of aircraft building to help bring you up to speed. Your Inspector is also a fantastic mine of information and generally will be your first port of call for technical information. Of course, the LAA also has a pool of full-time engineers who can be contacted for advice. For further information, click the button below for Technical Leaflets covering the Build Process Click here for more information

Light Aviation Magazine 2015 Click on the links below to open each issue of Light Aviation Magazine from 2015 January 2015 April 2015 July 2015 October 2015 February 2015 May 2015 August 2015 November 2015 March 2015 June 2015 September 2015 December 2015

What does the Pilot Coaching Scheme offer? Licence Revalidation & Renewals LAA Coaches can provide the “one hour with an Instructor ” flight at any time in the second year of your licence revalidation period, and then sign the revalidation if you have already flown the required hours. They all hold UK 'R' examiner privileges, so can also revalidate ratings on UK PPLs and NPPLs once all the requirements have been completed, even if they have not flown with you. All Coaches are allowed to do Renewal Training under the LAA DTO to assist pilots to prepare for their General Skills Test to get their lapsed licence back. Differences Training "Differences Training" requires the acquisition of additional knowledge and training on any appropriate device, or on an aircraft. It requires both ground and flight training and must be endorsed as having been completed by a suitably qualified Flight Instructor or Class Rating Instructor. Features which, when first experienced, require differences training are: Turbo-charged or Super-charged engines Variable pitch and constant speed propellers Tail wheel undercarriage Retractable undercarriage Cabin Pressurisation EFIS Single power lever control (SPLC) Microlights Additionally, for the UK National Private Pilot's Licence (NPPL) SSEA class rating, differences training is required for aircraft with a cruise speed in excess of 140 knots indicated airspeed. Familiarisation Training Before flying any type or variant of aircraft which you’ve not flown before, within the Single-Engine Piston (SEP) class, you must complete "Familiarisation Training". This is the correct modern terminology for what would previously be described as being "Checked Out" on a new type. "Familiarisation Training" requires the acquisition of additional knowledge by one of the following means: Self-study of appropriate material about the aircraft such as the Pilot Operating Handbook, Pilot’s notes, etc Training with a suitably qualified instructor A verbal brief from a pilot already familiar with the type , particularly in the case of a single seat aircraft, With multi seat aircraft, while it may be helpful to fly with another pilot already familiar with the type, pilots should note that only qualified instructors are authorised to provide training, including familiarisation training and this could lead to difficulties if an accident were to occur that was supervised by any pilot other than a qualified instructor. In addition, when first transitioning to flying types or variants of aircraft which include various specific more demanding or unusual features, that he or she has not previously experienced as pilot in command, a pilot must also have differences training with a qualified instructor to teach them to safely deal with the feature or features concerned. Whilst differences training with an instructor is mandatory, we also recommend you include ground and flight training with an instructor as part of your familiarisation training. Type Conversion If you're thinking of buying an aircraft, where do you go for a type conversion? The PCS has coaches who are experienced on a variety of modern and vintage types. Your coach will take you through your conversion until you are competent on type. Licence Migration The PCS can assist you to upgrade your licence to a different type and also add additional ratings e.g. NPPL(M) to NPPL(SSEA) etc. Miscellaneous Although we do offer specific courses, our coaches are available to fly with you for any flying training you may need in your aircraft. This can include revision of, for example: Practice Forced Landings; Circuits; Stalling; Navigation; R/T and more. Whilst we do not, at present, offer ab initio training, a number of our coaches are also fully qualified Flying Instructors and so may be able to assist with any training issues you may have.

Hirth 2 Stroke Covering Letter to Owners Fuel System Inspection Checklist

Night IFR Certain LAA types can be cleared for flight at night and/or under IMC (instrument meteorlogical conditions) - commonly referred to as 'Night/IFR' for convenience. The special Night/IFR requirements and process are detailed in technical leaflets TL 2.27 and 2.28, linked below, which are additional to the standard requirements applicable to any LAA aircraft. The special requirements involve the aircraft being of a type that demonstrates flight handling broadly in accordance with CS-23 subpart B (some types, including the RV-6 and RV-7, have a restricted aft cg limit to meet the pitch stability requirements), and each individual example must have a special IFR flight test to confirm it matches the first one tested. For a night clearance, the aircraft must also undergo a night test to check its lighting and general suitability for night flight. The aircraft must have accumulated enough flying hours in VFR to prove its reliability, and it must have an engine of a type accepted as being likely to be as reliable as a certified engine (for example we accept ‘clone’ Lycomings even though not certified). The propeller must be rain-proof, i.e. have hardened leading edges, and the aircraft must have an effective carb ice prevention system. The aircraft’s panel must have at least two independent attitude indicators, with either separate power sources or back-up internal power. If two EFIS are used to provide attitude information, with no other attitude instrument, then the two EFIS must be of different manufacturers so as to avoid the risk of simultaneous failures. There must be pitot heat, an alternative static and an OAT gauge. If the essential systems are relying on electrical power, the electrics must be designed to avoid being vulnerable to any single component failure, and if there is a single alternator there must be enough battery capacity to keep the essential systems running for an adequate time (at least 30 mins) before the battery goes flat. If two radios are fitted, they must not be both vulnerable to failure if any single component fails (e.g. must not be both fed through a single avionics master switch with no back-up power available). LAA does not specify what navigation or radio equipment is fitted, but as with a certified aircraft, the equipment fit determines what type of airspace can be used. An autopilot is not required, but certainly helps reduce pilot workload in sustained instrument flight. Non-certified equipment, including EFIS and autopilots, alternators, etc, are permitted, subject to the usual LAA checks. The aircraft has to be inspected initially and annually by an inspector with a special ‘night/IFR’ endorsement on their LAA inspector approval, and the aircraft is checked to have been built to an appropriate level of quality for a night/IFR aircraft. For example, quality of its instrument wiring, electrical power supply wiring, etc, are checked which are much more critical than in an aircraft only flying day VFR. The ASI and altimeter must be regularly calibrated, the battery must have a regular capacity check and the radios checked regularly by a qualified radio engineer. The aircraft must have an accepted pilot’s operating handbook and an acceptable maintenance schedule, and be maintained to that schedule. The application process involves not only a night/IFR inspector but also a night/IFR assessor who is one of a small band of LAA volunteers qualified to assess the design aspects of the aircraft’s systems and who compiles a technical report about the aircraft and if he is happy with it, includes a recommendation to remove the day-VFR only restriction. The report includes details of the aircraft’s systems, the special flight test reports, inspection reports, maintenance schedule and POH, a photo of the instrument panel and an electrical load analysis. This report is sent to LAA Engineering who checks through it and all being well, issues the aircraft new paperwork with the day and/or VFR restriction removed and replaced by limitations allowing IFR and/or night flight. All LAA night/IFR aircraft are restricted to not fly in the vicinity of thunderstorms and, for IFR cleared aircraft, take-off and landing in visibility less than 1500m is prohibited. The aircraft may not be operated in IMC below 500 ft agl for a precision approach, or 600 ft for a non-precision approach, or approach system limits, whichever is the greater. The pilot qualification for flying an LAA night/IFR aircraft at night or in IFR is the same as for flying a certified light aircraft at night or IFR. Aircraft types that have been successfully cleared for night/IFR flight include the RV-6, -7, -8, -9 and -10 (nosewheel and tailwheel variants – some with cg range restrictions), Europa and Cozy. Several of the modern lightweight 600 kg types have failed to comply due to low stability margins making them OK for day VFR flight but not suitable instrument platforms for night or IFR. Whilst a very few Rotax powered aircraft have been be to be cleared, most of the thirty or so LAA aircraft that have successfully transitioned are powered by Lycoming or Lycoming-clone engines. PROCESS SUMMARY LIST OF TYPES PERMIT IFR FEES NIGHT IFR INSPECTORS FAQs POH LITE TEMPLATE (PowerPoint File) NIGHT IFR PILOTS ACCEPTED INSTRUMENTS TL 2.27 - PROCEDURE FOR APPROVAL & TL 2.28 - ASSESSMENT OF AIRCRAFT LAA/MOD15 APPLICATION FORM

Lycoming Lycoming engines in certain specific airframe types have been approved by the CAA for the use of unleaded Mogas, using the process described in CAP747 , See Section 2, Part 4, General Concession 5. This involves purchasing an STC (Supplemental Type Certificate) from either the EAA or Petersen Aviation in the USA and carrying out the actions called for by the STC. The procedures stated in CAP747 may be followed for LAA aircraft but only for aircraft with the exact same engine/airframe combinations quoted on in CAP747.. An LAA inspector must check that the aircraft operator has obtained a copy of CAP747, Section 2, Part 4, GC5 and of the appropriate STC and complied with the actions called for therein, and signed off a suitable logbook entry accordingly before the aircraft may be flown with unleaded Mogas.

LAA Member Discounts

Operating & Maintaining Aircraft This section is intended to cover everything that happens once the aircraft is in a flying state. From a technical point of view, the most import of these is keeping on top of the aircraft’s maintenance. This is critical in enabling an owner to meet their obligation to maintain the aircraft in an airworthy condition. AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE AVGAS UL91 & UL94 ETHANOL-FREE MOGAS WEIGHT & BALANCE E5 MOGAS REVALIDATING A PERMIT TO FLY 97 OCTANE SUPER-UNLEADED E10 MOGAS - NOT APPROVED

Light Aviation Magazine 2019 Click on the links below to open each issue of Light Aviation Magazine from 2019 January 2019 April 2019 July 2019 October 2019 February 2019 May 2019 August 2019 November 2019 March 2019 June 2019 September 2019 December 2019

Aircraft Maintenance Before accessing the maintenance documents below, please ensure you have read Technical Leaflet 2.19 - General Maintenance Schedule . Technical Leaflet 2.19 Other useful documentation is as follows: Maintenance Schedules Sample Engine Condition Monitor Blank Engine Condition Monitor AC 43.13-1B Chg 1 CAP 562: CAAIP CAP 661: MPDs Latest MPDs - not in CAP 661 CAP 747: Mandatory Requirements Breaking in an Engine Engine Pre-Oiler Schematic Forms, Checklists & Worksheets