< Back Nick Stone appointed as the LAA's Head of Airworthiness 24 Oct 2023 The LAA is pleased to announce the appointment of Nick Stone as the LAA’s Head of Airworthiness. Nick brings a vast wealth of aircraft knowledge as well as a real world understanding of the need for good process and procedure. Having started his career in the Royal Air Force, Nick went on to work in the aerospace industry working in the UK with British Aerospace and Slingsby Aviation at various sites and projects, as an inspector, methods engineer and quality engineer. Nick then moved to the United States at Eastern Airlines in Miami Florida, Learjet in Wichita Kansas and Chihuahua Mexico as inspection/Quality representative of Shorts Aerospace (Bombardier Aerospace). Following a downturn in the British Aerospace industry he then took an opportunity to move into the nuclear industry working in both reprocessing and power generation. Throughout Nick's working life the one constant has been a passion for aviation. Having started as a volunteer at a local aircraft museum at 14, Nick started flying at the age of 16 in gliders and has a private pilot’s licence PPL(A). Prior to becoming an LAA inspector Nick spent many years building, rebuilding, and restoring vintage aircraft, the more unusual the better. “As an LAA inspector I understand the need to move forward and change and adapt to an ever changing but exciting world. Having run my own aircraft restoration company for the last seven years I always felt it is important to understand your customers”. LAA CEO Simon Tilling said, “Nick is a great addition to the LAA staff. I and the rest of the team are looking forward to working with him in the near future” Next Previous

< Back Two new LAA Inspectors appointed 28 Sept 2023 Congratulations to our latest LAA Inspectors, Luke McMillan and Gareth Rutt. Luke and Gareth both came to LAA HQ at Turweston last Thursday for 'Induction, Examination and Interview Day' with our Chief Inspector, Lucy. We wish Luke and Gareth well as they start this exciting new chapter! Next Previous

< Back New LAA Inspector - Gary Priestley 4 Dec 2025 We are pleased to welcome Gary Priestley as a new LAA Inspector, having attended an LAA Inspector Assessment Day at Turweston. Gary started at BAe Filton as an Aeronautical Engineering Apprentice in 1978. His first day out of the training bay was spent working on the test and development Concorde 002. During his apprenticeship he worked on the VC10's air-to-air refuelling conversion and on test and development for Airbus on the fly-by-wire BAC 1-11. After his apprenticeship he became an Inspector on the F1-11s, with his main role involving pre- and post-inspection of the Cold Soak, where the aircraft were frozen and bent to re-life them. He transferred to Warton for the Al-Yamama project, working on Tornado ADVs and IDS aircraft in Saudi Arabia. Gary returned in 1990 and was recruited as a technical instructor at British Aerospace Filton, teaching the following: Concorde pilots and flight engineers, utilising the simulator to help them pass their ground school type rating. Aircraft fitters working toward their B2 and B1 licences, as well as type courses on the A300 B4 and A300-600, where the aircraft were being converted to freighters. The BAC 1-11 refresher course for the Sultan of Oman Air Force pilots. Type rating for British Airways Concorde engineers at Heathrow. Apprentices studying for their City and Guilds. Night-school City and Guilds for non-skilled fitters. While carrying out this training, he repaired a Robin HR 200 with the help of the apprentices and studied for his Commercial and subsequently his Airline Transport Pilot’s Licence. Gary left BAe in 1999 to fly the BAe 146 for CityJet in Dublin, before being asked, through CityJet, if he would like to transfer to British Midland to fly the BAe 146 for Lufthansa. A few years later he was made redundant, gained his Helicopter Commercial Pilot’s Licence, but was then asked to join Flightline on the BAe 146, flying oil-rig workers from Aberdeen to Scatsta and later working out of Manchester for British Airways. An opportunity arose to fly with Titan Airways in Stansted, flying ad-hoc standby for British Airways, easyJet, and others. Several years later he completed a type-rating course on the Boeing 737 to fly from Exeter. He took voluntary redundancy in 2013. By chance, after buying a prestigious car from someone who owned an aircraft at Middlezoy, Gary made the connection that brought him into affiliation with Middlezoy Aerodrome, where he now has a share in Louis, the Taylorcraft type D, and is 50% owner of the Isaac Fury. Next Previous

< Back Alert A-12-2025 - Aeroprakt windscreens 14 Oct 2025 LAA Engineering has issued Alert A-12-2025 to highlight the recent issue of a series of Aeroprakt service bulletins that require older style windscreens to be replaced at certain intervals, with the Vne of the aircraft being temporarily reduced in certain circumstances. A-12-2025 - Aeroprakt windscreens issue 1 .pdf Download PDF • 231KB Next Previous

< Back CAA Licencing Update 11 Jun 2025 ** The final legislation has not yet come into force and we’ll provide more comprehensive details when we have confirmation of the actual legislation (hopefully late July) that has gone to Parliament ** Link to document can be found below: CAA Licencing update .pdf Download PDF • 459KB Next Previous

< Back Mandatory Technical Directive issued for Chipmunk aircraft 24 May 2024 Mandatory Technical Directive, MTD-04-2024 has been issued by our Head of Airworthiness, Nick Stone, today to introduce mandatory recurring inspections of the flap operating cables following a recent potentially serious incident where one of the flap cables on a Chipmunk failed in flight, leading to an asymmetric flap configuration. The MTD allows a 5 flying hour period of grace before the inspection must be carried out and is being emailed today to all owners of LAA Chipmunks and all LAA Inspectors approved to inspect Chipmunks. Next Previous

< Back New LAA Inspector - Tom Bootyman 20 Jun 2024 We are pleased to welcome Tom Bootyman as an LAA Inspector. Tom attended an Assessment Day at LAA HQ at the start of June. Tom is a serial aircraft builder/maintainer/repairer, also with several years’ experience as an engineer with a global aerobatic team. He has experience building and repairing Zenair and Vans RV types, along with working on many aerobatic aircraft. He is also an experienced aircraft painter. Tom has a love and devotion to all things aviation, so he is always open to requests for information, advice and Permit inspections. He is based at Netherthorpe (Sheffield), but willing to travel. Next Previous

Aircraft Fabric Covering Course Price Member - £213, Non-Member - £233 Duration Arrival 09:00. Finish 17:00. < Back About the Course Our covering course is presented by Chris and Alex, father and son team who run Aircraft Coverings Ltd., the UK dealer for Consolidated Aircraft Coverings products. This is a hands-on course, not a lecture, so you will be working with the tools and materials, learning the required skills and you will undoubtedly surprise yourself by how quickly you begin to pick things up! Your Instructor Chris and Alex Allen Dates New date tbc Times Arrival 09:00. Finish 17:00. Duration One day course Venue Henstridge Airfield, Somerset, BA8 0TN Price Member - £213, Non-Member - £233 Booking Pls call the LAA on 01280 846 786 to enquire/book or email [email protected] . *Please note that payment is required when booking, to confirm your place. NO place will be held without confirmed payment* **Please note that your booking payment is non-refundable unless we can fill your place timeously or there are exceptional circumstances**

< Back LAA Inspector Seminar 14 Feb 2024 Last Thursday, 16 Inspectors attended an Inspector Training Seminar at the Imperial War Museum, Duxford, run by our Chief Inspector Lucy Wootton, with the assistance of our Head of Flight Test, Andy Draper and Airworthiness Engineer, Cris Fernandez. LAA Inspectors are required to attend training once every four years. We had a great day - lots of knowledge shared and interesting discussions. Next Previous

< Back LAA Alert for some models of Rotax Engines 1 Mar 2025 LAA Alert A-02-2025 has been published on the LAA website (and is also attached), highlighting a recent service bulletin published by Rotax regarding the inspection and/or replacement of the crankcase and/or gearbox housing on affected engines. Rotax has identified a potential manufacturing issue affecting the hardness values of the crankcase and/or gearbox housing materials in certain engines. These components may not meet the required specifications for material hardness, which could lead to reduced component durability and/or potential oil leakage. Rotax regards this bulletin as mandatory. A-02-2025 - Rotax Crankcase .pdf Download PDF • 220KB Next Previous

< Back Engineering updates in May 6 Jun 2025 The following documents have been issued/updated in the Engineering 'Info Library' during May. Technical leaflets : TL 2.33 - Inspector categories for types TL 3.04 - CAA approved welders TADS : 162 - Zenair CH 601HD/HDS 162A - Zenair CH 601UL 162B - Zenair CH601XL 232 - Murphy Rebel 345 - Sherwood Scout/Reality Escapade BM-102 - Dragon Aviation A32 Vixxen P21 - Woodcomp propellers Forms: LAA/AR-REF - Airworthiness review reference guide (crib sheet) (new form) LAA/CFS-1 (fixed wing) - Check flight schedule LAA/PFRC-1 (fixed wing) - Permit flight release certificate Propeller type lists PTL/1 : Sonex Next Previous

< Back The New Permit Revalidation System - Step-by-Step Guide 9 Apr 2025 The new LAA Permit to Fly revalidation system will go live on 15th April 2025. This streamlined, fully online process offers an easier and faster way for aircraft Owners and Inspectors to handle Permit to Fly revalidations. Watch this video for a step-by-step guide on how to complete the online Permit Revalidation process, both as an Owner and as an Inspector. There are a few key considerations to ensure your revalidation under the new system goes smoothly: Please make sure you know your username and password before applying for your aircraft’s revalidation. If you have forgotten your login details, please contact the LAA Office. All aircraft using the new system for the first time will require a check flight no older than 3 months at the time you submit the revalidation application. This is in order to provide a baseline for the online system. The 3-year check flight schedule will then apply subsequently to most aircraft types. Some aircraft will still require a check flight at every revalidation, these are: Aircraft cleared for glider tugging in their Operating Limitations document. Aircraft cleared for Night/IFR. Aircraft which have flown less than 12 hours since the previous revalidation inspection. You will not have to submit your CFS-1 Check Flight Schedule when applying through the new system. However, a CFS-1 will need to be completed for each check flight and stored with the aircraft’s documentation, so that it is available when needed. We encourage you submit your revalidation application through the new online system, as processing time is expected to be faster than an ‘old-style’ revalidation. If you still wish to make an ‘old-style’ application up until 15th May 2025, all 3 forms must be submitted by this date and you will only transition to the 3-year check flight schedule after your first revalidation through the new system. Note: The option to apply for revalidation in ‘My Aircraft Data’ on the LAA website may appear shortly before the go-live date on 15th April 2025 as our IT infrastructure is updated. However, we will only be able to process applications received on or after the official go-live date. A handy list of 'Frequently Asked Questions' is available below: 20240409 - Permit Revalidation Process FAQs V1.0 .pdf Download PDF • 175KB Next Previous