< Back New Alert for LAA Eurostar Aircraft 3 Dec 2024 LAA Engineering have issued Alert A-03-2024 to highlight the recent reported incidents of corrosion of the Bowden cable ‘inner’ on Eurostar elevator trim tab cables. In response to these incidents, Airmasters UK, the UK agent for the Eurostar range, have recently issued Service Bulletin SB/EUR/022, Issue 2 which calls for a special check, before next flight, on the friction of the cable ‘inner’ when slid manually backwards and forwards in the ‘outer’. A-03-2024 Eurostar Trim Cables .pdf Download PDF • 203KB Next Previous

Air to Ground Radio Operator's Course Price Member - £310, Non-Member - £330 (Additional fee of £48 to CAA for ROCC certificate) Duration Day 1: 09:15 for 09:30 PROMPT start. Finish 17:00 (approx). Day 2: 08:30 PROMPT start. Finish 16:00 < Back About the Course This course, held at Popham Airfield is hosted by Chris Thompson, an experienced 'AirGround' person, CAA examiner and LAA member. It will provide both the theoretical and practical training required to sit the examinations for the CAA Radio Operator's Certificate of Competence (ROCC) qualification required by operators of ground-based radio equipment at flying sites and events where an air-to-ground radio service is provided. The course is in two parts. Day One is made up of the core training and radio procedures practice on simulated ground-to-air communications. Day Two will consist of the CAA written and practical examinations which will allow candidates to directly apply for the CAA ROCC Certificate. Landing fees will be waivered for those attending the course and flying in. All delegates MUST have some basic knowledge of GA airfield circuit procedures and a level 6 English language proficiency * PLEASE READ THE DOCUMENT BELOW VERY CAREFULLY BEFORE ATTENDING THE COURSE. Course description 2025 .pdf Download PDF • 41KB Your Instructor Chris Thompson Dates 7 & 8 March 2026 Times Day 1: 09:15 for 09:30 PROMPT start. Finish 17:00 (approx). Day 2: 08:30 PROMPT start. Finish 16:00 Duration Two day course Venue Popham Airfield Price Member - £310, Non-Member - £330 (Additional fee of £48 to CAA for ROCC certificate) 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 Engineering updates in February and March 11 Apr 2025 The following documents have been issued/updated in the Engineering 'Info Library' during February and March. Technical leaflets : TL 1.10 - List of aircraft parts and materials suppliers TL 2.01 - A guide to LAA aircraft ownership TL 2.22 - Non-type specfic MPDs TL 3.25 - Flight test briefing Continuing airworthiness information : Alert A-01-2025 - Piper rudder post Alert A-02-2025 - Rotax crankcase Alert A-03-2025 - Gen 4 Jabiru 2200 and 3300 engines TADS : Brandli Cherry Cessna 120 Eurostar Groppo Trail Rans S5 (204 and 204B) Rotax 4-stroke Sportcruiser Next Previous

< Back Engineering updates in January 5 Feb 2025 The following documents have been issued/updated in the Engineering 'Info Library' during January. Continuing airworthiness information : Mandatory Technical Directive 01-2025 - Zenair tailplane brackets TADS : Glasair Jabiru engine Pietenpol Aircamper Scottish Aviation Bulldog Zenair CH 750 Cruzer Miscellaneous: Links to the relevant Technical Leaflets and forms added to the Night/IFR section Next Previous

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

LAA Rally 2025 "Inspired to Fly" LAA are proud to announce our Rally 2025 sponsors We are pleased to announce that the LAA Rally will be held in conjunction with Leicestershire Aero Club at Leicester Airfield on 29th-31st August 2025. Are you interested in sponsoring the event or advertising in the Weekend Show Guide? OR Do you want to display your aircraft project in the Homebuilders tent? Contact Nancy Lillington at [email protected] WELCOME TO THE LAA 2025 RALLY FLY-IN ENTRANCE FEES GENERAL INFORMATION FLYING IN & BOOKING A LANDING SLOT CAMPING & ACCOMMODATION EXHIBITOR INFORMATION OPENING TIMES & CAR PARKING OTHER ATTRACTIONS TROPHIES & AWARDS

< Back LAA RALLY 2026! 3 Nov 2025 We’re thrilled to announce that our 2026 Rally is officially in the calendar! Mark your diaries and get ready for a special rally, celebrating the LAA 80th Anniversary. 📅 Date: 4/5/6 September 2026 📍 Location: Leicestershire Aero Club, Leicester Airport. More details will follow soon. Enquiries to [email protected] We can’t wait to see you all there! Next Previous

< Back New LAA Inspector - Phil Hebdon 27 Nov 2025 We are pleased to welcome Phil Hebdon as a new LAA Inspector, having attended an LAA Inspector Assessment Day at Turweston recently. Phil previously worked as a commercial pilot, before moving into aircraft maintenance. Phil has been an LAA aircraft owner for many years – including a Taylor Monoplane, Pitts Special and a Miles Gemini. Phil has been maintaining his own aircraft, as well as those of others, and has significant experience maintaining and rebuilding gliders, specialising in wood repairs and fabric work. Next Previous

< Back LAA Alert published for Gen 4’ Jabiru 2200 and 3300 engines 1 Mar 2025 LAA Alert A-03-2025 has been published on the LAA website (and is also attached), highlighting the recent service bulletin, JSP 051, published by Jabiru Aircraft Pty Ltd, which applies to specific Jabiru 2200 and 3300 engines and requires the replacement of the pistons on engines within certain serial number ranges, which they state were supplied between April 2017 and August 2019. Jabiru regards the Bulletin as mandatory. The Bulletin advises that Jabiru has identified that pistons supplied with the affected engines were in some cases susceptible to failure, and have specified that the pistons must be replaced by pistons of the later, improved design at or before 200 hours running time, following the procedures shown in the engine overhaul book, including any necessary running-in provisions and choice of oils. A-03-2025 - Gen 4 Jabiru 2200 and 3300 engines .pdf Download PDF • 201KB Next Previous

< Back LAA at AeroExpo 9 Jun 2023 We're at AeroExpo UK at Sywell. Come and meet the LAA and friends in the LAA tent tomorrow. Alongside the LAA, we have Transair Flight Equipment, Cambrai Covers, AIR Courtage Assurances, PilotAware, Sling Aircraft, Bristell Aircraft UK, SEHT and Smart Skies! #aeroexpo #meetthelaa Next Previous

< Back Replica De Havilland DH71 Tiger Moth Racer takes to the air 23 Dec 2024 Steve Jones’ replica DH71 Tiger Moth Racer made a highly successful maiden flight on 26th November, piloted by Steve himself. The immaculate monoplane, appropriately registered G-ECDX, is a full-size recreation of one of only two examples built by de Havilland in 1927. Of all wood construction, and fitted with a modified DH Gipsy 1 engine, the original DH71s were created to publicise their new Gipsy engine before releasing it onto the market to power their already successful DH60 Moth biplane. An exercise in light weight and streamlining to maximise speed, the DH71 was also significant in developing construction techniques that de Havilland used to good effect in later designs. The original DH71 achieved 186mph around a 65 mile closed circuit course, its Gipsy 1 engine souped-up from 85 to 130 horsepower for racing. The replica project was largely built by Ron Souch in the 1990s, under PFA supervision, using drawings produced by Ron’s friend Ben Price, a former aircraft draughtsman who put forward the idea as his retirement project. None of the original construction drawings had survived, so the design had to be recreated based on a three-view, photographs, press articles and intimate knowledge of de Havilland’s standard design techniques – and then checked against modern design code requirements. Most challenging part of the design were the details of the internally bungee-sprung wheels, as on the original. The project was paused for several years after issues came to light with the stressing of the wing spars and undercarriage. Steve Jones, looking for a hangar-mate for his scratch-built Comper Swift project, purchased the DH71 in 2016. Steve quickly got things moving again by commissioning re-designs of some of the original components, stripping off the fabric covering, re-sparring the wings and finishing the aircraft off to the same high standard as its original construction. The final examination of the assembled aircraft by LAA HQ’s design staff in November, when ground runs of the modified engine and its very coarse pitch Hercules propeller were demonstrated, took place over three decades after the project’s inception. When Steve’s replica DH71 first lifted off from Sywell’s grass runway, it was a sight not seen in Britain for 95 years. Big congratulations to all involved, especially to Ron and Ben for initiating it, and Steve’s perseverance and skill in finishing all the last details to such a high standard. Honourable mentions also to John Tempest for the re-design work and Ben Cox for inspecting it, this was truly a team effort. Sadly, Ron Souch is no longer with us to see the Racer fly. Steve describes his aircraft experience as starting as an aircraft engineering apprentice at CSE Kidlington, in the late 1970s. He towed gliders at Husbands Bosworth, in Chipmunks, at age 19, and joined the Tiger Club in the late 1970s, becoming a flying instructor at Staverton 1981. As he describes it, he somehow (?) ended up flying BA 747s for 20 plus years. His remarkable flying career has involved air racing, aerobatic competition and display flying, Redbull competitions and record setting in the Rolls Royce electric powered ‘Spirit of Innovation’ aircraft. Next Previous

Weight & Balance The subject of Weight and Balance covers at least four distinct procedures: weighing an aircraft, calculating its empty weight and centre of gravity (CG), establishing the worst forward and aft CG loading cases according to an appropriate design code and calculating weights and centres of gravity for an actual flight. This section includes guidance notes on each of these aspects, forms and worked examples (imperial or metric) for recording and calculating empty weight and CG, as well as worst forward and aft CG cases and an Excel based spreadsheet that makes the weight and CG calculations for you. The table on the spreadsheet is set out in the same layout as the Loading Examples tables. This spreadsheet can, of course, also be used for carrying out calculations for an actual flight. Simply input the actual weights of the items to be loaded rather than the standard occupant or maximum fuel and baggage weights. Remember, it is important to check that the CG remains within limits with no usable fuel as well as with the loaded fuel in the tanks, even though it will not be your intention of running the tank dry. The calculator generates two sets of weight and CG values for this purpose. Weight & Balance arrangements for gyroplanes are different to those of aeroplanes and a special type of report is used, unless the manufacturers concerned provides their own special schedule in which case this should be used instead. Before accessing the documents below, please ensure you have read Technical Leaflet 3.16 - Weight and Balance Guidance Notes . Technical Leaflet 3.16 Other useful documentation is as follows: Weight & Balance Forms Weight & Balance Examples