< Back New LAA Inspector - Mark Wilkinson 15 Aug 2025 We are pleased to welcome Mark Wilkinson as a new LAA Inspector, having attended an LAA Inspector Assessment Day at Turweston recently. Mark’s aviation career began with 11 years of service in the Royal Air Force, where he initially worked on the Bulldog and Chipmunk aircraft before progressing to the Tornado. Following his military service, Mark spent 25 years in commercial aviation, working primarily on large passenger aircraft - focusing on turboprops and regional jets. This period included a three-year relocation to France, where he was responsible for supporting a BAE146 aircraft. Mark then dedicated eight years to the initial setup and maintenance of the A400M program, before taking on a role maintaining the Grob Tutor aircraft - bringing his career full circle back to light aviation. From his early days working on the Bulldog, he has always had a genuine passion for light aviation. Mark would welcome the opportunity to contribute to the light aviation community, offering support and advice wherever he can. Next Previous

< Back Mandatory Technical Directive issued for Sting S4 29 Sept 2023 LAA has been working with TL StingUK to correct an issue found during the flight testing of the factory-built version of the aircraft. It was found that the type would consistently drop the starboard wing more than the permitted maximum during a wings-level stall. LAA Mandatory Technical Directive MTD-01-2023 has been issued that requires the installation of a stall strip on the starboard wing and two stall strips on the port wing, along with restricting the elevator travel, in accodance with TL StingUK service bulletins 0002 and 0003, before further flight. Next Previous

< Back LAA Rally and Service Awards 2025 24 Oct 2025 A list of awards can be found below: LAA Awards .pdf Download PDF • 139KB 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

< Back New LAA Course dates released 6 Oct 2023 Dates have now been published for upcoming LAA Courses for the rest of this year. To find out about specific courses and their dates, click here . Please note, the next 'Caring for your Gipsy Major' course is on the 11th November, not 7th November, as published in the latest edition of Light Aviation magazine. Next Previous

Rotax Fuel Injected 912 iS / 915 iS Installation & Operation Price Member - £224, Non-Member - £244 Duration Arrival 09:30. Finish 17:00. < Back About the Course With the growth of interest in the fuel-injected Rotax 912 and 915 iS series engines, it has become apparent that there is a lot of confusion and misunderstanding about the installation and operation of these engines and the way that the latest built-in systems work. Electronics and Rotax iRMT certified engineer, John Barrott, was an early installer of a 912iS and found it difficult to find accurate information on best practice. Working with UK Rotax agents CFS and LAA Engineering, John has built up a comprehensive understanding of the iS engines and has developed a course around this to provide help and advice on the installation and operation of this new generation of aero engines. The course is classroom (not workshop) based. Your Instructor John Barrott Dates Saturday 21 February 2026 Times Arrival 09:30. Finish 17:00. Duration One day course Venue LAA HQ, Turweston Aerodrome, NN13 5YD Price Member - £224, Non-Member - £244 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 Armstrong-Isaacs Bursaries for 2026 21 Nov 2025 Armstrong-Isaacs bursaries for 2026! The LAA is proud to announce the opening of applications for its Armstrong-Isaacs bursaries for 2025. Five bursaries of up to £1,500 are offered to young pilots already in PPL training, offering extra funding to help them complete their courses, at a time when, all too often, money starts to run out. More information on the bursaries can be found here . Next Previous

< Back New LAA Inspector - Clive Sutton 28 Mar 2024 The LAA is pleased to welcome Clive Sutton as a new LAA Inspector. Clive came to an Assessment Day at LAA HQ at the start of March. Clive is ex-RAF, a Chartered Engineer and a BMAA Inspector. He prefers composite & metal airframes and Rotax 4-stroke engines (especially the Europa type). He has little experience with 2-strokes of Continentals/Lycomings or wood and fabric aircraft. He is ready to travel a maximum of an hour; Wellesbourne, Bidford and Coventry are within easy reach for him. Next Previous

< Back New LAA Inspector - Conrad Ceillam 2 Sept 2025 We are pleased to welcome Conrad Ceillam as a new LAA Inspector, having attended an LAA Inspector Assessment Day at Turweston recently. As a youngster, he worked mostly on 3-engined piston aircraft for commercial flight, and on some twin turboprops in Guernsey. He then moved on to mostly narrow-bodied jets and turboprops, with some executive jets in the UK. Latterly, he worked in Finland on medium-bodied jets, scientific aircraft, and mission/patrol. Since moving to Shetland, he has mostly worked on twin-piston passenger craft. He has held BMAA inspector approvals since April 2023. Next Previous

< Back Engineering updates in August & September 7 Oct 2025 The following documents have been issued/updated in the Engineering 'Info Library' during August and September. Continuing airworthiness information : Mandatory Technical Directive MTD-01-2025 - Zenair tailplane brackets - issue 2 Mandatory Technical Directive MTD-02-2025 - Mission M108 nose gear - issue 2 Alert A-09-2025 - Woodcomp Klassic propeller blades Alert A-10-2025 - Cracking in E-Props carbon propeller hubs Propeller type lists PTL/1 : Jodel D117/D119/D120 Next Previous

< Back LAA members - Make your views known! 25 Jan 2024 Basingstoke & Deane Borough Council's consultation on their draft Local Plan – which includes a proposed new Popham Garden Village on Popham Airfield, has opened. It runs until 4 March 2024. This proposal is not in line with either Government policy or their stated aim to make the UK the best place in the world for General Aviation. The Government's policy can be found in their publication ' Flightpath to the Future " and makes repeated references to the vital importance of airfields, forming a critical part of national infrastructure. You can have your say and tell Basingstoke & Deane Council that their proposal is contrary to Government policy and insist the proposal is removed from the current ‘draft’ strategic plan. Visit the Local Plan Update ' Have Your Say ' section of their webiste. Next Previous

< Back New LAA Inspector - Ben Davis 27 Nov 2025 We are pleased to welcome Ben Davis as a new LAA Inspector, having attended an LAA Inspector Assessment Day at Turweston recently. Ben has been an aircraft owner for about twenty years and has become something of a fan of the (mighty) Alpi Pioneer series. He’s owned several and flown several more. Ben has also refurbished and upgraded a number of Pioneers with new avionics, autopilots, and instruments. Along the way, he has owned and improved a Europa and a few other types, but he always seems to find his way back to a Pioneer! Ben also enjoys staring out of the front window of little biz jets. With a background in electronics, moving into avionics was a natural step for him. Ben is a Rotax iRMT (Line & Heavy), a BMAA Inspector, and now also an LAA Inspector, combining his technical background with years of hands-on experience. Ben is based at Finmere, just a short hop from LAA HQ, and is always happy to help other owners with maintenance, upgrades, or just a good aviation chat. You can find him sharing projects and flying adventures on social media as @benfly79. Next Previous