< Back New LAA Inspector - Robin Smith 2 Apr 2026 Robin enjoys every aspect of light aircraft whether it be flying or maintenance. Robin spent 15 years with REME attached to the Army Air Corps, was Aircraft Engineering Warrant Officer. He trained and experienced on helicopters, Skeeter, Bell 47 (Sioux), Alouette, Scout and Gazelle including their respective power units. He trained and experienced on fixed wing Auster 9 and Beaver including respective power units. He saw active service in Aden and Northern Ireland. He also flew in his early days as an observer. Robin has a UK PPL; he is a CRI and Fl(A). He currently instructs at Fowlmere with the British Aviation Academy and at Flying Made Easy at Old Buckenham airfield. He has aerobatic and aerobatic instructor rating and night rating. Differences training includes tailwheel and constant speed propellors. Robin has flown Robin HR200, Maule, Grob 115D, Cessna 140, Cessna 152, F24 Argus and PA28. He has owned a Robin HR200 a Maule MXT7 180A, Auster 6 and he currently owns a Grob115A C1 Aero which is fully aerobatic. He just loves turning himself upside down! He has worked with Modern Air Ltd at Fowlmere airfield doing annuals, inspections and repairs to Cessna 140, Cessna 152, Cessna 172, Cessna 177 Cardinal, Argus, Twin Cessna 310 and Extra aircraft. Currently he works with Touchdown Engineering at Old Buckenham on average some 2 days per week. He is also Safety Manager at Fowlmere and EASA approved. Robin has a small company Beagle Flight Consultancy Ltd which can provide several services which include Flight instruction via DTO/ATO, 2-year revalidations. Prebuy surveys, aircraft transport by road in UK and Europe. Import and export handling of light aircraft, inclusive of dismantle, containerisation, shipping, customs docus and assembly. 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 New LAA Inspector - Neil Oakman 22 Sept 2025 We are pleased to welcome Neil Oakman as a new LAA Inspector, having attended an LAA Inspector Assessment Day at Turweston recently. Neil’s interest in aviation began during his early years living near the former RAF Sawbridgeworth airfield. Each summer, he would cycle to the edge of the old perimeter track to watch Piper Pawnee crop-spraying aircraft take off and land, sparking a lifelong enthusiasm for flight. After leaving school, Neil studied engineering and began working at local airfields, gaining hands-on experience with a variety of vintage aircraft ranging from Piper Cubs to the Sea Hurricane. This provided a strong foundation in both traditional aircraft construction and maintenance practices. He later pursued a career as a commercial pilot. Further details of his flying background can be found on his coaching profile on the LAA website. Throughout his aviation career, Neil has maintained his own aircraft as well as those of colleagues. This has given him a broad practical knowledge of types such as the De Havilland Chipmunk and the Scottish Aviation Bulldog, along with experience in maintaining aircraft constructed from metal, wood, and fabric. While his exposure to carbon and composite structures is limited at present, he is keen to expand his skills in this area as it represents a growing sector within the sport aviation community. As an LAA Inspector, Neil is committed to supporting aircraft owners by providing practical advice and guidance to help ensure their aircraft are operated and maintained to the high standards of safety, airworthiness, and reliability required by the LAA. Next Previous

< Back New LAA Inspector - Andrew Williams 31 Mar 2025 We are pleased to welcome Andrew Williams as a new LAA Inspector, having attended an LAA Inspector Assessment Day at Turweston recently. Andrew has been involved with aircraft maintenance for approximately 36 years. Types he has worked on include Rolls-Royce Dart and Pratt & Whitney PT6-powered passenger and freighter aircraft, followed by working on short-to-medium range jet aircraft. For the last 10 years, Andrew has been involved with general aviation single and twin-engined aircraft, carrying out maintenance and certification. He holds a CAA approval to perform Airworthiness Reviews in order to issue Airworthiness Review Certificates. His qualifications include: CAA Part 66 Licence, inc. Full Group 3 and a BCAR Sec L Licence. In the LAA ‘world,’ Andrew has a share in a Jodel 1050. Congratulations Andrew. Welcome to the team! Next Previous

< Back MTD-05-2025 Eurofox Rudder Pedal Cracking 19 Nov 2025 MTD-05-2025 Eurofox Rudder Pedal Cracking - Mandatory Inspection requirements, which must be completed before your next flight There have been two reported instances in the UK of Eurofox aircraft experiencing cracking at the right-foot rudder pedal on the starboard seat side, where it is welded to the rudder pedal torque tube, leading to the pedal no longer being rigidly attached to the torque tube. On at least one of these instances, aircraft handling was negatively affected, reducing yaw authority and seriously degrading flight safety. Note that failure of the starboard side right-foot rudder pedal results in loss of rudder control, even when the aircraft is flown from the Pilot in Command position i.e. from the port seat side. Please refer to the MTD-05-2025 document below for full details of the mandatory inspection requirements, which must be completed before your next flight and subsequently at intervals not exceeding 10 flight-hours or the next Permit Revalidation inspection, whichever occurs first. MTD-05-2025 can be also found here MTD-05-2025 - Eurofox Rudder Pedal Cracking .pdf Download PDF • 247KB Next Previous

< 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 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 Engineering updates in March 1 Apr 2026 The following documents have been issued/updated in the Engineering 'Info Library' during March. Technical Leaflets : TL 3.25 'Flight test briefing' TADS: Sling 2 Sling 4 Sling 4 TSi Next Previous

< Back LAA Alert A-15-2025 Glasair Rudder Pedal Bearing Failures 23 Dec 2025 LAA Alert A-15-2025 Glasair Rudder Pedal Bearing Failures A recent social media report has brought attention to two rudder pedal bearing failure events on a non-LAA Glasair. These bearings attach each rudder pedal assembly to the bearing support ribs. Owners and Inspectors should carry out frequent inspections of these bearings for signs of cracking, breaking, excessive play or any other abnormalities. Pilots should also conduct effective full-and-free movement checks during taxiing to ensure correct rudder pedal operation prior to take-off. If there are any doubts on the bearings’ condition, age, or origin, they should be replaced with newly made ones. Instructions on how to make new bearings from a 3/4" UHMWPE sheet can be found in the Stoddard-Hamilton Instruction Manual. Please refer to the LAA Alert A-15-2025 HERE or below for full details and recommended checks. A-15-2025 Glasair Rudder Pedal Bearing Failures .pdf Download PDF • 309KB Next Previous

< Back LAA 'Grass Roots Fly-In' returns 23 Apr 2023 The LAA is returning to the green grass of Popham Aerodrome in Hampshire for a repeat of its “Grass Roots Fly In” from 18th to 20th August 2023. The Fly-In will again on one hand take the Associate back to its traditional roots, while continuing to offer the first chance to see some of the latest aircraft and products in the recreational aviation market. What was particularly notable about the 2022 Popham event was its sociality. LAA members and exhibitors alike commented on its relaxed and friendly atmosphere, with post-event comments such as “It’s a great reunion as well as a fly-in–cum trade show” and “super friendly, the event always had a good vibe”. A joint venture with Popham Aerodrome, the LAA Grass Roots Fly In will develop its strengths as a social event bringing flyers from around the UK and Europe to meet fellow enthusiasts. The grass runways at Popham and the airfield’s famed rural ambience will mean that the event will focus on the fly-in and social element as much as on a large exhibition campus. The earlier mid-August date will also mean longer evenings, allowing more scope for flyers from further afield and hopefully, milder conditions for those who choose to ‘camp under the wing’. Said LAA CEO designate Simon Tilling: “The LAA Grass Roots Fly In was a great success last year, with over 3,000 visitors, more than 30 exhibitors and a total of 350 visiting aircraft through the weekend. It is a different event to the past, larger scale LAA Rallies and we’re working on plans for the continuation of a larger scale LAA event in the future. For this year, we’re looking forward to another great, social and fun, LAA fly in”. 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 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