LAA Member Discounts

Continental Covering Letter to Owners AAN PFA 999-413 Sup 3 Approved Mogas Aircraft/Continental Engine combinations Inspection Checklist

< Back Mandatory Technical Directive issued for Rotax 914 powered Eurofox aircraft 29 May 2024 Mandatory Technical Directive, MTD-03-2024 has been issued today to introduce mandatory disabling of cabin heat on examples of the type fitted with Rotax 914 (and derivative) engines. This follows an in-service occurrence of carbon monoxide entering the cabin due to leaks from the exhaust system. The MTD must be carried out before flight on or after 5th June 2024. This MTD has been emailed to all affected owners. Next Previous

The Light Aircraft Association (LAA) is the UK’s principal representative body for amateur-built and vintage light aircraft, as well as supporting some factory-built microlights and gyroplanes. WELCOME TO THE LIGHT AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION Welcome to the Light Aircraft Association, the heart of a community that lives and breathes recreational aviation in all its forms! With over 75 years of history, no other UK association has the depth of knowledge and experience in looking after our sport. 7,500 Members 2,700 Aircraft 1,600 Build Projects NINE REASONS TO JOIN THE LAA 1 BUILD YOUR OWN AIRCRAFT The LAA was formed out of the amateur aircraft building movement. Even today, you can build an aircraft from the original plans or purchase a modern kit from a recognised manufacturer to build your dream aircraft, with the support of an LAA Inspector. There are so many types to choose from! More Info 2 PILOT COACHING The Pilot Coaching Scheme includes provision of Biennial Reviews and Class Rating Revalidation, as well as Type Conversions, Renewal Training, Differences Training and Licence Migration. Coaches are based all over the UK and willing to travel to meet your needs! More Info 3 LIGHT AVIATION MAGAZINE Our full-colour monthly magazine, Light Aviation , is free to all members and is packed with a wealth of technical and flying information, first-hand reports of members’ flying adventures and aircraft builds, in depth flight tests and so much more – it’s real cover to cover reading every month! More Info 4 ENGINEERING FACILITIES At our core is the amateur built aircraft movement and the comprehensive engineering facilities that support the Permit to Fly airworthiness system. A full time staff of qualified engineers and a countrywide network of Inspectors help make owning and flying your own aircraft both possible and affordable. More Info 5 TRAINING COURSES The LAA provides a wide range of courses for members, ranging from electrics to working with aluminum, aircraft carpentry, composites, Rotax engines or even an Air to Ground Radio Operators' Course! These will help you build or maintain your aircraft to the highest standard and meet LAA members with similar interests. More Info 6 OPERATE AN AIRCRAFT With the LAA fleet size ever increasing, more and more LAA members are operating LAA aircraft that they have not built under the LAA Permit to Fly Airworthiness System. The LAA Engineering Department offers the support you need to fly! More Info 7 MEET FELLOW AVIATION LOVERS! Do you want to meet fellow light aviation lovers? Clubs for LAA members (also known as Struts) meet at a local level to share knowledge and experiences, as well as take part in local events. You can find the 'Strut' nearest to you! More Info 8 MEMBER DISCOUNTS Every year, the LAA hosts a 'fly-in,' known as the 'LAA Rally' or more recently, the 'Grass Roots Fly In.' LAA members benefit from a discounted entry fee! Furthermore, there are a number of LAA-friendly companies that offer discounts and deals to LAA members. These can be found by clicking the button below. More Info 9 MEMBER REPRESENTATION We have an enviable reputation for determination and fairness within the corridors of power in the UK and Europe. We are one of the principle representative groups providing balanced consultative input on matters such as airspace, planning and safety regulation to bodies including the Department for Transport and Civil Aviation Authority. More Info Contact Us Turweston Aerodrome Nr Brackley Northants NN13 5YD Office Phone No: +44 (0)1280 846 786 Office email: [email protected] Engineering email: [email protected] Our office opening hours are Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm Download Map Local Accommodation

< Back MTD-02-2025 issued - Mission M108 Nose Leg Failures 6 Jun 2025 MTD-02-2025 - 'Nose leg failures' was issued today for Mission M108 aircraft. This MTD can be found HERE and is also attached below. Three instances of nose leg failure have occurred in the past 12 months, two of which recently. This MTD mandates the regular inspection of this area until a long-term fix has been put in place. Lambert Aircraft Engineering is working to finalise a solution as soon as possible, working closely with the LAA. We will update the MTD as appropriate once a solution is in place. MTD-02-2025 - Mission M108 Nose Leg .pdf Download PDF • 212KB Next Previous

< Back LAA appoints new CEO 22 Feb 2023 “This is my dream role and I can’t wait to get started!” Simon Tilling has been appointed as the new CEO of the Light Aircraft Association. He will start in his new role in mid-April. Simon brings to the Association a wealth of leadership, general management and customer service experience gained in the technology sector including ‘blue chip’ brands such as Dell and Sony, together with a passion for sport and recreational aviation. Simon is an experienced pilot who has owned various LAA types, including one of the UK’s oldest Taylorcraft Auster aircraft. He’s also a former British Air Racing champion and was from 2020 to 2022 the chairman of the Royal Aero Club ‘3Rs’ committee for races, records and rallies, during which time he regenerated the appeal of air racing to new participants. Eryl Smith, Chairman of the LAA said “I am delighted to announce Simon’s appointment as CEO of the LAA and look forward to working with him to further improve the performance and standing of the Association on behalf of our members.” Next Previous

< Back Mandatory Technical Directive issued for Pietenpol Air Campers 19 Jul 2024 Mandatory Technical Directive, MTD-06-2024 has been issued to introduce mandatory checks for corrosion on the wing rear struts. This follows a recent in-service finding where servere corrosion was found in a flying example of the type in the UK. The MTD must be carried out before further flight on or after 18th July 2024 on Pietenpol Air Camper aircraft fitted with the 'Jim Wills' wing rear struts. 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 - 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 Mandatory Technical Directive issued for Supermarine Spitfire mk26 and mk26a 16 Feb 2024 It has been found that there is potential for the fin of the Supermarine Spitfire Mk26 and 26B to be misaligned during build, due to a build-up of tolerances in the fin and its attachment, possibly leading to a mis-rigging of the rudder and failure to achieve the desired range of rudder travel. This could possibly result in degraded controllability in flight and on take-off and landing. In the interests of safety MTD 01-2024 calls for mandatory checks to be made on the fin alignment and rudder range of movement. Next Previous

< Back New LAA Inspector - Keith Troughton 4 Sept 2025 We are pleased to welcome Keith Troughton as a new LAA Inspector, having attended an LAA Inspector Assessment Day at Turweston recently. With an active aviation interest from a very young age, he has been involved in certified, homebuilt, and microlight aircraft for over 40 years. He is currently operating within a C.A.O. General Aviation Facility as a Licensed Aircraft Engineer (L.A.E.). He is a CAA-approved maintenance manager within an approved Aircraft Maintenance Facility, with access to most of the necessary tooling for standard aircraft maintenance support, including facilities to weigh aircraft, if required. Next Previous

Over the years this has led to several commercially successful kitplanes (Europa, Streak Shadow, Sherwood Ranger), as well as designs that have been released for plans-building (Flitzer, Isaacs Fury, FRED) and a whole range of fascinating on-off personal aircraft – the Acro Advanced, Bonsall Mustang, Mickleburgh Sparrow to name just a few. There will always be LAA’ers keen on the ‘retro’ look, but with ever-increasing fuel costs we foresee a greater emphasis in future on aircraft exploring higher efficiency, alternative powerplants (electric?) and renewable materials. High hangarage fees mean that aircraft enthusiasts are more than ever interested in folding or de-riggable aircraft that can be kept at home. Using the information provided by clicking the links below, the LAA hopes to stimulate interest in light aircraft design, help potential designers through the process and encourage the development of high quality designs. With the decline in UK manufacturing over the recent decades, it seems more than ever important to keep alive a thread of creativity and enthusiasm for design and development. For some, the ability to bring a personal design from first concept to a flying prototype provides the ultimate source of satisfaction within the LAA scene. Designing Aircraft Since its formation in 1948, one of the stated aims of the LAA has been to encourage the designing and building of new types of light aircraft. For our own purposes, we in LAA Engineering have been producing a series of Excel spreadsheets to use as tools in the verification of calculations in the many aircraft design submissions we deal with. The spreadsheets have been designed to carry out the various calculations that are necessary during the design of light aircraft. Some of them have been written against specific paragraphs in the design code CS-VLA, whereas others, for example, cover areas related to the development of aircraft undergoing flight testing. In addition, simple spreadsheets for straightforward mathematical calculations have been written. It is for information and educational purposes that these spreadsheets are now available to LAA members on the LAA web site. Use the buttons below for more information on each design stage: Preliminary Design Detail Design Certification/Approval