NEWS

COVID-19 and the LAA

We cannot ignore the impact of the Coronavirus or COVID-19, on all our lives. In the past weeks we’ve been making sure that the LAA HQ team has resilient back-up systems to ensure we can handle permit administration, engineering support and enquiries, even if we have to reduce office staffing to the minimum.

You should have received in recent weeks, emails keeping you up to date on the situation; if you haven’t, it could be that we don’t hold your correct email address. If that is the case, simply drop us an e-mail to office@laa.uk.com with your name, preferred email address and membership number and we’ll make sure you receive any urgent messages from us.

Basically, we made plans based on three contingency levels: normal service, reduced staffing, and a full closure of our offices. In mid-March, in line with Government advice, we moved to ‘Level 2’, with fewer members of staff in the office and others working from home on rotation. We still have the option to activate ‘Level 3’, with the office effectively closed and all the HQ team working from their homes.

Fortunately, part of our IT investment in recent years has enabled our records and databases to be stored outside our offices ‘in the Cloud’, which will allow members of staff to work from home and ‘self-isolate’ if required. Even if things escalate to a stage where we are forced to close the office completely, while there will inevitably be some disruption, we are still in a position to issue permit renewals and modification approvals online.

Help us to help you

Clearly though, ‘home working’ or having a restricted office presence means we will not be as readily available by telephone. If you have an enquiry, please help us to help you by emailing rather than phoning; either to office@laa.uk.com or engineering@laa.uk. com. Please avoid using personal email addresses too, indirect messages will get logged into the system by the admin team – and in these coming months as the virus takes effect, it will be particularly important not to assume that individuals are at their usual desks.

Grounding?

At the time of going to press, there haven’t been any restrictions placed on private flying. We are in daily contact with the CAA and DfT on this and have made the case against any prevention of GA flying, unless there is clear and pressing evidence of a health or safety case.

There is minimal likely risk to a pilot flying solo, providing pre- and post-flight social contact is minimised. There is clearly a greater risk of virus transmission if two or more people share a cockpit, but this risk is no greater than if they were sharing a car.

In contrast, there are a number of potentially adverse aviation safety implications of stopping flying. It would restrict pilot currency and continuity flying, creating risks which would outweigh any theoretical benefits to public health as things stand at the moment.

We’re currently discussing with the CAA, mitigating any difficulties which might arise from flying clubs, schools restricting dual instruction training, which may have a future impact on PPL revalidation and licence renewal flights. We would also advise owners whose aircraft may shortly require a CofV renewal check flight, to consider carrying out such a flight sooner rather than later, in case increased COVID precautions do restrict flying in the future.

In the meantime, please monitor our website on www.lightaircraftassociation. co.uk and our Facebook page for the latest information.

FAI Aviation Art Contest for Young People – judging and finalists

The Flying Yesterday and Tomorrow concept proved a challenge for many of our young artists, but over 70 imaginative entries for the UK national segment of the FAI International Art Competition were received at LAA headquarters by the end of January. This is the third year that the LAA, under the stewardship of Anne Hughes, has facilitated the contest for the UK.

In February we asked the editor of Pilot, Philip Whiteman, Chairman of the Guild of Aviation Artists Andrew Latham, and artist Eugenio Facci, to join Steve Slater (LAA CEO) to select the UK prize winners. After much discussion, three entries were chosen from each age group with a flight in a light aircraft, funded by the LAA, offered as the first prize in each category. The winning entries will now be sent to the FAI in Switzerland for international judging.

Sincere thanks to all who spent time and energy at airshows, events, youth groups and schools encouraging young people to send entries for the competition. A new title for the 2021 competition will be announced in a few weeks’ time with details on our at www.lightaircraftassociation.co.uk/art

Congratulations to our winners, who are: Junior group: Henry Bean, Fleur Bouchaud and Daisy Harris Intermediate group: Charlie Wilson, Bonnie Salter and Nathan Cox Senior group: Callum Doak, Millie Bailey and Ben Berry.

LAA Scottish Tour postponed to 2021

It is sad, but perhaps inevitable in the current circumstances, that we have been forced to postpone the planned 2020 LAA Scottish Tour, which was scheduled for late May and which attracted more than 90 expressions of interest. We are so grateful to all parties engaged in the organisation, including the Scottish Aero Club at Perth, the local Struts, airfields both north of the border and en route through England, NATS and so many more who have been so helpful and enthusiastic about the tour. They have already expressed their enthusiasm to help with the event in spring of 2021, the Association’s 75th Anniversary year.

Sadly the ‘Meet the LAA Days’ at Eshott on 23 May and at Perth on 30 May, marking the start and completion of the tour, have also had to be cancelled at the request of both airfields.

Event cancellations

Inevitably, as the Covid issues have intensified, more and more events have had to be cancelled – to the point where information that appears in the magazine will very likely have changed by the time you read it. As of 23 March, some of the more imminent events that have been cancelled are AERO Friedrichshafen (initially postponed but now cancelled), the Ernie Horsfall 102nd Birthday fly-in at Blackpool on 18/19 April, the one-day Duxford General Aviation Expo on 25 April, the Popham Microlight Fair on 2/3 May as well as the majority of Strut and Club meetings for April and May. Aero Expo at Booker on 11/13 June has also now been cancelled. As and when the situation improves, and we can once again mingle, it will be advisable to check any advertised event to ensure it is in fact still going ahead. Below right TLAC will soon be marketing the Comco C42C in the UK

Proposed LAA Jabiru engine courses

We have been planning a return of an Introduction To The Jabiru Engine course to be presented by Jabiru expert Roger Lewis, but the proposed dates in May have had to be cancelled. However, we would like to gauge demand, so if you are interested in attending such a course, drop an email to the office@laa.uk.com address so we can contact you when new dates have been arranged.

This one-day introductory course has been crafted to meet the needs of the Jabiru 2200 and 3300 owner who’d like to understand their engine a little better.

Though centred around owner- maintenance, Roger will guide the attendee into the deeper recesses of the engine’s construction, right down to the crankshaft. If your aircraft is powered by a Jabiru engine then this course will definitely be useful to you. The proposed course fee will be £120.

Left We will soon be holding Jabiru engine courses. Let us know if you are interested.

TLAC to offer C42C

UK Comco agent The Light Aircraft Company Ltd., based at Little Snoring Airfield in Norfolk, will take delivery of the UK’s first C42C model, to use as their demonstrator, in May 2020.

Since the launch of the Rotax 912 powered factory built C42A in the mid-90s, the type has been popular with training schools and private owners, moving on to the improved C42B variant in 2002. Although the C42C ha been available in Europe for several years, it is only now after significant testing that it makes its UK debit at the current 472.5kg microlight weight (includes ballistic chute), with a future MTOW of 560kg in readiness for any new regulation changes concerning increased MTOW weight in the UK.

The C42C is not merely a facelift model, it has undergone significant upgrades and comes with aerodynamic enhancements including wing profile changes, composite wing tips with winglets and aerodynamic spades on the ailerons to further enhance its great handling characteristics.

With a typical cruising speed of 115mph and an average fuel burn of 10 to 13 litres per hour, the C42C is a serious ‘go places’ aircraft. A wide range of exterior and interior options include personalised colour schemes and custom control panel layouts.

TLAC is able to offer a wide range of funding packages for both individuals, groups and flight training schools. Call to book your test flight. 01328 878809, email sales@g-tlac.com

IMPORTANT NEWS FOR PILOTS OF EASA AIRCRAFT

Changes to pilot licence and medical self-declaration requirements for EASA aircraft

Pilots with an EASA Light Aircraft Pilot’s Licence (LAPL) or Private Pilot’s Licence (PPL) who are using a self-declared medical to fly an EASA certificated aircraft in the UK, will no longer be able to do so after 8 April. They will have to get a LAPL Medical Certificate or a Class 2 Medical with an Aero-Medical Examiner (AME) or a LAPL Medical Certificate with their NHS General Practitioner (subject to certain criteria). And pilots currently using an NPPL or a UK PPL to fly an EASA aircraft in the UK will also no longer be able to do so after 8 April, they will need to obtain an EASA LAPL or PPL.

The exemption from EASA regulation that allows both of these privileges in the UK expires on Wednesday 8 April 2020. It can only be renewed if EASA extends its own derogation that permits National pilot licence holders to operate EASA certified aircraft.

EASA has not yet published a decision on extending its derogation, despite the efforts of the CAA and the DfT to resolve the issue, and are advising pilots who are likely to be affected to consider booking and completing a LAPL or Class 2 Medical to enable them to continue flying. Information about obtaining a GP-issued LAPL can be found here: https://tinyurl.com/rsx97nx. ■ Pilots flying non-EASA certificated aircraft, such as LAA Permit types, with a NPPLs, UK PPLs and/or medical self-declaration in the UK are not affected.

Letters

Rotax engine thefts

Thank you to those who have offered support and kind comments to myself and others who have recently had their engines stolen. I appreciate that the police have difficulty in resolving this issue as it would appear that they treat it as a local issue and perhaps fail to appreciate the value of the total losses incurred – the theft of Rotax 912 will cause an insurance claim in the order of £28,000!

Even before my loss, I was talking to another Europa owner, who had a similar loss late last year, about security in rural locations. He and I are now independently working towards anti-theft measures but have yet to find a solution. I have been looking at vehicle tracking devices but have not been able to find anything suitable.

My aircraft (at least what is left of it) is in

a hangar that is part of a farm complex. It has several occupied houses within 50 or so metres, the nearest one owned by the airstrip operator. It has WiFi but the signal does not reach the hangar, and there is also electricity in parts of the hangar.

I am getting the feeling that working individually will lead to, at best, duplication of ideas and more likely, third rate partial solutions devised by pilots who are not security experts. I therefore contacted LAA HQ as I think a good number of LAA members are in the same situation as those who have joined the ‘stolen engine’ club in that most permit aircraft live in a rural location that is difficult to secure. As my friend found out, even a steel hangar and a sturdy lock is not sufficient. Apart from Rotax engine thefts, I know that members have suffered unwelcome intrusion, damage and fuel thefts, so these are by no means isolated incidents.

I think that our association is best placed to investigate preventative strategies, there must surely be some security expertise among our membership who can help identify solutions.

Steve Slater is happy to coordinate responses and host a working group if required, so in the spirit of self-help for which our members are noted, any ideas on how we can make life far more difficult for the perpetrators of these crimes will be most welcome. In the first instance, please write to office@laa.uk.com.

Just to close, my only workable (maybe) idea so far is to put a form of car alarm on the aircraft to go off if the cowling is removed but of course, this will only work if you have people close enough to hear it. Regards, Tim Houlihan, G-RIXS.

“Any ideas on how we can make life far more difficult for the perpetrators of these crimes will be most welcome”

…and again Just started to read the current LAA magazine, and like everyone else I was horrified to read about the Rotax engine thefts. It got me thinking that with today’s technology, surely there must be a way to help prevent or at least reduce these occurrences. Perhaps something along the following lines.

Nearly everyone has a smartphone, and probably at least one older phone that is no longer in use. ■ Use this old phone, with a cheap sim card (like giffgaff) and a bespoke app. ■ A microswitch (or other type of sensor) could detect the removal of the cowling, and signal the smartphone. ■ The phone would then call the owner’s phone (and/or send a text message) who would decide on what action to take. Personally, I would prefer this notification rather than sounding an alarm, which could just cause the thieves to scarper. Better to notify the police, who may be in a position to catch them red-handed.

Does anything like this exist? If not, do we have any techies among our members who would be up for putting something together? Kind regards, Brian Mellor, LAA Coach.

Use of transponders

Good Morning Brian. Just got my LAA mag and a line in your Weather Warning (Editor’s Desk) caught my eye. (see, you are read!) “Please note that not using your correctly functioning transponder is illegal”. This is surely incorrect. Not using your transponder may be inadvisable, but I never thought it to be illegal. Kind Regards, John.

I’ll spare John his blushes by not using his surname but in case others are unaware, European Standardised European Rules of the Air (SERA) 13001: Operation of an SSR transponder came into force in the UK in 2017. It states (a) When an aircraft carries a serviceable SSR transponder, the pilot shall operate the transponder at all times during flight, regardless of whether the aircraft is within or outside airspace where SSR is used for ATS purposes. (b) Pilots shall not operate the IDENT feature unless requested by ATS. (c) Except for flight in airspace designated by the competent authority for mandatory operation of transponder, aircraft without sufficient electrical power supply are exempted from the requirement to operate the transponder at all times. Ed.

Muddled clutches

Dear Brian, avidly reading like I do, your magazine, there appears to be a slight error in the Rotax course article (page 42, top right) where the author has, ironically, confused the terms slipper clutch and sprag clutch while stating these items should not be confused….! It should have read:

He explained that most Rotax engines have a slipper clutch which wears out over time and needs to be checked. This is done by locking the gearbox with a special Rotax locking pin…..

The slipper clutch should not be confused with the sprag clutch, which also wears over time and is much more complicated to replace and is attached to the starter motor.’ Regards, Jerry. ■