RALLY HO

Rally 2021 set to fly!

With everything starting to look a tad brighter it looks like it is all systems go for the LAA 75th Anniversary Rally…

The incredible success of the NHS coronavirus vaccination programme, and the consequent Government Roadmap, is presenting a very positive outcome for the 2021, LAA 75th Anniversary Sywell Rally to possibly be run as close to ‘normal’ as possible. The Rally Committee, headed by Eryl Smith, is optimistic that the disappointment of last year’s cancellation of the event will not be repeated, and its first post-Roadmap meeting has begun work in earnest to plan for this year’s event. This includes reviewing the site layout and protocols to ensure we can offer all visitors and exhibitors a Covid-safe environment. The team are looking forward to welcoming everyone back to Sywell for what will be the UK’s first major sport and recreational flying event in almost two years, providing a great opportunity to see all that is new as well as catching up with many old acquaintances!

Discussions are ongoing with our marquee providers, but by early April we plan to be in a position to settle the site layout and commence the sale of exhibitor space. Since the announcement of the Roadmap, we have been encouraged by the enthusiasm of many of our long-term exhibitors, who are requesting booking information and looking forward to returning to the informal, friendly atmosphere of this long-established event on the British aviation calendar. For visitors too, the Rally Exhibition offers opportunities not only for bargains and special deals, but also the chance to see and touch the latest tech, with experts on hand to answer all your queries and advise on what best suits your particular needs.

We are planning to provide all the features that members and visitors have come to expect from past Rallies, such as airside access – free of course for members and £10 per day for non-members. This presents such an excellent opportunity for people to get to see the aircraft up close, meet and chat to the pilots and perhaps learn how accessible and affordable aircraft ownership can be. If you are thinking of buying an aircraft, the Rally is the optimum opportunity to see so many different possibilities first-hand. There are inevitably aircraft in the park that are actually on the market, so you might even see the machine of your dreams! The success of Speakers Corner, and the Saturday night keynote speaker slot in ‘Hangar 2’ in 2019, when Ivan Shaw presented on his spectacular ISA 180 Seeker, has prompted a possible repeat of a keynote speaker for the Saturday evening, prior to the usual musical evening on entertainment in the Hangar 1 bar. Once again, throughout the weekend, we are planning to host a top-notch programme of lectures and presentations representing all facets of ‘our’ kind of aviation. The Homebuilders Centre is a highlight for many at the event, providing insight into what is involved in building your own aircraft. An array of part-built projects, representing all media – wood, metal and composite – with their builders, will be on display, plus experts in particular build disciplines. It is yet another opportunity to learn of the possibilities the LAA offers you to attain whatever your desires are in recreational aviation.

Being in close proximity to Silverstone and Northampton, there is excellent provision for hotel accommodation in the Sywell area, including of course, the Aviator Motel and restaurant on site. We also provide a campsite, serviced with regularly cleaned toilets, hot showers and washing facilities, right across the road from the airfield entrance. It opens from Thursday evening until Monday morning for a fixed price of £30 per unit for the duration, or as short a time as you wish to stay. Camping passes can be purchased in advance via the LAA online shop.

Sustenance is well provided for by catering facilities in the exhibition area, with plenty of tables and chairs to meet friends for tea and a chat, the Hangar 1 bar, that also serves breakfast on Friday, Saturday and Sunday morning plus hot food on Saturday evening, and the Pilot’s Mess café, up at the tower end of the airfield.

Admission prices to the event have always represented excellent value for money, particularly for members who pay just £6 to cover all three days, including airside access. The non-member admission price rises to £15, also for all three days, plus an additional £10 per day for airside access.

We will keep members up to speed as developments for the 2021 LAA 75th Anniversary Rally continue, including of course the arrivals procedure for pilots. Slot booking is expected to open at the beginning of August.

We intend making this not just a commemoration of 75 years of the largest powered flying Association in the UK, but also a celebration of the return to a normal, stress and Covid risk-free way of life. ■

Callout for volunteers

As you can imagine, it takes a fair amount of volunteer effort to stage the Rally each year, it is ostensibly a volunteer effort and we are fortunate to have a core team of people who turn up, year in year out, to put this event together. However, as the result of missing a year, we are concerned that we may have a shortage of help this year, so are appealing for willing hands to join the team. It’s not all hard work of course, there’s a lot of camaraderie and fun, and you will certainly meet new friends. The Wednesday and Thursday before the show opens, and the Monday after it closes, the build-up and teardown days are the busiest but we also need helpers throughout the event itself. If you can join the Rally team at any time throughout that period, we would love to hear from you.

Please contact LAA HQ at office@laa.uk.com or call 01280 846796 (ext. 2). Thank you.