Headset review
LAA Rally is GO! Rally Chairman Eryl Smith updates on the final stages of planning for this year’s 75th Anniversary Rally and looks forward to welcoming exhibitors, members and visitors back to Sywell on 3rd, 4th and 5th September…
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he good news is that once again we can gather at Sywell for our Rally, renew friendships, enjoy all that is best in the world of powered sport and recreational flying, celebrate the Association’s 75th Anniversary and put some FUN back into our flying. Sywell 2019 seems a long time ago and, after the disappointment of having to cancel last year’s event, I am delighted that we are able to go ahead with this year’s Rally, albeit with some changes to the established format to ensure that we can all enjoy a Covid-safe event. Planning for the Rally continues to present challenges and there is much still to do but with the support of our exhibitors, the many volunteers who assist in setting up and running the event and the close collaboration between the HQ and Sywell teams, but we will get there! Whilst many large scale events have had to cancel, reschedule or radically change what they can offer, this year’s Rally aims to provide all the usual exhibits and facilities members have come to expect. In addition to a host of exhibitors with products, services and aircraft on display, we have enlarged the ever-popular homebuild and flea market areas, expanded provision for Speaker’s Corner, and will display some of the iconic aircraft that illustrate the 75 years of the Association. All this is supported by on site camping and car parking, and a range of catering and hotel accommodation on and off site.
22 | LIGHT AVIATION | August 2020
Above The Rally is GO! See you there. Photo: Ed Hicks.
Covid-safe Rally
The one major change that visitors to the rally exhibition site can expect is that at an early stage we moved away from our traditional large, enclosed marquees housing many of the exhibitors and LAA stands, in favour of a more dispersed chalet style arrangement of exhibitor stands. This ensures that we can encourage the maximum social distancing adjacent to stands and an open plan exhibition environment. The Working Group continues to monitor and adapt the Rally plans in light of the latest government and local environmental health guidelines. Whilst acknowledging the continued uncertainties, the Government’s latest announcements that remove the mandatory requirement for social distancing and the wearing of facemasks significantly eases the constraints on the event. At the time of writing, we have no plans to enforce social distancing requirements, the wearing of face masks or the need for temperature checks or vaccine passports to attend the event. However, we ask that everyone be respectful of others’ needs and be responsible for their own actions. You will find the latest Covid safety announcements and guidelines for the Rally on the LAA Rally website pages, and these will be updated as necessary.
What to look out for at the Rally
As ever there will be a wide range of exhibitors present at the Rally. Many of the regular exhibitors have now
