CAA Safety Sense updates

The second and third of the revised series of the CAA Safety Sense leaflets have been released. There’s an all new leaflet that covers using VFR moving maps devices, plus a fully revised version of the Winter Flying leaflet.

https://tinyurl.com/caasafetysense

We have a vacancy for an airworthiness engineer to be part of the LAA Engineering team based at Turweston. The successful applicant will be involved with all aspects of continued airworthiness for the LAA-administered fl eet of aircraft.

Main duties will be assisting with Permit to Fly revalidations, providing technical assistance to LAA members, producing instructions and technical articles for LA magazine.

The applicant must demonstrate experience in all aspects of general aviation airworthiness including a thorough knowledge of airframes, engines, modern avionics and aircraft systems. A knowledge of vintage and classic aircraft as well as newer LAA types would be advantageous.

Candidates should be IT competent with Microsoft Offi ce, have a friendly personality and the ability to work within a small team – and also independently.

Excellent communication skills are required and attention to detail is essential. Training on in-house systems will be given.

This is a full-time post, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. It is principally based at LAA HQ, but some travel will also be required. Salary dependent on experience.

Please send your CV to offi ce@laa.uk.com

11,000th Van’s Aircraft RV flies

Van’s Aircraft has announced that homebuilders Lennard Nichols and Jay Conlin, of Cardston, Alberta, Canada, had the honour of finishing the 11,000th Van’s RV. Their RV-7A, the 1,885th example of the type to fly, a remarkable number in itself, flew on November 29.

Build-a-plane needs engine help

An update from LAA Member David Mole - Some years ago, UTC Heathrow (formerly Heathrow Aviation Engineering UTC) acquired the kit for a TLAC Sherwood Ranger biplane under the build-a-plane project. Progress was stalled for at least two years by the pandemic, but the project is underway again with the kind help of LAA Inspector Alan James with Ian Wilkins Assistant Principal, the senior students, and myself as general gopher.

The fuselage will soon be ready to stand on its own undercarriage, and we now need to decide on an engine as that will influence the configuration of the front of the fuselage Alan and I have in mind acquiring and, if necessary, refurbishing a cheap second-hand Rotax 582. So if any LAA member knows of such an item sitting languishing and unloved in a dark corner of a hangar somewhere, we should be very interested in hearing about it and maybe giving it a new and worthwhile home. moled835@gmail.com

EC system manufacturer

PilotAware has announced its latest SkyGRID update.

PilotAware claims that with SkyGRID, each airborne PilotAware device will become the equivalent of an airborne ATOM station, relaying all known traffic information detected from multiple sources, including the UK’s 230+ ATOM stations, which have also been upgraded.

It also says that low-flying aircraft and drones will benefit from the update, which will relay all known traffic either from ATOM stations below, or the SkyGRID up above. Also, if you are flying but not in range of an ATOM station, the system will seek an airborne SkyGRID user to provide coverage.

Users can update to SkyGRID using the free PilotAware Firmware Updater. Any PilotAware device running software later than 20190621 can use the app, and no hardware updates are required.

Other features are included in the SkyGRID update and will be enabled remotely, later in 2022. www.pilotaware.com/skygrid