CEO Thoughts
Looking back, looking ahead
I
hope you’ll enjoy the added bonus this month of your copy, free of charge to all members, of a special LAA book. As we come out of Covid lockdown, I hope this marks a great way to kick off the celebrations of our 75th Anniversary. The book takes us back to 1946, when the Ultra Light Aircraft Association was inaugurated. Looking back, it is amazing how the same challenges have come up time after time over the succeeding decades – airspace threats, airfield closures, economic upheavals and well-meaning but sometimes overzealous legislators. Speaking of which… Thank you to all who have responded to the CAA’s public consultation on the proposed changes to delegated airworthiness organisation approvals. At the time of writing, I’m informed that the CAA ‘inbox’ contains several hundred responses, an unprecedented level for such a consultation. As I wrote in an email to members, the LAA has serious reservations about many of the changes proposed, including the introduction of large swathes of regulation from the certified world which significantly increase bureaucracy and the cost of providing an airworthiness service, with no commensurate improvement in the safety of our activities. If these changes are passed, the costs of the additional administration and bureaucracy will inevitably have to be passed on through higher fees to LAA members. In addition to the proposals themselves, we have expressed serious disquiet about how they were achieved. In the past, all major changes to regulations have been achieved through a collaborative process that have almost always produced a result that is supported and respected by those who have to implement those regulations. The original A8-26 approval was created via a working group consisting of the CAA, the LAA and the BMAA, involving nearly three years of collaborative effort to achieve the agreed regulation. This time, despite our asking to be involved, there has been no such attempt at collaboration. At the end of 2019, we discovered that the CAA General Aviation Unit (GAU) had been working on a revision to A8-26, using resources from outside of the GAU (rather than those familiar with LAA and BMAA procedures) to develop changes, and without the usual collaborative working group process. Although some minor changes have been made as a result of subsequent representations, it is regretted that the CAA has decided to put these proposed changes out for public consultation without having achieved a consensus, which means that our differences have to be aired in public. The consultation closed on 28 May and it will be interesting to see how the CAA will respond to our proposal that the CAA should temporarily withdraw these proposals, and only resubmit
62 | LIGHT AVIATION | June 2021
CEO Thoughts
By Steve Slater
them after a collaborative working group has been convened and a proper consensus with both BMAA and LAA achieved. I genuinely hope that we can return to that type of relationship. Perhaps like us, the CAA can learn from history and build for the future.
Historical precedent
Another thing that the LAA 75 book research taught me is that even the Covid lockdown, or at least its effect on recreational flying, had its historical precedent. Twenty years ago this year, we had to abandon plans for the Popular Flying Association’s annual Rally, at that time due to restrictions on flying posed by an outbreak of Foot and Mouth disease. Last year of course, the LAA Rally was a casualty of the pandemic. This year we hope it will be different. Our plans for the 2021 Rally at Sywell from 3-5 September include a redesign of the exhibitor area to allow social distancing to be maintained, with more open-sided marquees to ensure appropriate ventilation. Other attractions, such as our ‘Speakers Corner’ and evening entertainment, are also being developed to offer Covid-safe environments. The Rally will also celebrate the 75th Anniversary with special exhibits and some rarely seen aircraft of all generations. Most importantly, as our Rally Chairman Eryl Smith has said, “It’s 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.” Of course, the LAA Rally and the book are not our only celebrations. As you’ll read in these pages (if like me, you start with the adverts and work forwards), you’ll see updates on our LAA 75 Anniversary Tour and also our ‘Flying For Fun’ evening airshow and gathering at the Shuttleworth Collection. All are welcome, so I hope we can get together in July and enjoy our passion for flying. From the beginning the ULAA, PFA and latterly the LAA’s aims have been ‘affordable aviation’ and most importantly, ‘flying for fun’. Today our priorities remain the same, enhanced by new technologies. The new generation of factory-built, 450-600kg light sport aircraft will offer sport flyers even more choice and I’m glad to report that after a short hiatus while CAA and DfT lawyers discussed legal definitions for the new legislation, the CAA hopes to announce the new category just before the LAA Rally. We hope to see some of the first of the new types at Sywell, and as the LAA is also the perfect environment for innovators to drive forward with alternative technologies that will see the next generation of sport flyers taking to the air, we might see some other new ideas too. Exciting times indeed! ■
