Straight and Level

In the spotlight

The past month has provided a number of opportunities to put the Association and our members firmly in the spotlight. I use ‘spotlight’ as that has been adopted by Sophie O’Sullivan, the Head of the CAA’s GA and Drone Unit, to highlight and share what is happening in each of the key Sports and Recreational Aviation Associations. It was the LAA’s turn to feature recently, with members of Sophie’s team led by Mike Macdonald, GA Policy Manager, visiting Turweston to spend a day learning more about the LAA’s work, and discussing issues of mutual concern. I could then make a presentation to a meeting of the General Aviation Partnership, hosted by Sophie, setting out our strengths and capabilities, outlining the challenges we face and what we seek from our regulator. This provided the opportunity for some honest and robust discussion, which we will carry forward into meetings to review our A8-26 disposition, commencing shortly.

While the CAA is our regulator, we have made clear we seek to be partners, not adversaries, based on proportionate, performance-based regulation, if we are not to be unreasonably constrained in what and how we do it. After all, we bring 75 years of knowledge and experience to the table! I hope we can have a constructive dialogue and that I can report positive progress.

Updates from the Chairman and CEO

Elsewhere the spotlight has fallen on the activities of our Struts and members. The end of April saw the Wessex Strut Fly-in at Henstridge, with the Andover Strut supporting the LAA’s stand at the Microlight Trade Fair at Popham a week later. Both are examples of how grassroots members come together, make things happen and promote the Association! It was great to meet LAA members at both events, as well as the VAC fly-in, at Popham on the Monday.

I am delighted that during the course of the Microlight weekend we were able to announce an agreement with Ray Everitt of Dragon Aviation, importers of the Ukrainian Aeroprakt A32 Vixxen, to work together on CAA registration of the aircraft as a sub-600kg microlight in its kit-built version and also introducing it as a factory-built model. This represents an exciting step forward following the introduction of the 600kg category and the first of what I hope will be similar initiatives with support to manufacturers and importers from LAA’s Engineering team.

Finally, I had the pleasure of hosting LAA award winners at the Royal Aero Club Annual Awards evening, presented by the Minister of Aviation. LAA members secured awards and commendations in 13 categories and their exploits were truly inspiring. They ranged from one of our youngest members, Travis Ludlow, who in July 2021 became the youngest ever pilot to fly round the world, to one of our oldest members, Ted Barrett, who at over 100, is still flying regularly, and encompassed individual meritorious activities and lifelong contribution to the Association. Congratulations to you all! ■

One of the real treats for me, as we have been progressively released from Covid restrictions, is the ability for us to get together at events face-to-face, or even just for a chat in the hangar after a day’s flying. Recent highlights for me have included meeting fellow flyers at the GA Expo at Duxford, the Microlight Fayre at Popham and a return to relative normality for the annual Royal Aero Club awards, at which more than a dozen awards were collected by people with LAA connections.

While the Expo at Duxford was relatively poorly promoted and attended, it was a case of ‘the right crowd and no crowding’. The event was hosting the British Air Display Association and Historic Aircraft Association’s respective AGMs and it was great to host many of the world’s air display greatest names at our show trailer, which turned out to be the biggest exhibition unit in the display hall. In particular though, it was a privilege to host on our stand, 19-year-old Zara Rutherford, fresh from her solo round-the-world flight. If you get the chance to meet her, do take the opportunity, she’s a truly inspirational character.

The Microlight Trade Fair was somewhat better populated, and our shared display area manned by both the LX Aviation team and members of the Andover Strut, saw us enjoy meeting friends both old and new. Of course, we were also delighted to announce our relationship with Dragon Aviation to help facilitate the approval of their Vixxen aircraft into the UK, as factory-built 600kg microlights. We’ll have some further announcement to make in this vein as the summer goes on.

I elected not to go to AERO Friedrichshafen this year, as the LAA was already well represented by engineers Jerry Parr and Ben Syson, and if like me you didn’t attend, there is a great report from Ed Hicks in this issue (p26) on some of the exciting aircraft on display. Am I jealous? Just a bit!

The Royal Aero Club Awards in London are traditionally the ‘Oscars’ of the aviation world and after a Covid absence, it was a true privilege to join LAA members whose achievements were being recognised. While there isn’t space here for me to name all the recipients, I was particularly proud to see Francis Donaldson receive a RAeC Diploma, one of the Club’s highest accolades, for his commitment to the LAA and to light aviation. A truly welldeserved award.

However, the real highlight for me was watching an animated post-awards chat between Travis Ludlow, who last year at 18, became the youngest-ever pilot to fly solo around the world and Ted Barratt, the winner of the ‘Old and Bold’ award. By the time you read this, Ted will have celebrated his 101st birthday, but remains a regular flyer, engineer and LAA Inspector, as well as participating in LAA YES young people’s events. Listening to old and new, face-to-face, sharing their passion for flying, is for me, what it’s all about.. ■