WelCome

By Association Vice President, Brian Davies

If you are interested in small aircraft, either as a pilot, owner or an enthusiast, then the light aircraft association (laa) is here to help you enjoy your passion. the laa is a not-for-profit members’ association that exists for you to enjoy recreational aviation in a low cost and safe way.

We have around 7,800 members who range from highly experienced pilots to amateur aircraft builders to aircraft spotters, or members who simply enjoy reading about light aircraft. We manage to keep our member cost low by working through a team of volunteers and regional clubs, often called Struts, and aircraft type clubs, based around the UK, supported by a small team of paid staff based at Turweston airfield in Buckinghamshire.

Many people are surprised to learn that you can build your own aircraft at home and then fly it not only around the UK, but throughout Europe and beyond.

This is only possible because organisations such as the LAA exist to help you do this in a safe and cost effective way. the majority of our members own aircraft that cost less than a medium-sized family car, and the running costs and insurance can be about the same if you are happy to do your own maintenance. as part of the service that we offer we have a team of more than 350 aircraft inspectors who are more than happy to help you live the dream.

In order to fly safely, there are regulations that require you to hold a pilot’s license and for the aircraft to be approved as being fit for flight. The LAA is delegated by the UK Civil aviation authority to oversee the construction and maintenance of amateur-built aircraft and also some vintage aircraft, and we also operate a Pilot Coaching scheme so that you can continue to fly and expand your horizons in a safe and affordable manner. in a world of ever-increasing regulation and restriction, it is vital that our freedom to fly for fun is protected. A key role of the laa is to champion that freedom and we are an influential voice that is in direct contact with politicians and regulators in the UK and europe. our aim is to work in partnership with the regulators, and we have a long history of success in keeping things as simple and practical as possible so that you can focus on enjoying the world of flying for fun.

Above all we are a member’s association made up of like-minded people, so please join us by clicking on our website at www.laa. uk.com or come and chat to one of our team at Aero Expo or the LAA Rally at Sywell in September. Alternatively contact an LAA Strut nearest to you, you can find the contact details on our website.

There are also flying events organised by LAA members almost every weekend in the summer at airfields around the country.

Why not pop along and have a chat? LAA

Contents

3 WelCome 4 Flying For Fun 6 Permit to Fly AirCrAFt 11 lAA AdVoCACy 12 grouP Flying 14 ClAssiC And VintAge AirCrAFt 16 the lAA rAlly 19 gyroCoPters 20 Light AviAtion mAgAzine 22 AirCrAFt Building BAsiCs 25 lAA youth eduCAtion 26 lAA trAining Courses 28 Pilot CoAChing And Wings sCheme 30 struts And tyPe CluBs

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The LAA team

President Roger Hopkinson MBE Vice Presidents Brian Davies and John Brady Chairman Tim Hardy CEO stephen slater Chief Engineer Francis Donaldson, B.Tech C.Eng FRAeS Chief Inspector Ken Craigie Editor, Light Aviation magazine Brian Hope