2022 LAA Armstrong-Isaacs bursary recipients named

Five young aviators have each received £1,500, as winners of the 2022 LAA Armstrong-Isaacs Bursaries. Funded by legacies from former Association luminaries David Armstrong and John Isaacs, the bursaries are an important part of the Light Aircraft Association’s support for young pilots.

More than 40 applicants reached the final assessment stage this year.

Rares Turku from Essex, Samuel Allison from East Yorkshire, Matt Finch from Monmouthshire, Anna Morgan

LAA members honoured in Royal Aero Club Awards

Each year the Royal Aero Club acknowledges the work and achievements of members of the aviation community. LAA nominees this year received some of the most prestigious awards:

• RAeC Diploma – Francis Donaldson. In recognition of 30 years of engineering services to light aviation and the LAA.

• The Britannia Trophy – Travis Ludlow. For the youngest-ever solo round-the-world flight at age 18 and for subsequent presentations to LAA Struts and young people.

• The Old and Bold Trophy – Ted Barnett. One hundred years old and remains an active pilot.

• The Norton Griffiths Challenge Trophy – Amy Whitewick and Mervyn from Surrey and Nathaniel McMurray from Manchester are the five recipients who will receive the funds designed to help them through that expensive period of training when they have to complete the cross-country training and Nav tests – a time when all too often, money starts to run out.

Look out for more on the recipients in next month’s Light Aviation Applications for next year’s Bursaries will open at the end of the summer, with applications made via the LAA website.

White. Creating the first ever portrait drawn by an aircraft and the most complex GPS image ever drawn by air.

• Nexus Aviation Journalist of the Year – Steve Slater. For articles on aviation history in Pilot and Aeroplane magazines.

• RAeC Bronze Medal – Tony Palmer for work with the Southern Strut, LAA Inspector, aircraft restorer, and support for Bristell builders and owners, David Cyster for 50+ years of inspirational Tiger Moth adventures, Cathy Silk for support and fund-raising for the Vintage Aircraft Club and Cliff Lovell for a lifetime contribution to vintage aeroplane restoration.

• RAeC Certificates of Merit

Courtney and Mark Chambers for the creation of New Farm airstrip in Northamptonshire as a hub for local fliers, Mike Waldron for supporting and heading the LAA Gloster Strut, Fiona Macaskill in recognition of records in paragliding and air racing and finally, LAA Rally A/G Radio Team for safely supporting over 1,500 aircraft movements at the 2021 LAA Rally.

Race School Introduction Day and Survey

The Royal Aero Club – Racing, Rally and Records Association of Great Britain have announced a free-to-attend ‘Introduction to the Royal Aero Club and Race School Experience Day’. Taking place on 23 and 24 April 2022 at Popham Airfield, any interested pilot can meet the team and gather information on the British Air Racing series.

Each day includes an Air Race Theory groundschool incorporating the rules and regulations, and the possibility of flying with an experienced air race check pilot around a short course to demonstrate the basic flying and navigation skills required. On Saturday evening you can also meet the club members at a social event. For more information, please visit www. britishairracing.org/become-a-racer, or to register for a place email secretary@ royalaeroclubrrra.co.uk

It is also running a survey that it would like pilots to participate in, which can be found on its website https:// www.RoyalAeroClubRRRA.co.uk/ survey

New LAA member discount

Manchester-based Light Aircraft Avionics is offering LAA members benefit discounts on various avionic instruments, including SkyEcho, Avidyne. Trig and more. Contact Gary Hall avionics@live.co.uk

LAA Oshkosh 2022 and 2023

From the original expectation of 10-20 people, organiser Brian Mellor dealt with around 100 applications. and managed to secure arrangements via George Pick Travel for over 50 people to come this year.

If you couldn’t be included this time, but are planning your own travel to the event, please let us know if you would like to be included in any social events and messaging / information while the group is at Oshkosh.

This trip is likely to be repeated next year, starting earlier with a plan, the time and space to include everyone who can commit to the trip. If there is a greater demand than places available, consideration will be given to those members who were unsuccessful in joining the trip this time around.

Northampton strip planning help

Courtney Chambers, pilot and owner of New Farm Airstrip is seeking support for his retrospective planning application for the airstrip on his farm. The strip ran into problems last year, but given it had been running for a number of years, Northampton Council agreed that it could continue pending a retrospective application. If you would like to add your support to the application, please visit this link. https://tinyurl.com/Newfarmairstrip

YES Education Conference

The 2022 Youth and Education Support conference will take place via Zoom on 11 March, 7-9pm. Details of how to attend will be sent out from Turweston by the LAA prior to the event. President of YES, Stewart Luck adds, “There will be speakers from the LAA and YES, plus guest speakers from the likes of the Jet Age Museum, Aerobility, WAT, the British Federation Skills Trust, Shuttleworth Discovery Zone, the Air Scouts, plus others. Bring a pen and paper ready to take notes!”

RAeS Lecture:

Long builds and short flights

Kit Buchanan will be talking about his experiences at the Icarus Cup Human Powered Flying event since 2013. Kit was the winner in 2019, when he completed a record breaking triangle flight taking just over six minutes and was again the winner in the 2021. He will also be discussing his ideas for revolutionising the building of HP aircraft using 3D printed parts and techniques. 1800, 22 March at No.4 Hamilton Place, London

Schaffen-Diest returns

August 12-14 sees the return of Schaffen-Diest Fly-In. Offers to visiting aircraft include a lunch for crew members, the possibility of camping overnight at the airfield, shuttle transport to and from surrounding hotels, and a barbecue on Saturday evening with a live band. guyvalvekens@gmail.com, www.dac.be

Eric Clutton 1928 – 2022

Eric Clutton, designer of the Flying Runabout Experimental Design (FRED) homebuilt aeroplane, passed away on 5 February at the age of 93 in Tullahoma, Tennessee; his home in recent years.

In the 1930s Eric was a student at Hanley High School, the same school that R J Mitchell attended. He would, therefore, claim to be Stoke-on-Trent’s ‘second-ever’ aircraft designer. His passion for aircraft during the wartime years was fuelled by aeromodelling, and on leaving school he started work at Rootes’ aviation shadow factory, at Meir Aerodrome. He even graduated to ground running as well as taxying the P-51 Mustangs being assembled there.

Eric continued his model flying post-war and later gained the title ‘Doctor Diesel’ for his expertise with radio models. His dream of flying an aircraft designed and built by himself was finally fulfilled on 3 November, 1963 when G-ASZY, the original FRED, took to the air. Those early days were a throwback to aviation’s early pioneers as the impecunious Clutton experimented with various motorcycle engines. Eric once claimed he’d suffered 11 engine failures, without ever flying outside the airfield!

FRED was eventually re-engined with VW power (like the other dozen or so built in the UK), and the prototype was a regular visitor to PFA rallies, until it, and Eric, emigrated to the USA in the late 1970s. There he worked on several ultralight designs, including with Wayne Ison, the popular Minimax, but his beloved FRED was still his favourite. Steve Slater

Martin Ryan 1953 – 2022

Martin sadly passed away following a bravely fought battle with cancer. Perhaps unsurprisingly he was enjoying a flying day with his good friend Frank when he was initially taken ill at Compton Abbas Airfield.

Martin undertook his engineering training with Rolls-Royce and his knowledge of aircraft engines, turbine or piston, was expert. He went on to use that throughout his career working in the aviation industry.

An accomplished rugby player and cricketer in his younger days, he also had a passion for steam trains where he trained to become a driver. Martin devoted considerable time as a volunteer, particularly as part of the King 6024 team.

A familiar face in the Vintage Piper Aircraft Club, Martin owned a J4 Cub Coupe, and subsequently a Stinson 108-2. As an honorary member of the Aeronca Club over the last 20 years, many of us had the privilege of his company on trips far and wide where the wines and beers, and Martin’s laughter, helped get us through the nights in tents. .

Ever helpful, whether to individuals or organisations, if Martin could help he would, and was a familiar sight at LAA rallies and the Lundy Sunday Fly-ins. He was also a regular volunteer taking disadvantaged and sick children, Scouts and other groups for flights, even from bases distant from his home airfield at Garston Farm in Wiltshire.

Martin leaves a daughter Jennifer, a son George and a granddaughter Ivy.

Rest in peace, we will miss you. Pete White co-pilot flying Dakotas on charter flights from Europe to Johannesburg. He also flew with the RAF Volunteer Reserve at Bristol Filton. In 1953 Cardiff-based Cambrian Air Services was looking to recruit two additional pilots, one of those appointments was for a DC-3 co-pilot. No doubt Ken’s Dak experience paid off – the only other Dak-rated pilot in the company was its managing director. Ken went on to fly Viscounts and BAC 1-11s, ending a distinguished 27-year airline career at British Airways as senior captain on Lockheed Tri-Stars.

Kenneth (Ken) Wakefield 1928 – 2022

In 1944, when the American Army based Piper L-4s on an airstrip near Bristol, it had a huge influence on a West Country lad. “One day I’ll own one of those,” he pledged. This marked the beginning of Ken’s association with the Piper Cub and other US Liaison aircraft. And 38 years later he achieved that ambition, owning one of those L-4s that arrived in Bristol back in 1944.

Along the way, Ken gained his PPL and soon became a

Ken was a member of the Royal Aeronautical Society and holder of the Master Pilot Award of the Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators. He devoted much of his time researching and writing books on WWII US liaison aircraft, becoming a world expert on the subject. Any restorer, before starting his project, begins today by reading the ‘books of Ken’ like The Fighting Grasshoppers and Lightplanes at War, and he was always happy to help. With extreme kindness, he encouraged youngsters, gave advice to hundreds of pilots, and through his meticulous research and publications connected families of veterans with the past. We have lost a true gentleman and godfather to the L-Birds.

Mike Mothershaw

European Luscombe Fly-in

Dear Ed,

After a long absence, the European Luscombe and Friends (ELF) Fly-in returns in grand style at the newly reopened and scenic Farway Common Airstrip in Devon.

Although it’s specifically a Luscombe owners event, we are also inviting those affiliated with Luscombes; previous owners and aspiring Luscombe pilots..

The event begins Saturday 23 July and finishes Sunday 24. There is a large BBQ – and a deep freeze and fridge are provided to keep your drinks cool – so bring and cook your own! Camping space with basic toiletries are provided.

Thanks to the kind generosity of Farway’s new owners James and Catherine, we hope to make this an annual event. We’re also hoping to beat the previous record of 25 Luscombes set at Oaksey Park Airfield!

Please ‘register’ on the European Luscombe Facebook page to let us know you’re coming. tinyurl.com/EuropeanLuscombeFacebook nwbarratt@btinternet.com smurchison1@googlemail.com

Should be a great event!

Nigel Barratt and Steph Murchinson. 07968 980624.

KR Aircraft are 50!

Dear Ed,

2022, is the 50th anniversary of the KR Aircraft. Designed by partners Ken Rand and Stu Robinson, the KR series of experimental aircraft was the first to make extensive use of foam / fibreglass / epoxy construction, and should be considered as the design that pushed aircraft construction into the composite age.

The KR1 first appeared at Oshkosh in 1972 and was an instant success. Built of wood / foam / Dynel / epoxy, it achieved outstanding performance on a low hp VW engine. Easy and inexpensive to build, hundreds of plans were sold. Requests for a two-place aircraft led to the KR2 making its appearance at Oshkosh in 1974, again an overwhelming success. With thousands of sets of plans sold for the two models, hundreds of them were soon flying around the world. The KR aircraft set the stage for the composite revolution in aircraft construction. With constant builder input, the KR series has grown to include the KR2S, a stretched version of the two-place KR2, and hundreds of one of a kind KRs that vary in length, width, wingspan, engines used, new wing shapes, canopy shapes, and systems upgrades. A great basic design that only improved with time and builder input. The following video gives a brief update on what has happened to the KR design over its 50 year history. https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=K3U-LNdm3y4

Respectfully, Larry Flesner, KR builder / pilot N211LF

IFR approval

In December 2019 we first flew our aircraft, built and equipped with the express intention of IFR approval. It has two alternators, main battery, standby battery, full Garmin suite including a standalone G5 as backup with up to five hours on its internal battery. Oh, and an iPad with SkyDemon!

There is a rule that you cannot get approval in less than a year, but we were allowed to request an assessor in August 2020. In Dec 2020 we were finally allocated an assessor. The requirements specified in TL 2.28 are not particularly onerous, and we believe we have complied with them all. As part of our own testing, we disabled the main alternator and established that the standby alternator could easily power all services indefinitely, including pitot heat, without any load shedding. If both alternators and both batteries were to fail, it could still be flown in IFR for two hours or more on the G5 and iPad, albeit without pitot heat.

We supplied the current consumptions of all the equipment in amps (twice), and were then asked for it in watts, which we again supplied promptly. This took many months between requests, but one flight could have demonstrated so much more effectively the multiple redundancy and capability of the systems. The response we got was to question our figures on the basis that ‘you seem to have a lot of circuit breakers!’. I guess we do, but these modern avionics use less than half the power of our other aircraft (a Cirrus SR20). our

One problem is that we have never spoken to our assessor (he doesn’t take phone calls). We have never met him. He has never seen the aeroplane, let alone flown in it.

Steve Slater wrote in December’s magazine that maybe we should be using outside, paid-for resources. I agree.

In fact, we took the aircraft to RGV at Gloucester for a radio annual and for the MOD 17 approval of ADS-B out of our certified transponder. This involves, among other things, a thorough check of all the wiring, the power requirements and altimeter calibration. They were very complimentary, I am glad to say.

The current situation is that the LAA has paused the whole IFR approval process, so although we have jumped through all the hoops (there are other things such as POH requirements and a proper maintenance schedule), we have effectively got nowhere in more than two years, and have no immediate prospect of any progress.

I do not think there is much wrong with the IFR approval process as written, provided it is properly resourced. Having volunteers is a great strength of the LAA. It is also a weakness. Why not farm out some of the technical side? Why try to second-guess a professional avionics workshop? With that proviso, I believe there are many people, inspectors and others, who are perfectly capable of conducting an IFR approval. It is not ‘magic’ and the broad requirements are quite straightforward. An assessor needn’t get involved in the detail of Can bus architecture or the 192 connections on a G3X. Leave that to a professional avionics workshop with a reputation like RGV. Our avionics is the same as another RV, which already has IFR approval, but with some extras. It is a known quantity with more than two years of operation behind it on this aircraft alone.

We do not know what more we can do. It would be interesting to hear the experience of others going through this process.

Name and address withheld by request

John Ratcliffe: LAA Engineering Director replies: Thank you for raising your concerns with the IFR approval process. I am currently reviewing the process and how we resource it as one of my priorities. I am working closely with the team of assessors and will be providing an update in due course.