Remembering

His passion for aviation knew no bounds. Interested in all things aeronautical, from gliders to space travel, aviation remained central to his life, and he flew aeroplanes for 50 years. As a member of gliding clubs, the MG motor club and his local film club, Trevor was always sociable.

He travelled extensively, with his wife Wendy, making multiple trips to America over the years visiting all the major and some lesser-known aviation museums across the country. Who else do you know who has visited all 50 States! He was also a respected member of his local community, a defender of traditions, as well as an archivist of village life and local history. He was a leading member of the local Mummers for 53 years.

His advice as an LAA Inspector was exemplary, and so many aircraft owners benefited from his care and expertise. Indeed, just the day before he went into hospital, for the last time, he was at his local airfield where he inspected, then signed off the paperwork to release a friend’s aircraft for flight. Always helpful, always kindhearted, honest, dependable, sincere, and funny, he positively baulked at the idea that he was ever letting anyone down.

He leaves his wife, Wendy, plus innumerable friends and colleagues in the aviation world and the local community. A video of his last flight, on 17 January, 2022, is a wonderful memorial to this fine gentleman who will be sadly missed. tinyurl. com/rememberingtrevorhope Phil Bunce.

David Gray

1954 - 2020

David’s interest in aviation started in the early 1960s, and living close to Manchester Airport he would spend many hours at the airport with his friends.

Dave learned to fly at Sywell in 1975 and this was where his interest in Miles Aircraft began. In 1980 Dave bought a Jodel Mascaret D150 from La Rochelle. In 1988, 1990 and 1993 he was awarded the PFA Rally award, The Wilkinson Sword, for the best Jodel. David travelled extensively around the UK and Europe, attending many rallies over the years.

David also took part in the Dawn to Dusk event in 1981, coming second and was also presented with a special award medal from the late Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.

David continued his interest in Miles Aircraft and we were delighted to purchase the Miles Gemini G-AKKB from Jim Buckingham in August 2010. Dave was delighted to bring the Gemini back to Barton, where it was originally owned by Fred Dunkerley, a fellow Lancashire Aero Club member. The Gemini moved to Keenair at Liverpool before moving to our hangar at Sleap in 2019.

Our first cross-country trip in the Gemini was to the LAA Rally at Sywell in 2010, followed by the Goodwood Revival the same year. We flew to the RSA Rally in 2011 at Blois, winning the Paul Boulanges trophy, then onto one of our favourite destinations, La Rochelle.

The Gemini was invited to participate in the 75th anniversary celebrations at Manchester Airport in 2013 as part of a display of vintage aircraft.

David was honoured to be invited to undertake a flypast over the Liverpool Cenotaph in November 2014 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the beginning of WWI.

The Gemini was part of the static display of Miles Aircraft at the LAA Rally at Sywell in 2018, which was a great event and also had great weather.

David was extremely proud to own the Gemini and felt that we were her custodians. He was very keen for the aircraft to continue to be flown and seen, and the history of Miles Aircraft to be shared.

As Covid restrictions prevented us from celebrating his life and passion for, and contribution to, British light aviation, we have organised an event at Barton Aerodrome, Manchester on Saturday 18 June… and would like to share this with his many friends and acquaintances in the LAA. If you’d like to attend, please RSVP to dgcelebration22@gmail.com Kate Gray.

Three Armstrong Isaacs updates…

Dear Ed

I hope this email reaches you well. My name is Rebecca Norman and I was fortunate to receive an LAA ArmstrongIsaac Bursary in 2020. I wanted to provide an update to those at the LAA regarding my whereabouts as I am forever grateful for receiving the bursary.

After the complicated circumstances regarding the Covid pandemic, I was finally able to gain my Private Pilot’s Licence in November 2021! The last time I had contact with former editor Brian Hope, I had set out on my first solo navigation. I have since continued my flying journey and have started commercial pilot training with Leading Edge Aviation in Oxford. The picture, above, shows me in my first couple of weeks in ATPL groundschool.

Once again I wanted to express my complete gratitude to everyone at the LAA, through which this bursary has enabled me to achieve my dream of becoming a private pilot. The LAA really does ‘make dreams fly’.

Kind regards,

Rebecca Norman

Dear LAA

I am delighted to say that I passed my PPL skills test yesterday and here is a photo taken on the day!

Thank you so much to the LAA for this bursary, I would still not have finished yet without it!

Best,

Anna Morgan

Dear LAA

I wanted to thank you for awarding me the ArmstrongIsaac’s Bursary. Through the help of the LAA I have achieved a big milestone, completing my qualifying cross-country and skills test, plus I have now gained my PPL. The photo was taken by my grandad from my final test, and mean a lot to me. In my initial application form I mentioned my grandad as the person who got me into flying in the first place. Having my grandad and family by my side every step of the way made it all the more of an amazing journey. My grandad and mum will also be my first passengers once the CAA issues my licence!

Once again, many thanks from myself and my family for awarding me this bursary, which meant that I could qualify a lot sooner and help me reach my goal faster!

Kind regards,

Nathaniel McMurray

Ed - Congratulations Rebecca, Anna and Nathaniel! Clearly, the sky will not be the limit for you all. Best of luck for your future flying.

E10 mogas advice

Dear Ed

It has been nearly six months since E10 mogas became mainstream in fuel stations. The only information from LAA Engineering has been ‘use E5’. E5 is becoming difficult to source and is outrageously expensive.

All Rotax 912/914 engines are cleared for E10 use and I have a Rotax bulletin to that effect.

It is a simple and relatively low cost fix to replace fuel lines etc (grp tanks excepted) with bio-ethanol tolerant materials, yet we have had no further guidance from LAA Engineering regarding use of E10 in Rotax engines. Regards, Brian Rides.

Head of Engineering John Ratcliffe replies: LAA Engineering is tackling the possible approval of the use of the cheaper E10 fuel in suitable aircraft as a task for progressing in 2022, particularly with the low-end Rotaxengined fleet in mind. Unfortunately, the variability of automotive fuel, the diverse nature of the LAA fleet and differences in detail between individual aircraft even of the same type, makes it far from a straightforward issue even where the engine manufacturer has sanctioned use of E10.

What can we do for radar?

Dear LAA

I recently attended a talk by the head of our local ATC unit, entitled ‘What has radar ever done for us?’. It was a very informative evening giving some positive insights into the problems it has with the mix of Air Transport flights and GA in Class G airspace. I shall certainly be making more of an effort to talk to it in future, now that I have a better understanding of its separation requirements.

However, it also brought to light a few negative insights. The radar system in use at the ATC unit dates from the 1980s and was installed in 1984. It has no SSR capability, so it buys in SSR data from a nearby NATS radar head at some expense. It has no Mode S capability, and the CAA will not allow it to use ADSB information, presumably because it would typically involve the use of a third-party, internet-based system such as FlightRadar24 or ADSB Exchange.

It has been mandatory now for at least 10 or 12 years for any new transponder equipment fitted to aircraft to be Mode S capable, so why is it not mandatory for ATC units to be also so-equipped? I can understand the reluctance of the CAA to allow ATC units to rely on third-party internet-based services for ADSB, but how about ATC units install a certified ADSB receiver, coupled to a certified Traffic Display unit? The cost would be comparatively cheap.

It seems that the title of the presentation could also be ‘What have we ever done for radar?’, and I would suggest that the GA fleet is currently doing quite a lot for radar, fitting Mode S transponders and ADSB capability.

We are flying around the skies pouring out a stream of data but sadly no one is listening.

All this must also be considered against the backdrop of the ATC unit’s proposed expansion of its controlled airspace. One of the biggest drivers of this proposal is the number of times inbound traffic has to be moved around the sky because of unknown traffic in the vicinity of the ILS.

Apparently, the minimum vertical separation applied to aircraft that are not talking to ATC is 3,000ft, even if Mode C indications show them to be well below the glideslope. If the target aircraft is in communication with ATC, that vertical separation drops to 1,000ft. Fair enough you might think, but why ignore the Mode C on its own? So if, in future, there is controlled airspace with a base of say 2,500ft at 10 miles out from the threshold, and I decide to fly under that base at 2,400ft without talking to ATC, is it still going to insist on the 3,000ft vertical separation?

It seems that the ATC unit has a 1980s radar – and it wants a 1980s style of airspace to match. It could, in my opinion, make better use of some of the existing tools first.

I am sure it is not alone in the use of outdated radar systems, with the associated reluctance to spend money. Based on this I would like to see the LAA, in conjunction with other GA representative organisations, conduct a survey of all the ATC units in the country, and find out what their capabilities are.

Perhaps we could then set up some sort of lobbying group to bring these shortfalls into question?

Your sincerely, Alex Rae. ■