Oshkosh 2019
LAA Rally back with a bang! Brian Hope presents an overview of the 2021 LAA Sywell Rally. More next month… Pictures by Neil Wilson, Nigel Hitchman and Brian Hope
G
ood crowds, plenty of aircraft arrivals, and a strong exhibitor attendance saw a very positive return for the LAA Rally, in our 75th Anniversary year after having had to cancel the 2020 event. The Rally team did a great job in what were, at times, very trying circumstances – but for their efforts, and those of the volunteers, the LAA staff, Sywell Aerodrome and of course numerous others, we would not have had an event. So, let’s start with the thanks, because it is all too easy to take the hard work put in by so many for granted. I arrived on Thursday morning and the new exhibition layout with open fronted units was pretty well complete.
Main Neil Wilson’s aerial shot of the Rally on Saturday afternoon shows it was up to its usual high level of popularity!
The new layout was a precaution in case Covid problems precluded using the enclosed marquees we have used in the past. It proved popular with exhibitors and attendees alike, although some did comment that wet and windy may present a few problems. However, the weather was kind to us over the entire three days. Speakers’ Corner was moved to the ‘Hangar 2’ Conference Centre, again as a Covid safety measure, although it is also a much more suitable location than a marquee. We had some very good speakers – the people, not the subwoofers and tweeters – I particularly enjoyed the aircraft design discussion with Barry Plumb, Lyn Williams and Ivan Shaw. Our regular columnist Martin Ferid presented two popular talks on air touring, and special thanks go to Garmin, which once again kindly sponsored the facility and also presented on two days, with their Manager of Europe, Middle East and Asia, Trevor Pegrum, coming over from Germany for the show. The revised air/ground arrivals system worked well and although it seems fashionable at the moment to moan about the CAA, we must be thankful that it worked very hard with our team to resolve a problem that was not of its making. Without its approval we wouldn’t have had an event, so thank you CAA. Left The Chilton is such a lovely little pre-war design so it is no surprise that it has proved popular with plans builders. This is Chris Barnes’ Walter Mikron 3 powered example, which was a prize winner at the 2017 Rally. Photo: Neil Wilson
18 | LIGHT AVIATION | October 2021
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