Light Aircraft Association

Now how come I fit in ... a Morris Minor but can't get in .... my mates Volvo? Because modern cars are increasingly bloated, ever-weightier objects with big thick doors, big fat seats and an incredibly poor ratio of usable interior space to external volume compared to older vehicles. Here endeth my...

Well to be fair to Jeremy, GPS approaches were only approved in the UK very recently, and the CAA's publication on GPS ( http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/SRG_GAD_SSL25.PDF ) still says (in red): GPS must not be relied upon as a sole navigation reference in flight critical conditions . (Though it doesn't...

The Luciole blog has some new photos and videos: http://luciolemc30.blogspot.com/, including a sequence of photos showing the 10-minute solo derig.

The short piece in the mag seemed to suggest that initial approval (i.e. to build a "UK prototype") had been granted based on inspection of the plans. Clarification anyone?

an equally old gizmo that just tells me on a two line display more or less where I am, using terms like "2 miles NW of Salisbury" Ahh, that sounds like my old friend the Skyforce Locator. Wonderful object; and you're right that it's an fine enchancement to map-reading. Given how much they are fough...

If you want to use CAA charts, a cheaper option than FlyMap is to buy the digital charts from Memory Map (£20) and use the Memory Map software on an iPAQ or similar PDA. This will give you a full moving map display, and you can overlay your own waypoints/routes/etc. You don't need a cutting-edge PDA...

I feel there may be a need for some empirical testing...

The website http://www.thatchercx4.com/ works OK for me Bill. Perhaps your PC is being over-cautious! Plans are $360 apparently, and various sub-assemblies are available.

Would not a relatively simple alternative to forcing people to join the Association be to charge non-members more for the Association's services? Many organizations do this, and it seems a widely accepted pattern. Hence Mr Smith can run a Permit aircraft without being an LAA member, but his annual r...

Bill, Do you mean something like this? http://watsonwheel.com/ (no idea how much they weigh -- may not be a major consideration for garden equipment!)

Rod, "If one member in a 20 man group refuses to join, you are saying to 19 paid up members that there aircraft cannot have a permit, despite it being fully safe and up to date. There will probably be no rule in the group rules to force membership..." Interesting point, and probably worth syndicates...

Rod, "the aircraft can be registered to two people, but the group could be 20, and I do not think the CAA keep details of all the owners, beyond the registered two." I think you're supposed to notify the CAA of all syndicate members, so the CAA would have complete ownership information. Rod, I think...

"we have all the info from the CAA. I wonder if the CAA should be sending this info to them"
Ron, I think you're forgetting that the LAA is acting under powers delegated to it by the CAA, so transmission of information between the organisations is hardly surprising, or in fact sinister.

Fascinating tale. And what a beautiful spot...

I thought this anniversary should not go unnoticed...
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cg ... d=11424360