Light Aircraft Association

The Wessex Strut held its AGM on Monday and voted against signing the LAA Club Charter.

I'm just posting this because it seems that one of the arguments for signing is that everyone else has. If you are hearing this argument, it's clearly wrong.

Please understand this in no way means the Wessex Strut wants to disassociate itself from the LAA. Far from it. There are a few bugs in the Charter, as most people agree, and we have Third Party Passenger Flying events planned for 2012. We just feel that the bugs need fixing and TPPF must be restored before we can sign. I've written to HQ and the NC explaining that and assuring our co-operation.

Nick Long
Wessex Strut Chairman

Hi Nick, your Strut of course has every right to decide not to sign the Charter, but should such a decision not be based solely on concerns regarding the Charter itself? To cite the current withdrawal of LAA support for Third Party Passenger Flying (Young Aviators) as a reason not to sign is perhaps blurring the issue.
The Board and a number of members of the National Council took the decision to suspend TPPF based on information that suggested there could be serious risks to the Association's core business of providing airworthiness services to its members in the event of litigation arising from a serious TPPF accident. That decision was not taken lightly, but clearly, safeguarding the airworthiness of the thousands of LAA members' aircraft has to be the top priority
Since that decision, many hours of research and discussion have taken place to try to resolve the issues that cause the concern over TPPF, and I believe some progress is being made, but having Struts decide to remain outside of the LAA, when the effort being expended to reinstate TPPF is for their benefit, is hardly the vote of confidence and gratitude for its efforts that the Board would wish for.
In any walk of life working together as a team is what gets results. At the last NC, Rich (our new CEO) undertook for the NC tobe involved in a review of the Charter in three months to amend any conflicts with the Rules, or to make it more in line with how the Struts operate, and he has since reiterated that in a letter to the Struts. With our new CEO, and a newly appointed Chairman of NC, Graham Newby, I believe we have now turned a corner in the NC/Board relationship and have a golden opportunity to forge a better understanding to work together more productively for the benefit of the Association.
I hope in time your Strut members will see the benefit of being aligned with the Association rather than an independent group

Hi Brian,

Actually, TPPF was the key issue. We wish to do it, and that's not compatible with signing the Charter. I hope it gets sorted out in time for the 2012 season; we'll then hold an EGM with a view to signing.

I also note the new "atmosphere" about the NC and making it work. We'll certainly be trying to help that along.

Nick

We wish to do it, and that's not compatible with signing the Charter

I'm confussed

Is there something to stop you signing the charter and organising TPPF as a non-LAA activity, with your own insurance?

After all that is what you will be doing outside of the LAA?

So am I confused.
It is admitted that the charter has some inconsistances which I hope will get sorted out at the next NC on the 19th Nov.
Why anyone would sign a document that needs to be changed is beyond me. Get it right and acceptable to the NC and I am sure Wessex and the rest of us will sign.
I cannot sign because I know that the Bedford And Chiltern Strut are not a legal entity as required. The risk assessment would be difficult for many since we have not got a document for Clubs to use. We can all identify hazards associated with our activities but translating that to a risk i.e. a probability is a complex process without proper tools.

Ian Melville wrote:

Is there something to stop you signing the charter and organising TPPF as a non-LAA activity, with your own insurance?

After all that is what you will be doing outside of the LAA?

Hi Ian,

That sounds like the obvious solution, doesn't it? And it's actually what we were doing before the Charter came along. But signing the Charter is technically promising that you won't do it. We actually made a specific request to the LAA to see if they would allow us that option, and they said no.

Nick

macconnacher wrote: Why anyone would sign a document that needs to be changed is beyond me. Get it right and acceptable to the NC and I am sure Wessex and the rest of us will sign.

Exactly.

We had a choice between signing on the understanding that it would be fixed, or holding off until it was fixed. We chose the latter.

BTW, there is a sample risk assessment available. Or there was; it seems to have disappeared in the website overhaul. It was developed by the Wessex Strut.

"Legal entity" is a bit of nonsense. I assume they just mean you have to actually have an identity and it's separate from the LAA. It's a firewall to protect the LAA if the lawyers have a go at the Strut.

Nick