< Back New LAA Inspector - Tomas del Carpio 15 Aug 2025 We are pleased to welcome Tomas del Carpio as a new LAA Inspector, having attended an LAA Inspector Assessment Day at Turweston recently. Living in the historic village of the former RAF Upper Heyford base, aviation is a part of Tomas’ life even outside of my daily job of restoring and maintaining vintage and modern light aircraft. He has been in the aircraft maintenance industry since 2008 but the age range of aircraft. He has worked on spans more than a century of aviation history. From helping to restore an original AVRO 504 to carrying out advanced composite carbon fibre repairs on a Diamond DA42, his experience covers a broad and diverse spectrum of aircraft types and technologies - both certified and non-certified. Whether it’s performing an engine change on a King Air in the dusty heat of Malta or changing a tyre on a stranded PA-28 in a muddy field in Kent, He has encountered a wide variety of challenges and learned something valuable from each one. Tomas is always happy to help and share his knowledge and experience whether it’s offering technical advice over the phone or getting hands-on with something more involved. Next Previous

< Back New LAA Alert for all Rotax 900 series engines 13 Dec 2024 The LAA has issued Alert A-04-2024 – Highlighting loose and broken engine mounting bolts on Rotax 900 series engines A recurring problem with Rotax 912/914 engines, equally applicable to the newer 915 and 916 models, is of the four M10 bolts that attach the engine’s crankcase to the engine mounting frame becoming loose in service. Most manufacturers call for the bolts to be wire-locked in place. However, in the case of the Rotax engine mounting bolts, it seems that the bolts are coming loose not because the bolts are undoing and backing off on their threads, but because of the joint faces become imprinted over time through creep, corrosion or fretting, allowing the tension in the bolt to be lost and the joint to become loose. These problems in the field are a reminder that where it’s critical that a bolt be torqued up, this should be checked at intervals (at least annually, we’d suggest) by undoing the locking and re-torquing them, before replacing the locking wire. Be sure this check is included in your aircraft’s maintenance schedule. DO NOT RELY ON A BOLT BEING WIRE LOCKED TO BE SATISFIED THAT THESE CRITICAL BOLTS ARE STILL TIGHT. A-04-2024 - Loose Rotax Engines .pdf Download PDF • 207KB Next Previous

< Back New LAA Inspector - Sam McMellon 22 Oct 2024 The LAA is pleased to welcome Sam McMellon as a new LAA Inspector for Factory Built Gyroplanes. Sam attended an Assessment Day at LAA HQ with our Chief Inspector earlier this month. Well done Sam! 🎉 Next Previous

< Back Grass Roots Fly-In Slots and Tickets now available! 26 Jul 2023 Not long to go now!! Details on slot bookings, entrance tickets, camping, exhibitor information, trophies and awards, opening times, other attractions etc are now available Fly-in details can be found here . Next Previous

< Back Alert A-05-2025 - Alpi Pioneer 300 - Inspection of Undercarriage Components for Cracking and Corrosion 12 Jun 2025 LAA Alert A-05-2025 - Alpi Pioneer 300 - Inspection of Undercarriage Components for Cracking and Corrosion LAA Alert A-05-2025 has been published on the LAA website (and is also attached), highlighting Alpi Pioneer 300 and 300 Hawk aircraft that have suffered different malfunctions and failures of various components that make up the undercarriage. This Alert strongly recommends a close inspection of the undercarriage at 25-hour intervals for corrosion and cracking, as well as a retraction check, to verify that the retraction system components remained correctly adjusted, to avoid undercarriage collapse due to the mechanism not being adequately over-centre when extended. A-05-2025 - Alpi Pioneer 300 Landing Gear Corrosion .pdf Download PDF • 204KB Next Previous

< Back Engineering updates in March 5 Apr 2024 The following documents have been updated in the Engineering 'Info Library' during March. Continuing airworthiness information: Mandatory Technical Directive MTD-02-2024 Pioneer trim tab checks TADS : Europa Sling 2 Technical Leaflets : TL 1.28 Approved homebuild aircraft type list (new) TL 3.12 Engines and propellers fitted to LAA aircraft TL 3.17 List of prototype modifications Propeller type list PTL/1: Ikarus C42 FB UK Standard Modifications: SM 10671 Rotax 2-stroke carburettor heater Next Previous

< Back Alert A-10-2025 - Cracking in E-Props Carbon Propeller Hubs 28 Aug 2025 LAA Alert A-10-2025 - Cracking in E-Props Carbon Propeller Hubs A recent report of a crack appearing on an E-Props carbon composite propeller hub was received by the British Microlight Aircraft Association (BMAA). The crack was in the flange forming the periphery of the circular hub, in the close vicinity of one of the bolts in the outer ring of blade clamping bolts. Alert A-10-2025 shows photographs of the crack discovered and details required actions if cracks are found on LAA aircraft. A-10-2025 is available HERE and shown below. A_10_2025_E_Props_Propeller_Hub_Cracking_Issue_1 .pdf Download PDF • 382KB Next Previous

< Back New LAA Inspector - Keith Troughton 4 Sept 2025 We are pleased to welcome Keith Troughton as a new LAA Inspector, having attended an LAA Inspector Assessment Day at Turweston recently. With an active aviation interest from a very young age, he has been involved in certified, homebuilt, and microlight aircraft for over 40 years. He is currently operating within a C.A.O. General Aviation Facility as a Licensed Aircraft Engineer (L.A.E.). He is a CAA-approved maintenance manager within an approved Aircraft Maintenance Facility, with access to most of the necessary tooling for standard aircraft maintenance support, including facilities to weigh aircraft, if required. Next Previous

< Back Mandatory Technical Directive issued for Pietenpol Air Campers 19 Jul 2024 Mandatory Technical Directive, MTD-06-2024 has been issued to introduce mandatory checks for corrosion on the wing rear struts. This follows a recent in-service finding where servere corrosion was found in a flying example of the type in the UK. The MTD must be carried out before further flight on or after 18th July 2024 on Pietenpol Air Camper aircraft fitted with the 'Jim Wills' wing rear struts. Next Previous

< Back LAA Alert published for Gen 4’ Jabiru 2200 and 3300 engines 1 Mar 2025 LAA Alert A-03-2025 has been published on the LAA website (and is also attached), highlighting the recent service bulletin, JSP 051, published by Jabiru Aircraft Pty Ltd, which applies to specific Jabiru 2200 and 3300 engines and requires the replacement of the pistons on engines within certain serial number ranges, which they state were supplied between April 2017 and August 2019. Jabiru regards the Bulletin as mandatory. The Bulletin advises that Jabiru has identified that pistons supplied with the affected engines were in some cases susceptible to failure, and have specified that the pistons must be replaced by pistons of the later, improved design at or before 200 hours running time, following the procedures shown in the engine overhaul book, including any necessary running-in provisions and choice of oils. A-03-2025 - Gen 4 Jabiru 2200 and 3300 engines .pdf Download PDF • 201KB Next Previous

< Back Mandatory Technical Directive issued for Pioneer aircraft 6 Mar 2024 The control horn on the elevator trim tab on a Pioneer 300 failed in flight, which resulted in sever trim tab flutter. A safe landing was made and there was no further damage to the aircraft. MTD-02-2024 requires the checking of this horn on all Pioneer variants to ensure that it is of the correct design standard and recommends regular checks for free-play in the system. Next Previous

< Back Engineering updates in February 1 Mar 2024 The following documents have been updated in the Engineering 'Info Library' during February. Continuing airworthiness information: Mandatory Technical Directive MTD-01-2024 issue 2 Supermarine Spitfire, geometry/symmetry checks on fin. TADS : Aeroprakt Foxbat Alpi Pioneer 300/300 Hawk Beagle/Auster Continental engines Sling 4 TSi Sonex Stolp Stardust Too Vans RV-9/-9A Vans RV-14/-14A Technical Leaflets : TL 1.10 'List of aircraft parts and materials suppliers' TL 2.12 'Replacement of lost documents' Forms: MOD 4 'Application for approval to change propeller' MOD 13 'STC installation' Next Previous