I looks amazing. I plan to visit the LAA rally in Sywell some year.
But I’ll visit the french equivalent RSA fly-in before, not to be disappointed RSA gathers about 2000 aircraft.
No surprise for me at all. People want to get away from the CAA, 10k annuals, 6-year needless prop overhauls, Part-M, etc.
The same thing of course is true for many other countries, but those only offer ULs as an alternative, with every flight with a a pax being overweight, etc.
In the UK, people can buy cheap old Jodels etc., DIY maintain them on a shoestring and just enjoy the flying. Best of both worlds. They can even legally fly IMC now in some of them. No other permits required for the occasional jump to France (they wouldn‘t likely reach anywhere else anyway).
I totally understand the growth on „LAA types“.
and 93 newly permitted aircraft took to the skies for the first time
This makes the LAA one of the largest aircraft manufacturers in Europe This is comparable to Piper and Cessna, probably more than Piper?
LeSving wrote:
This makes the LAA one of the largest aircraft manufacturers in Europe
Tecnam shipped 180, Diamond 134, Flight Design 43 piston engined aircraft in 2018. GAMA Data
So LAA is bigger than Flight Design anyway
This is comparable to Piper and Cessna, probably more than Piper?
Piper shipped 173 and Cessna 193.
Slight exaggeration then and GAMA doesn’t include microlight. But LAA “operates” only in the UK. It would be interesting to know their " market share" there, if such a thing could be said about homebuilt stuff.
You can base an LAA (G-reg, it has to be) plane outside the UK.
The LAA doesn’t like it and tries to block it. I’ve seen one of the letters they send out (posted here and then deleted on request). You have to find an inspector willing to travel abroad and do the Annual there, without saying so. Or you fly back to the UK for the Annual.
The clear impression I have is that those airline pilots who fly GA (often in retirement) are nearly all LAA, with RVs being very popular. And if it doesn’t have a transponder that’s a huge bonus right now
I also think most of the farm strip community is either LAA or UL.
It’s great to see an area of GA expanding,
It would be very interesting to know if they are effectively fresh to GA or they are people moving from certified to permit. If I was to guess I’d say it would strongly lean to the latter.
The CAA and present percieved attitude amongst the community certainly does them no favours.
LeSving wrote:
light exaggeration then and GAMA doesn’t include microlight.
Apparently they also don’t include CS-LSA/VLA even though they are normal category aircraft. E.g. Evektor and its Sportstar RTC is not mentioned.
If IFR was allowed across EASA-land I would order an RV-10 kit the next day!