RAeS Light Aircraft Design Conference

The Royal Aeronautical Society General Aviation Group Light Aircraft Design Conference returns to 4 Hamilton Place –RAeS HQ on November 14.

This year’s Design Conference includes much to whet light aircraft designers’ appetites: lightweight structural lessons from Human Powered Aircraft Structures; Design Tools on a Budget, Aircraft Developed using E-Conditions; design reflections and experiences on Rebuilding the Black Magic Comet Racer by Martin Jones; Jean-Michel

Guimbard from Turbotech will talk about regenerative turbines for light aircraft; and lastly, Design and Development of the Shark Microlight. Zara Rutherford, who circumnavigated the world in her Shark microlight will be introducing the Shark presentation with a talk on her experiences from her

The Irish Aviation Authority, IAA, has just recently updated the relevant Aeronautical Notice No. A.19 (26/09/2022), which sets its ‘Conditions for Exemption’, which apply to over-flights and visits to Ireland by foreign registered aircraft not holding an ICAO Certificate of Airworthiness, i.e. Aircraft classified under Annex 1 to Regulation (EU) No 2018/1139.

Importantly, this exemption in general applies to all amateur-built and classic and vintage aircraft (as defined in Annex 1) registered in a Member State of the European Civil Aviation Conference, ECAC, reference, qualifying list of aircraft categories to which this exemption applies is set out per section (1) of Notice A.N. A.19.

The ‘Conditions of Exemption’ are also listed as per paragraphs (a) through (h) of the Notice in question, and it will be seen that the exemption period is for visits of no more than 28 days – reference paragraph (e) – with the exception of aircraft registered in the United Kingdom and registered to an owner with an address in Northern Ireland.

The ‘Explanatory Note’ on the second page, states that:

“The intent of this exemption is to allow aircraft to enter or overfly Irish airspace without the need to apply for an individual exemption, subject to the ‘Conditions of Exemption’ of A.19. It is to facilitate short-term visits, not to accommodate aircraft intended to be based or resident in Ireland. Such aircraft would be required to transfer onto the Irish Register.”

Also, pilot licence and insurance requirements are specified, including a list of the necessary documents required onboard the visiting aircraft.

In addition, please also be advised that there are 'mutual recognition' of flight permit agreements in place between Ireland and the UK (IAA & CAA) and between Ireland and France (IAA & DGAC), there arrangements were negotiated some years ago with the direct support and cooperation of our colleagues in the LAA and RSA. tinyurl.com/irishflightpermissions round the world trip.

In addition, the results for the International Light Aircraft Design Competition 2021/2 will be announced, and the winner and runner-up entries described. tinyurl.com/ RAESGAConference2022

AVM Bertrand ‘John’ Brownlow OBE 1929 – 2022

We are sad to hear of the passing of Air Vice Marshal (AVM) John Brownlow, OBE, who died in late September this year aged 93.

LAA member Allan Coatesworth, a fellow RAF pilot of the dangerous post-war fast jet era, whose MCR-01 was test flown by John, tells us that John applied to join the RAF as a pilot, but due to a larger number of applicants than there were places, was offered Navigator training instead, which he accepted. Being a tall, smart and imposing character it was no surprise that in due course John became Aide de Camp (ADC) to an Air Vice Marshal who went on to become the Chief of the Air Staff. Subsequently he was able to transfer to pilot training. He was obviously an above average pilot since he was selected to become a flying instructor and then moved on to graduate at the Empire Test Pilot School. His RAF career progressed very satisfactorily with too many flying and organisational achievements to list here – suffice to say that finally as an Air Vice Marshal himself, John was Commandant in charge of both the Research Centre and the Test Pilot School at Boscombe Down.

On retiring from the RAF, John was appointed Director of Aviation at Marshalls Cambridge, and during that time he and the other test pilots also ran the Marshalls Flying Club. On second retirement he became President of The Southside (now Northside) Flying Club at Cambridge. The Club at that time had many members, and very active workshop facilities, which became the birthplace of many homebuilt projects. With help from John on the flying side, for a number of years this collection of sheds grew into a development centre for new designs, the likes of which we’ve not seen before nor since.

John did the initial test flights and owner-conversions on over 120 amateur-built aircraft that emerged out of this and other workshops in the locality, as well as the routine currency checks for club pilots. His mission was to raise the standard of LAA aircraft and LAA flying – offering his expertise freely to LAA Engineering through numerous flight test programmes so that new types of aircraft could be rendered safe and then approved.

He also contributed to a flight safety magazine and, concerned about the wide gap between the handling characteristics of vintage and homebuilt LAA aircraft and the handling skills of most GA pilots, set up the LAA Pilot Coaching Scheme.

LAA member and LAA Inspector Phil Snowden, who was also one of the Cambridge Club at that time, recalls John test flying his homebuilt Avid Speedwing for acceptance as a new type, and being impressed by John’s wisdom, thoroughness and superb hand flying skills. He recalls how John told him that during his time being taught to be a test pilot at Boscombe Down, the students had to draw lots for which aircraft they would use for a one-day evaluation exercise and write-up. John’s chum had got the HS125 – John a Tipsy Nipper!

John gave up instructing age 86, and finally stopped flying a year later. Everyone whom we contacted knew John as a kind, charming and lovely man, and a great life, thoroughly well lived, devoted to raising aviation standards.

Francis Donaldson

in South Africa donated the remains of 1942 MK1 LB369 (G-AHHY). He spent the following 20 years meticulously restoring LB369 from barn find to wartime factory spec near Durban SA before moving to England in 2020 with Auster in tow. The final completion has been carried out at Enstone and test flying paperwork recently submitted.

Gerald Maddams 1947 – 2022

It is with great sadness to report the passing of long standing LAA member and South African EAA 1502 Chairman, Gerald Maddams.

Gerald was an all round aviation nut, but well known in the Auster circles which he fell into by chance when a friend

Unfortunately, during the last year, Gerald was putting up a good fight against an aggressive form of cancer which the specialists could not contain. He travelled back to South Africa in August to see friends and family but deteriorated so rapidly that he was unfit to return.

He passed away the day after receiving news from the LAA that LB369 had been successfully cleared for test flying.

It is tragic that he never got the chance to take his beloved aircraft into the skies, but he is survived by three daughters and his son Michael who will maintain and fly the Auster as a living tribute to their father.

He was loved by all, and his memory will remain in our hearts. Blue skies and tailwinds.

Michael Maddams