6 May 2016
The Light Aircraft Association (LAA) has been awarded A8-26 engineering and oversight accreditation by the CAA. The approval means the LAA meets standards required by the CAA for approving initial airworthiness and managing the oversight of the continued airworthiness of its 4,000+ strong fleet of microlights, light aircraft, gyroplanes, build and restoration projects.
[Photo above: The approval documents were handed over to LAA Chief Engineer Francis Donaldson (left) and CEO Steve Slater (right) by Tony Rapson, Head of the CAA General Aviation Unit, on Thursday 5 May. ]
The A8-26 approval will allow the LAA to help manufacturers and individual builders reduce the cost of regulatory oversight and strengthen the viability of British sport aircraft design and production. It also opens the door to new areas, including alternative power units such as hybrid, electric and small gas turbine units.
The approval is a major step forward for the LAA in developing greater autonomy for the ‘light touch’ management of airworthiness for aircraft flown for recreation.
“We are proud to have satisfied the CAA that we meet the standards required to gain such an approval for perhaps the largest and most diverse fleet of aircraft in general aviation” said LAA Chairman Brian Davies.
“The standards for the A8-26 approval were developed as a joint project between the CAA, LAA and the BMAA, to meet the needs of sporting organisations without imposing restrictions and working practices designed for commercial air transport, instead they provide regulation that is proportionate to our activity and risk.”
