Flyer Magazine

A couple of weeks ago we looked at the UK’s airspace infringement hotspots. Since then, the CAA has come back to us with some information, so we thought we’d take a closer look at its view of the problem. There’s some genuinely useful information, but we didn’t agree with everything the CAA had to say. We also thought there were a few important things it should have said, but didn’t…In the NewsLand at Enstone gets outline planning approval, but we’re told the future of flying there is secureWe say goodbye to prolific aircraft importer Graham SmithJeppesen began selling aeronautical information in 1934, but the end of October marked the end of its paper chart products. From now on, it’s digital onlyAmelia Richardson’s Young Aviator AwardLeading Edge partners with Intuous to add flight monitoringFantasy HangarFollowing the news of Murphy’s demise, Ed and Ian - Dave’s got the week off - pick an aircraft for their hangars that although inspiring, is no longer available PlusSkyDemon Tip of the Week — Flight LogsWeekend WeatherEvents coming upLinksPCL London 7th November - https://www.pilotcareerslive.com/events/uk-heathrow-november-2026/The Flyer Show where are Britain's worst Airspace Hotspots - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFTPdj-n8-4&t=1s#generalaviation #pilots #weather #aviationnews #pilotlife

It’s true, some pilots just don’t know how to start, taxi, park, use the fuel pump, and get in and out of the hangar without winding up other pilots. Here’s FLYER’s guide to good ground etiquette.In the NewsTom Hamilton’s new aircraft, the Reach Aviation AC-6Electric aircraft lands on a floating heliport in ManhattanNew Safety Sense Leaflet on AutopilotsFlying Scholarships for both private and would-be professional pilotsBoeing’s latest 20-year forecast for the airline industry: more pilots pleaseShuttleworth has its best-ever airshow seasonJersey Aero Club celebrated in stampsFantasy HangarInspired by the Electra operating from a floating barge in built-up Manhattan, we choose aircraft that could also land and take-off in less than 300ft.Dave sends for the Helio Courier, a thunderous bushplane with very special wingsIan opts for the elegant SkyRanger Nynja which won overall at the Popham STOL eventEd goes raises eyebrows with the obscure Braunschweig ZF-1 Zaunkonig, a tank-buster from WWII with LAA linksPlusSkyDemon tip of the week: chart settingsWeekend Weather forecastEvents coming upLinksAerobility Adventure of Flight talk tickets https://ow.ly/5zSX50ZSe2BCAA Safety Sense Leaflets https://www.caa.co.uk/general-aviation/safety-topics/safety-sense-leaflets/FLYER’s list of flying scholarships (free to read) https://flyer.co.uk/feature/want-to-learn-to-fly-these-scholarships-could-help-pay-for-it/Jersey Aero Club 75 years stamps https://jerseystamps.com/Pilot Careers Live Events - https://www.pilotcareerslive.com/events/Ian's Cessna 182 Wingtip lights video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ze1XeeZL60#generalaviation #pilots #weather #aviationnews #pilotlife

There are more than 1,100 airspace infringement each year in the UK which sounds a lot. But many are in the same places known officially as Airspace Hotspots, or as we prefer, Traps. What are these Traps? Why do they catch pilots out? What can be done to solve the issue? Is it the fault of the pilots, complex airspace or something else? That’s this week’s main topic.NewsDodge the drones: mandatory EC by 2028Skyfly gets $10m to swing its AxeHas Gloucestershire Airport been SuperDried?Search for Amelia Earhart’s missing aircraft turns into treehugging£40k worth of flying scholarships for young peopleFirst UK built Velocity SENew boss at Tecnam. Ciao Giovanni!First Kodiak 900 in Europe is for adventure flyingSwift Fuels’ Unleaded Avgas gets EASA and UK CAA approval Fantasy Hangar It’s time for a Perfect Pairing! What would you pair with your aircraft of choice?Ian goes all Jilly Cooper in the CotswoldsDave sticks to his faithful Luscombe 8E but finds a Man Cave Ed raises one Spirit SE-1 and tops it with another SpyderPlusSkyDemon tipWeekend Weather forecastEventsLinksAviator’s Ball tickets https://www.aerobility.com/aviators-ball-2026Aerobility Adventure of Flight talk tickets https://ow.ly/5zSX50ZSe2BSwift Fuels https://www.swiftfuel.eu/100r-stcCoachmakers scholarships https://www.coachmakers.co.uk/our-awards-and-bursaries/aerospace-awards/Joe Costanza’s Man Cave Hangar https://youtu.be/840LlrgoFlw?si=dPss3jHd2KAI625sFLY2026 https://forums.flyer.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=139024#generalaviation #airspace #flying #pilotlife #weather

Is the UK the best place in the world to learn to fly? This week, we compare the sub-ICAO pilot licences across the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Europe, looking at flight training hours, medical requirements, aircraft privileges, passenger limits, night flying and instrument flying. We also discuss the challenges UK pilots face when flying abroad and whether greater international recognition of the UK NPPL could open up more opportunities. In the news, we cover the latest developments following the Elixir aircraft accident in France, the CAA’s plea for us to get more involved with local airspace infringement teams, the Professional Flight Training Awards and the latest news on the Ellipse RG microlight powered by the Rotax 916. Plus, Fantasy Hangar tackles the best aircraft for cockpit visibility. It;s just Ed and Ian this week (Dave's busy elsewhere), so who wins?We also have this week’s SkyDemon tip, the latest flying weather forecast and upcoming aviation events. Do you think the UK offers the best route into general aviation? Let us know in the comments.Links: SkyDemon - https://www.skydemon.aero/ Join the FLYER Club - https://flyer.co.uk/membership/ FLYER - https://flyer.co.uk/ Pilot Careers Live - https://pilotcareerlive.com/ Weather Coach - https://weathercoach.uk/Adventure of Flight - https://www.aerobility.com/upcoming-events/2026/11/1/the-adventure-of-flight#generalaviation #flying #airfields #pilots #aviationnews #pilotlicense

What do you choose? A new car or an aeroplane? Yes, after last week’s show where we talked about expensive new high-performance microlights, we go to the other end of the price spectrum. You can buy a whole aeroplane, airworthy and flying, for less than £30,000. We identify a range of possible aircraft available now in the small ads - there’s something for everyone.And on a similar subject, TV chef Jamie Oliver achieved his PPL at Andrewsfield over the summer - now he’s helped save the airfield from closure. To celebrate Jamie’s involvement in flying, we decided that Fantasy Hangar should look at aircraft to suit Jamie. Some great choices!- Dave picks something Italian…- Ian is thinking culinary…- Ed reckons a cool family wagon is needed…In the news- Elixir grounds its entire fleet of aircraft- Wormingford Airsfield closes- Mike O’Donoghue, formerly GASCo, is now General Aviation Programme Manager for CHIRP- Jamie Oliver, who is dyslexic, achieved his PPL ground exams with the help of Pooleys and an audio app- New brooms at the top at Continental - Three Johns appear at a special Aerobility eventPlus- SkyDemon tip- Weekend weather forecast- Events coming upLinks:SkyDemon - https://www.skydemon.aero/Join the FLYER Club - https://flyer.co.uk/membership/FLYER - https://flyer.co.uk/Aerobility Adventure of Flight tickets https://ow.ly/5zSX50ZSe2B#generalaviation #flying #airfields #pilots  #aviationnews

Thanks to the latest Rotax 916iS engine with its 160hp max power, there’s a flock of superfast microlights becoming available - and the latest, the JMB VL3, has just been approved for the UK. As well as the power (cue: MORE POWER!), this new breed of 600kg microlights are also well-equipped, look sensational and, well, expensive.In the News:Owner of Wolverhampton Halfpenny Green killedFirst UK JMB VL3 deliveredSTOL UK Competition at PophamFairford RATGame Aerospace flies GB2 firebomberIs NASA planning to fly an SR-71A Blackbird First UK Islander ready for deliveryIn Fantasy HangarAll the world’s talking about AI, it seems, so we’re joining in. This week’s Fantasy Hangar subject is aircraft that look as though they were designed by AI.Dave picks a cross between a helicopter and a fixed-wing aircraftIan goes for what’s probably Burt Rutan’s strangest aircraft (and there have been a few)Ed goes all Eastern Europe with a futuristic looking beastPlusSkyDemon tip on user waypointsWeekend Weather forecast from Simon KeelingWhat’s on this weekendLINKSSkyDemon - https://www.skydemon.aero/Join the FLYER Club - https://flyer.co.uk/membership/FLYER - https://flyer.co.uk/#generalaviation #flying #airfields #microlight #aviationnews

Does general aviation have an organised crime problem? A report from the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) looks at the use of general aviation for smuggling drugs, weapons and people, and makes recommendations for tackling it. We discuss the report, the problems it identifies, and what some of its proposals could mean for GA pilots — including mandatory electronic conspicuity.Plus: NewsPopham remains under threat of development, with another consultation on the new local planCoventry Airport: the airport has closed, but the proposed gigafactory has yet to materialiseGloucestershireAirport sale back on the cards after the first attempt collapsedThe WT-9 Dynamic with the Rotax 916iS is now approved in the UKThe Propeller Inn at Bembridge is closed until further noticeA reminder of the 1 October deadline for LAPL revalidation requirementsAviators Ball returns to the Fairmont Windsor Park in NovemberFANTASY HANGARThis week's challenge is all about trousers. We pick our favourite aircraft with trousered undercarriages — and there are some spectacular contenders.Annabel goes for the Northrop Gamma 2G, with its streamlined looks and rather elegant trousersIan chooses the Supermarine Type 224, predecessor to the Spitfire, with cooling trousersEd picks the Miles Hawk Speed Six, which he reckons has the ultimate trousersPLUSSkyDemon Tip of the Week: Creating and completing an aircraft profileWeekend Weather Forecast from Simon KeelingWeekend flying eventsLINKSRUSI report on organised crime and general aviation - https://www.rusi.org/explore-our-research/publications/research-papers/organised-crime-and-general-aviation-uk-and-beneluxSkyDemon - https://www.skydemon.aero/Join the FLYER Club - https://flyer.co.uk/membership/FLYER - https://flyer.co.uk/Aviators Ball - https://www.aerobility.com/aviators-ball-2026#generalaviation #flying #airfields #crimestories #aviationnews

New guidance from the CAA sets out what instructors should cover during the one-hour refresher flight for SEP revalidation by experience. They make it clear that the hour is more than simply going flying with an instructor. For instance, they want pilots to improve they can navigate by dead reckoning and a paper chart rather than rely on SkyDemon (there are other moving map displays available)! We run through the CAA’s vision for the ideal instructor hour and ask, isn’t this really a mini Skills Test? Would we be better off with a US-style [Biennial] Flight Review?NEWSSwansea Airport swans off with Aerodrome of the Year Award while losing CAA licenceSolent Airport gets diggingPolitics and Red Tape at the CAA? No, really?Hello, Good Bye. Yes, Bye’s eFlyer2 electric aircraft is finally ready for its first flightRisen gets another speed ticket for its 916iS SuperVeloceFANTASY HANGAREd sets a really tough challenge: choose a flying car…Dave refuses, choosing an Extra 300NG for the flying and a super–sized car rental deal for any car, any place, any timeIan gets into the spirit of the idea with the Fulton Airphibian, perfectly proving Dave’s pointEd comes up with the equally ancient Taylor Aerocar, thus also proving Dave’s right (guess who’s writing this bit)PLUSSkyDemon Tip of the Week: Turning PointsWeekend Weather Forecast from Simon KeelingWeekend flying eventsLINKSFlyer - https://flyer.co.uk/Join the Flyer Club - https://flyer.co.uk/membership/#flighttraining #flyingcar #aviationnews #aviationlaw #generalaviation

Airfield, airport and air strips: They’re the life-blood of General Aviation. We take a look at what’s going well, what’s not and what’s in between. It’s a subject we’ll return to in future shows. Be assured: painful though it is to lose an airfield, there are also lots of good things happening.Plus: NewsLAA Rally 2026: A huge success for the Light Aircraft Association and for Leicester Airport. Watch our video “Best of the LAA Rally”: https://youtu.be/S_3UJG7xvz0GippsAero GA10 Airvan single-engine turboflight flies againFree money! BWPA scholarships - there’s loadsFred To, British aviation pioneer, to fly with SolarStratos this autumnElectronic Conspicuity: The CAA’s consultation ends soon so have your sayFantasy HangarIs there such an aircraft as a beautiful single-engine turboprop that grown out of a piston engine version? The question is prompted by the GippsAero GA10 Airvan - useful it may be, pretty it ain’t. So who chose what?Ian went for the Taylor Speedstar 850, an oddball aircraft fitted with an 840hp Garrett TPE-331 turboprop engine, called “a beautiful masterpiece”Dave plumped for the Tarragon Turboprop, fitted with TurboTech’s 141hp regenerative turbine, which made its first flight in July this year. It’s very very sexy!Ed went for the Turbine Toucan, a one-off Pitts Model 12 usually powered by a giant Vedeneyev M14P radial piston engine but now equipped with an equally giant 750hp 601D turboprop enginePlus: SkyDemon tip of the week, weekend weather forecast and events coming up.LINKSBWPA Scholarships https://bwpa.co.uk/scholarships/CAA Electronic Conspicuity Consultation https://consultations.caa.co.uk/safety-and-airspace-regulation-group/ec-mandate/Join the FLYER Club https://flyer.co.uk/membership/LAA Rally - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_3UJG7xvz0#generalaviation  #ukaviation  #pilots  #aircraft  #airfield #aviationnews

The Light Aircraft Pilot’s Licence (LAPL) has been a popular choice for many pilots but as the CAA has sought to streamline licensing (for all the right reasons), so the LAPL has been replaced by the National Private Pilot’s Licence (NPPL). Existing holders carry on though but with one big change to renewal. In this week’s FLYER Show we outline the changes which come into effect at the end of September.PLUS In the News:The FLYER Fly-in at Steventon. Brilliant event, brilliant location, just brilliant.Shuttleworth’s damaged dh.88 Comet air racer will be rebuilt!Redhill Aerodrome faces a really serious threatSolent Airport gets a new managerCompton Abbas Airfield makes a runnerDeadline coming up fast for the Professional Flight Training AwardsFLYER Club price increase on the way - subscribe now to lock in the current priceReturn of Fantasy Hangar!Yes, by public demand, FLYER’s Fantasy Hangar is back and this week’s subject is choosing an aircraft to fly all four of September’s free landings: Barton, Cromer, Old Warden and Strathaven.Ian chose the Miles Falcon Major, an air racer from 1934, ignoring the fact that only three remain airworthy worldwideDave, for once, is the Sensible One, choosing the latest Bristell B8M, a 160hp high-wing rocketship, ignoring Ed’s jibes about ‘M’ standing for ‘Mobility’Ed, as usual, came up with an aircraft none of us had ever heard of before, the Waco SRE. Yes, it’s a Waco biplane but not as we know it Jim. JIm? Who’s Jim?PLUS PLUS!Yes, there’s more. This week’s SkyDemon tip: the Yellow Arrow. Simon Keeling’s weekend weather forecast. And events coming up, including the LAA Rally.LINKSEntries for the Professional Flight Training Awards: https://www.pilotcareerslive.com/awards/FLYER free landings for September 2026: https://flyer.co.uk/flyer-free-landings-for-september-2026/Join the FLYER Club: https://flyer.co.uk/membership/#generalaviation #ukaviation #pilots #licences #aircraft #airfield