Aerial view of Sywell on Saturday afternoon.  We’ve counted 429 aircraft in the photo, but it will be interesting to see whether you can find more!  (Pic. Neil Wilson. LAA)

 

The 2018 LAA Rally broke new records at Sywell Aerodrome in Northamptonshire. The sunny late summer weather ensured a record turnout of over 4,500 aviation enthusiasts and a total of 958 visiting aircraft over the weekend. At one point on Saturday afternoon there were over 400 aircraft parked on Sywell’s grass.

 

An enlarged exhibitor area also set a new high in the number of companies and organisations on show, with everything from a CAA-backed ‘drone zone’ to a themed display dedicated to classic racing aircraft, including the world’s only two Percival Mew Gulls, a collection of Miles King’s Cup racers, Travel Air Mystery Ship, Cosmic Wind and a 1938 Chilton Monoplane, making its first appearance after a 40-year restoration.

 

Among the visitors was Aviation Minister Baroness Sugg, who entered into the home-build culture by ‘pulling rivets’ to help assemble a Zenair fuselage, as well as meeting members and exhibitors. Among the stars of the packed aircraft park were the latest Verhees Delta from Belgium, the miniscule Cri-Cri, a Jodel D.9 Bebe flown in from Spain and Phil Burgess’s immaculate Pitts S1S, G-OSIS, the winner of the Prince Michael of Kent Trophy for ‘Best Aircraft In Show’.

Light Aircraft Association

 

7th September 2018