Eur Ing Roger Hopkinson MBE
Roger was Chairman of LAA (and previously PFA) from 2005 to end of 2014 and elected President in 2015. He received an MBE in the 2016 Queens Birthday Honours List for services to General Aviation.
His time as Chairman was one time of significant change in the regulatory world of General Aviation when Sports and Recreational Aviation Associations needed to ensure they were not disadvantaged. He was a founder member of the GA Alliance in 2004 being elected as ‘Facilitator’ to lead the group forward and ensure a common front in UK advocacy activities for Sports and Recreational Aviation Associations. In Europe he was also a founder member of EFLEVA (European Federation of Light, Experimental and Vintage Aircraft), established in 2007 to provide a common pan-European group of like associations to coordinate their interests generally and ensure proper representation to regulatory bodies being elected their first President, a position he still holds. These positions both lead to involvement in a number of UK and European interfaces with government and regulators to progress the interest of our members and the wider GA community. During his period a Chairman the PFA was rebranded as the Light Aircraft Association formalising the governance of the Association and creating a solid stepping stone for the future.
Rogers’s passion for aviation started with modelling, with a natural move to full size in his mid 40’s, subsequently gaining an IMCR and eventually “finding” what the then PFA movement had to offer. He built a Vans RV6a and subsequently became the first builder to complete the four seat Vans RV10 in Europe, learning all the joys of being the first to take a project of that magnitude through the UK Approval system! Both aircraft have been used extensively, particularly for European touring.
Prior to retiring in 2004 Roger, who graduated as a Mechanical Engineer, moved into engineering management where he held senior positions notably in design, manufacture and marketing of capital equipment. He oversaw multi-site operations as well as latterly working in the defence industry.
Roger is married to Gill and they have three children and two granddaughters. His “other hobby” is Church bell ringing.
Sept 2016
