Flyer Magazine

Which is the best app for finding information about that airfield you’re thinking of flying to?

In the news:
What’s happening at Andrewsfield?
What’s K59? Tecnam revamps fleet to fit new US sport pilot rules
General Aviation did well in 2025 but which aircraft were the big winners?

FLYER Club News
Latest webinar on better radio use is live, plus four new free landing fees for March

In What Caught My Eye
Ian celebrates the Short Take-Off and Landing (STOL) contest being staged this summer by the Real Aeroplane Club at Breighton (spoiler: it’s every bit a party as well as a STOL Fest)
Dave can’t wait to fly a Murphy Moose powered by a 550hp turboprop
Ed spots a bit of Piper history at the Vero Beach factory

Join the FLYER Club today https://flyer.co.uk/membership/

#aviationnews #generalaviation #airfield #pilots #weather

We set a maximum budget of £50,000 and went looking in the classifieds (and elsewhere) for two choices:  Hot (aircraft we’d really like) and Not (aircraft we’d rather not). Ian falls for a beautifully made Chilton monoplane, even though it’s too small him to fly. Dave eyes a Luscombe (no surprise there) and Ed goes for a Yak 50 even though it’s life limited (the Yak, not Ed).

In the news:
GASCo starts winding up after 60+ years promoting safety in aviation
Red Bull’s Dario Costa lets the train take the strain (and his Edge 540 aircraft)
Pilot Careers: Opportunities with Jet2, the new Oxford Airline Training and Leading Edge

In What Caught My Eye:
Ian is surprised to find a Dyn Aero (now SE Aviation) MCR4S with no windscreen, hard points and a distinctly different purpose
Dave sees Aerobility being given an all-electric Pipistrel two-seater to take disabled people flying
Ed spies the lesser spotted Pasped Skylark… that’s Pasped as in Pas-Ped, not Passed as in Expired.

Join Today www.flyer.co.uk/membership

Thanks to AFORS www.afors.com
& Plane Selling plane-selling.com
& Rare Aircraft www.facebook.com/primoresto

Britain’s airfields and airports are under threat. Popham, Coventry, Tollerton, Gloucester and Old Sarum are just some facing an uncertain future. This week we bring an update - likely to be the first of many.

In the news, we discuss:
Pilot Medical Declaration (PMD) - yet another CAA consultation
In the US, the powerful Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) is in turmoil. Why?
AERO Friedrichshafen: fly in slots open and news of a FLYER Club special discount
Closet air racers: time to shine as Popham stages race school 
“30 feet… 10 feet… 5 feet… 15 feet… oops!” Garmin releases its Height Advisor (radar altimeter to you and me) for certified aircraft
Dawn to Dusk Challenge 2025 winners announced
PLUS Breaking News: new agent for Bristell certified aircraft in the UK

In What Caught My Eye this week:
Ian bursts with amazement at Monte Warne’s ‘Bubble Plane’
Dave salivates over this year’s Raduno in Italy
Ed whirls over a lightweight helicopter which flies on just 62hp

Links
CAA PMD Consultation https://consultations.caa.co.uk/ga/pilot-medical-declaration/
Register for Air Race School https://www.royalaeroclubrrra.co.uk/event-list
Pooleys 2026 Dawn to Dusk Challenge https://www.pooleys.com/dawn-to-dusk/
Tollerton Crowdfunder campaign https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/save-nottingham-airfield

Simple but effective tips to improve your R/T! ATC expert Darren Lewington gives three straightforward ways to transform mumbling and stumbling radio calls into a thing of fluency. 

In the news we discuss:
Cirrus launches Generation 3 Vision Jet with six seats and more than 30 tweaks
N-reg drama over: FAA starts to reissue aircraft certificates
Volocopter buzzing: Back with two electric helicopters
Pilot caught short: the story behind our lead item

In What Caught My Eye: 
Dave spots the truly gorgeous Junkers A50 Heritage landing on ice
Annabel returns tongue Thai-d from flying in Thailand
Ed finds a dream floatplane business and house for sale

Links (to follow)
Join the Flyer Club - https://flyer.co.uk/membership
Pilot Careers Live - https://www.pilotcareernews.com/live/
Thailand Flying Club - https://www.bfaflyingclub.com/
#FLY2026 - https://forums.flyer.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=139024
ATC Story Forum Link - https://forums.flyer.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=139106
Float Plane Business for Sale - https://www.barnstormers.com/classified-2025443-FLOAT-PLANE-OPERATION.html
Gamston treasure hunt - https://flyer.co.uk/event/aerial-treasure-hunt-retford-gamston-airport/

#aviation #aviationnews #pilots #generalaviation #flying

Will your revalidation refresher flight turn into a test?

That's one of the top three takeaways from this week's news of CAA licensing changes. Others include: Microlights are OK for Commercial Pilot Licence training and there are dark clouds ahead for instructors using a Pilot Medical Declaration. Plus: Return of the IMC Rating.
 
In the news we discuss:
·   Tayside Aviation faces dissolution leaving students out of pocket
·   Mooney Aircraft thrown a lifeline
·   Aerotech to close ahead of Coventry Airport's final day
·   Airfield Petition receives 10,000+ signatures
·   Microlight hero Malcolm McBride RIP
 
In What Caught My Eye, Dave fantasises over a final flight for Coventry's Nimrod,  Ian congratulations the pilot of NASA's Canberra after a belly landing, and Ed tinkers with Shuttleworth's de Havilland Comet (and sits in the pilot seat making noises).
 
Links:
#FLY2026: https://forums.flyer.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=139024
Airfield petition (ends 1 February!):  https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/732869
CAA Wave 2 Comment Responses: https://www.caa.co.uk/data-and-publications/publications/documents/content/cap3212/
Nimrod final engine run: https://youtu.be/hLgdt0uOgZs?si=5Lh5eraMdEKpFdHo
Shuttleworth Collection: https://www.shuttleworth.org/

#aviation #aviationnews #pilots #generalaviation #flying