In a meeting of 33 leading light aircraft manufacturers and two national producer organizations last week at Aero Friedrichshafen, LAMA-EU was founded as an independent section of the Light Aircraft Manufacturers Association (LAMA).
“I am pleased to report we collected 35 signatures as we launch LAMA-EU,” reported Jan Fridrich, the leader of the session who was later appointed Secretary General of LAMA-EU. “We had 31 manufacturers of light aircraft plus two manufacturers associations: U.N.I.C.A from Italy and AVSL from the Czech Republic.”
The new organization will work closely with LAMA in the USA to serve manufacturers of light aircraft that are active in European markets.
The general aim of the LAMA-EU is to promote and protect Light Sport Aircraft (LSA) using the U.S. LSA definition and ASTM standards, which may fall under the European ELA 1 process. On an international basis LAMA-EU will assist LAMA or LAMA affiliates in all other countries to establish and maintain favorable rules for LSAs. Presently 12 countries have accepted ASTM standards in some form for the certification of light aircraft, and more than 30 countries are evaluating the methods.
LAMA is the light aviation industry’s trade association. Founded in 1984, it represents nearly 100 members of the LSA business community including airframe manufacturers; producers of engines, avionics, and components; suppliers, distributors; flight schools; and other aviation businesses. LAMA functions in the USA and Europe with active representation and has created the LAMA Audit and Label programs to provide private third-party oversight of LSA producers’ compliance with ASTM standards.
For more information: LAMA.bz.
