We demonstrate the 3% mol ytterbium doped phosphate glass air-clad photonic crystal fibre (PCF) laser of 43-cm length in single-mode operation. The fabrication and testing of the laser is introduced. The laser has the diameter of the core of 12 µm created in photonic microstructure and generates at wavelength of 1030 nm. Near 4-W output power and 14.6% slope efficiency against the launched pump power is demonstrated in preliminary characterization. The difference of refractive indices achieved in doped and undoped glass is Δn = 0.0004. We used the doped glass with the negative core-cladding Δn to assure the photonic crystal fibre way of single-mode propagation.