§ 35. Mr. DAYasked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether any action has been taken by his Department during the 12 months ended to the last convenient date against either Royal Air Force or civil pilots for flying at a low altitude or in proximity to persons or dwellings in which unnecessary danger has been caused; and can he give particulars?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for AIR (Mr. Montague)Yes, Sir. Action has been taken in a number of cases of this kind during the past 12 months. Such action has taken the form, where Royal Air Force pilots have been concerned, of bringing the alleged offender to trial by court-martial in a really serious case. In other cases pilots have been dealt with summarily under the Air Force Act or other appropriate disciplinary action has been taken against them. Where civil pilots are concerned, the institution of legal proceedings is a matter for the civil police and not for the Air Ministry. Each complaint has, however, been investigated by the Air Ministry and taken up, where the circumstances warranted it, with the owner or pilot of the aircraft concerned, with a view to the prevention of similar cause for complaint in the future.
§ Mr. MONTAGUEI cannot answer with regard to complaints, but there were eight cases in which pilots were tried by court-martial.