§ 1. Mr. Brockwayasked the Minister of Aviation if, in the interest of air safety, he will give a general direction to British European Airways to include a flight engineer amongst the crew of all their jet aeroplanes.
§ The Minister of Aviation (Mr. Duncan Sandys)No, Sir. The only jet aeroplane in the British European Airways fleet is the Comet IVB; the Certificate of Airworthiness for this aircraft provides that the crew to operate it should consist of either three pilots or two pilots and one flight engineer. I see no reason for me to seek to influence the Corporation's choice.
§ Mr. BrockwayIs it not the case that this decision has been very strongly opposed by the flying staff section of the International Transport Workers Federation and also by the British Merchant Navy and Air Line Officers Association? 2 Is it not also the case that B.O.A.C. includes a flight engineer, and can the Minister give an assurance that these planes will be safe with this reduced staff?
§ Mr. SandysI must be guided by the views of the Air Registration Board. It has left the alternative to the airlines of having either three pilots or two pilots and one flight engineer. The fact that other airlines have chosen the alternative does not seem to me to suggest that B.E.A. is necessarily wrong.