§ 8. 8. Mr. Straussasked the Minister of Aviation what consideration he is giving to the installation of F.I.D.O. at London Airport.
§ Mr. SandysConsiderable technical difficulties have arisen in the course of the development of an effective method of fog dispersal. But I hope that we shall soon be in a position to decide whether it will be commercially feasible to establish such a system at London Airport.
§ Mr. StraussIs the Minister aware—I am sure he is—that experimentation has been going on in this matter for many years at Manston and elsewhere? I should like to know when it is likely to reach finality. Have discussions taken place with the two Corporations as to what is economic from their point of view and as to the amount of money they are prepared to pay in return for having such a fog dispersal system installed?
§ Mr. SandysThat is rather a different question. Replying to the first question, 7 it has not been easy to contend with Nature in this way. I went to the experimental station in Norfolk only the other day, and I can assure the right hon. Gentleman that everything is being pressed forward as much as possible. There have been quite a number of snags. As for the cost, it will be a matter for the airlines concerned to decide whether they think it worth-while. The right hon. Gentleman may be interested to know that the best estimate I have is that the installation of a system of this kind on one runway would cost between £500,000 and £1 million, and that the cost of the fuel consumed would be about £250 for each landing.
§ Mr. WoodburnHow is the alternative progressing—the system of blind landing and guided landing, which would be an alternative to F.I.D.O.?
§ Mr. SandysThe right hon. Gentleman has struck the important point. In considering whether this will be economically feasible, we also have to bear in mind how many years it will be—and it will not be so many—before air liners will be fitted with blind-landing instruments which will make any fog dispersal unnecessary.