HC Deb 07 August 1972 vol 842 cc1246-7
26. Mr. Jessel

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much noise is made by Lockheed TriStars.

Mr. Onslow

Under the conditions specified by the United States Federal Aviation Regulations, the noise levels in EPNdB for a Lockheed TriStar are: flyover 98; sideline 95; approach 103.

Mr. Jessel

Will my right hon. Friend say how these figures compare with those for other engines? Will he also consider, further to his reply to my supplementary question on Question No. 17, what action can be taken to encourage airlines to buy aircraft with quieter engines?

Mr. Onslow

My hon. Friend may know that new certification regulations have been introduced which impose limitations on the noise which may he made by aircraft coming forward for registration now. As for my hon. Friend's first point about comparative performances, since it is the aircraft with all its engines which matters, the TriStar is quieter than the average of the present generation of four-engined aircraft—the 707, the DC8 and the VC10—by about 15 EPNdB at end of the three measuring points. Even compared with the average of the much smaller Trident 3B and the BAC 111–500, it is quieter by between 5 and 12 EPNdB at the various measuring points.

Mr. Maxwell-Hyslop

As the certification requirements are that an aircraft shall be safe on take-off if one engine fails, will my hon. Friend confirm that a twin-engined aircraft has a higher rate of climb than a three-engined aircraft and, therefore, that the noise on the ground after take-off diminishes more quickly with twin-engined aircraft than with three or four-engined aircraft?

Mr. Onslow

I have no doubt that my hon. Friend is correct about these technical matters. However for comparative purposes the noise of various types compared with the TriStar is as I gave in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Twickenham (Mr. Jessel).

Mr. Hugh Jenkins

How do these noise figures compare with the present noise level of the Concorde and that hoped for in the future?

Mr. Onslow

Noise figures on the Concorde have been given already. If the hon. Member for Putney (Mr. Hugh Jenkins) cares to put down a Question, I shall answer it again.

33. Mr. Michael McNair-Wilson

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he is now able to state when the British Airways Board will place an order for TriStar aircraft for British European Airways.

44. Mr. Walter Johnson

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what advice the British Airways Board have given to British European Airways concerning the purchase of the Lockheed airbus powered by Rolls-Royce RB211 engines.

50. Mr. Whitehead

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he can now announce the Government's decision regarding funding an uprated version of the RB211 engine, as proposed by Rolls-Royce (1971) Limited.

51. Mr. Millan

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions he has had with the British Airways Board about the purchase of TriStars.

Mr. Onslow

With your permission, Mr. Speaker, my hon. Friend the Minister for Aerospace will answer these Questions at the end of Questions.