§ 2.48 p.m.
LORD FARINGDONMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the regulations controlling flights of aircraft over London and Whether these regulations 'have been recently relaxed.]
EARL BATHURSTMy Lords, the Rules of the Air and Air Traffic Control Regulations require that aircraft, other than Chose taking off or landing, shall not fly below a height of 1,500 feet when over cities or towns. There are special restrictions on the flight of helicopters over large specified areas of Central London. These Regulations have not been relaxed recently.
LORD FARINGDONMy Lords, I suppose I may take it that Answer means that the increase in the number of aircraft and the noise they make, which I think none of us can fail to hear, is something which is with us for good and which the Regulations are incapable of altering. If this is so, may I ask the noble Earl whether he will tell me whether any research on the silencing of aeroplane engines is being carried out in this country?
EARL BATHURSTMy Lords, I think that is rather a long shot from the actual wording of the Question. But the noble Lord probably will remember that my right honourable friend the former Minister of Aviation asked on television for any ideas that would help in the silencing of jet engines in particular. It is a subject which is very little understood, but the noble Lord will probably have seen in the report that certain jet engines have been silenced a little. If the noble Lord has any ideas for silencing them my present right honourable friend would be most pleased to receive them.
LORD FARINGDONMy Lords, I thank the noble Earl very much for his reply. I am sorry if he thought my question rather far off the point. It seemed to me to arise automatically from his reply to me. Could he tell me whether the D.S.I.R. is doing any work on this problem?
EARL BATHURSTMy Lords, every Department in aviation is pursuing this most important matter, I can assure the noble Lord.
§ LORD OGMOREMy Lords, quite apart from the regulations concerning the height of aircraft, is the noble Earl satisfied with the regulations concerning the whereabouts of aircraft, in view of the fact that recently an aircraft aiming for London Airport landed at Northolt? Would he not consider making it obligatory for aircraft using this airport to use the Decca system?
EARL BATHURSTMy Lords, with regard to the particular question of the Northolt landing, there is an inquiry which is at present going on, and the results of that inquiry will be published; but I should like to assure your Lordships that that particular landing was in no way caused by any fault on the part of London Airport control. In fact, all the control procedure was exactly according to the normal procedure until the pilot reported that he could see the aerodrome and was taking a visual approach.
§ LORD OGMOREMy Lords, I am entirely aware of the excellence of the control at London Airport, but, when the existing arrangements are so good and 400 yet do not prevent an incident of this kind, is it not evidence of the need for a system such as the Decca system?