HL Deb 06 February 1969 vol 299 cc207-9

3.13 p.m.

LORD TREFGARNE

My 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 on what date they now expect the Anglo-French Concorde to make its first flight, and whether they will publish an account of the difficulties which have been encountered and which have resulted in the 12-month delay of the first flight.]

LORD BESWICK

My Lords, Sud Aviation now expects Concorde to make its first flight within the next few weeks. The delay has been due, in general terms, to under-estimation of the effort needed to prepare many kinds of complex equipment, to install it in the aircraft, to test it, to remedy minor defects and to clear it for first flight. I do not think we should be justified in publishing an account of these difficulties: such an account would either be lengthy and complex or, if short, so selective as to be likely to mislead. A large number of firms have been involved on both sides of the Channel, the difficulties have been cumulative, and they have affected both prototypes.

LORD TREFGARNE

My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord for that reply. Would he not agree that the faith of the airlines that have taken options on this aircraft has been sorely tried by these delays? And would he not agree that in the circumstances the best way to restore that faith would be for the aircraft to achieve its first flight at the earliest possible moment and for a frank explanation of the reasons for this monumental delay to be placed before the airlines?

LORD BESWICK

My Lords, I am almost inclined to say to the noble Lord, for whom I have great respect, that he is talking a lot of nonsense. The only way to break faith with the airlines is to send this very expensive machine and its even more valuable crew into the air before being absolutely certain that every part is as perfect as it is possible for human beings to make it.

LORD TREFGARNE

My Lords, the noble Lord does me less than justice. Would he not agree that the English prototype has been ready for flight for some considerable time, and would he not further agree that although it may be that the same information would not be available from the English prototype nevertheless a satisfactory first flight could be made by that aircraft?

LORD BESWICK

My Lords, the noble Lord should not make statements like that unless he has more information than I have. There is no British and there is no French prototype. There are two identical prototypes, one being assembled in France and one in this country. What affects one affects the other. The prototype at Filton is not ready to fly and will not be ready until some weeks after the first flight has been made from Toulouse.

LORD CHAMPION

My Lords, is it not the case that it is time we ceased to publicise our difficulties, whether over aeroplanes or over the Q.E.2, and time that we began to praise the achievements of this country instead of continually showing the world our trifling difficulties and disadvantages?

LORD BESWICK

My Lords, I am much obliged to my noble friend. It would be possible, though probably not in order, for the even greater delay of the American prototype also to be voiced in this House.

LORD ST. OSWALD

My Lords, is the noble Lord aware that many on all sides will welcome his statement and will be happy to hear that the detractors of this magnificent aircraft have been confounded? The noble Lord will not be surprised to find me among those who congratulate him.

THE EARL OF KINNOULL

My Lords, referring back to the Question, I wonder whether the noble Lord could confirm or deny whether a problem of increased drag has occurred with the aircraft and whether this will affect the ultimate performance.

LORD BESWICK

My Lords, there is this understanding that there have been difficulties here, and calculations show—the noble Lord is quite right—that there is an increased drag which will affect the payload range performance. But design modifications are already being considered, and naturally we expect that when the machine flies those modifications will enable it to achieve the performance originally intended.