§ Lieut.-Commander Fletcherasked the Secretary of State for Air to what extent the officially recognised air routes over this country are generally used by scheduled air traffic; what representations he has received from the operators of such traffic as to routes which should be recognised; what is the present route mileage of the officially recognised air routes; whether there has been any advance in the mileage during the past 12 months; whether any complaints have been received from the users of these routes; and whether any action has been taken in response to such complaints other than straightening out the Portsmouth-Isle of Wight air route?
Captain BalfourOfficially recognised air routes were originally provided to minimize, in conditions of bad visibility or low cloud, the risk of collision between aircraft flying on a route in opposite directions, aircraft being required to keep the officially recognised air route on their left. These routes still serve the same purpose, but their use for this purpose has diminished with the development of radio guidance and air traffic control. The officially recognised air routes in the London-Continent Airway Area are now used by scheduled air traffic only in certain conditions of bad visibility and then only to a small extent. The officially recognised air route between Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight is more regularly used, in particular by one of the services of jersey Airways, whose direct route coincides with the officially recognised air route and by the Portsmouth-Ryde service on which the aircraft used are not fitted for radio communication. In no case is the use of an officially recognised air route obligatory to aircraft on particular journeys, and the extent to which such routes are used by scheduled air traffic cannot, therefore, be stated more precisely than has been indicated.
Representations were received at one time for the establishment of an officially recognised air route in the neighbourhood of Southampton, on the assumption that this would safeguard civil aircraft from collision with Service aircraft, but the difficulties giving rise to this request were met by other means. The extension of the Southampton Controlled Zone is also to be promulgated and this, with the use 50W of the Directional System of flying in bad visibility, will overcome difficulties in the Southampton Area, I hope, to the satisfaction of all interested parties.
The present route mileage of the officially recognised air routes in this country is 127. There has been no increase in this mileage during the past 12 months.
In connection with the representations for an officially recognised air route in the Southampton Area complaints were received that such routes are not reserved for scheduled air traffic. Such a course would not be practicable and other means had, therefore, to be found.
Other complaints referred to the diversion involved in following the recognised air route between Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight at a time when this route was not a direct line. The route originally diverged from a direct line in order to avoid the Portsmouth Prohibited Area but the abolition of this area enabled the route to be straightened.