§ Mr. Ernie Rossasked the Secretary of State for Trade when he expects the Civil Aviation Authority to publish the helicopter performance code of practice in its final form and the current proposed changes in the duty cycle 493W hours for helicopter pilots; and what consideration was given to making cabin attendants mandatory on all North Sea sector flights involving passengers.
§ Mr. Sproat[pursuant to his reply, 25 November 1981]: A joint industry/BALPA/CAA Working Party is trying to develop a helicopter performance code of practice but has failed to reach agreed conclusions. The authority is now assembling its own proposals which it hopes to put out to consultation shortly.
The Flight Time Limitations Board is currently examining proposals for changes to the flight and duty times for helicopter pilots. Its recommendations will be passed to the CAA who will then consider if there is a need for wider consultation before deciding whether to adopt, modify or reject them.
The carriage of cabin attendants has been studied by the CAA on a number of occasions in the light of representations made both by operators and BALPA. They concluded that there was no justification for changing the existing legislation which calls for a cabin attendant when 20 or more passengers are carried. The Authority can, by direction, require an attendant to be carried when there are fewer passengers, and this it has done when circumstances warrant, for instance when there is no direct access from the flight deck to the passenger cabin.