Low Flying (Hansard, 30 November 1994)

§ Mr. Redmond
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the crews of the Italian Air Force Tornados involved in a breach of the Hill House riding school avoidance area on 22 July 1993 were from the same unit as those involved in a breach of the same avoidance area on 17 June 1993.

§ Mr. Soames
No.

§ Mr. Redmond
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the minimum authorised altitude for the flight by two German Navy Tornados which infringed the Midland Gliding Club avoidance area on 16 July 1993; and at what height the aircraft were flying at the time of the breach.

§ Mr. Soames
The aircraft were authorised to operate down to 1,000ft minimum separation distance. The RAF police concluded that it was impossible to establish the exact height of the aircraft as they passed over Long Mynd, but estimated the aircraft to be flying at approximately 900ft above ground level in the complaint area.

§ Mr. Redmond
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the crews of helicopters undertaking low flying below 100ft are required to carry 1:50,000 scale maps of the route.

§ Mr. Soames
There is no requirement for military helicopter aircrews to carry 1:50,000 scale maps, although such maps are carried whenever aircrews consider it necessary to do so.

§ Mr. Redmond
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the purpose of the deployment of two United States F-117A aircraft to RAF Lakenheath from 3 to 21 October; how many sorties were flown by the aircraft in the course of their deployment, and how many of these involved use of the United Kingdom low-flying system; how many weapons were dropped by the aircraft, and at which ranges; and how many of the sorties involved use of the Spadeadam range.

§ Mr. Soames
Between 3 and 21 October 1994, two United States F-117A aircraft deployed to RAF' Lakenheath. On 6 October, one of the two F-117As participated in a static display at Soesterberg air base in the Netherlands as part of an official Royal Netherlands Air Force ceremony. In addition, the two F-117As conducted 19 medium-level familiarisation sorties over the United Kingdom. The F-117As did not carry ordnance during these sorties and they did not use either United Kingdom ranges or the United Kingdom low flying system during their deployment.

§ Mr. Redmond
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the RAF Police investigation of the breach of the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust avoidance area at Caerlaverock by three Army helicopters on 8 December 1993 established whether any Army helicopters had booked in to low flying area 16 during the period of the incident.
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§ Mr. Soames
The investigation established that Army helicopters were booked into low flying area 16 during the period of the incident; however, the helicopters involved in the breach were not. This was because their crews had not intended to fly at low level; they were forced to do so because of poor weather conditions.

§ Mr. Redmond
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people complained about the seven breaches of the Lockerbie low flying avoidance area during 1993 listed in his Department's evidence to the Defence Select Committee —HC 314 of Session 1993–94 pp. 35–36; and how many other complaints were received during 1993 about low flying within the Lockerbie avoidance area.

§ Mr. Soames
Seven individuals made a total of 12 complaints about the seven breaches during 1993. A further seven complaints were received during 1993 alleging low flying within the avoidance area, but on investigation, these were not substantiated.

§ Mr. Redmond
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what requests have been received from foreign Governments since 1990 requesting permission for foreign military aircraft to fly over the United Kingdom at less than 250 feet.

§ Mr. Soames
One request has been received since 1990 from the US Government. I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley (Mr. Foulkes) on 15 December 1993,Official Report, column 475.

§ Mr. Redmond
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the Harriers involved in breaches of the Royal Welsh agricultural show low-flying avoidance area on 19 and 21 July 1993 were flown by pilots from(a) the same squadron and (b) the same station; and what were the findings of the RAF Police investigation in relation to the availability of information on the avoidance at the bases concerned.

§ Mr. Soames
The aircraft in question were from both different units and bases. The RAF police found that notification of the temporary avoidance had been received at both bases. At one of these, however, a flaw occurred in their system for presenting details of the notification to aircrew. This has since been rectified.

§ Mr. Redmond
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the minimum authorised altitude for low-level sorties by German Air Force Tornados during its exchange visit to the United States 494 Fighter Squadron at RAF Lakenheath during August.

§ Mr. Soames
One thousand feet minimum separation distance.

§ Mr. Redmond
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which of the foreign aircraft involved in low-flying avoidance breaches on 17 June 1993, 9, 16 and 22 July 1993, 23 August 1993, 21 September 1993 and 14 December 1993 were operating in company with Royal Air Force aircraft at the time of the breaches.

§ Mr. Soames
None. RAF aircraft took part in the sortie on 21 September 1993 but were not in company with the foreign aircraft at the time of the breach.

§ Mr. Redmond
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if Royal Air Force Police standing orders governing the conduct of investigations into alleged breaches of low flying regulations require the investigators to interview both members of the air crew780W in cases where the aircraft involved in the alleged breach is a two-seat type.

§ Mr. Soames
No.

§ Mr. Redmond
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on progress in investigating the low-level overflight of Hope under Dinmore on 23 February 1993 by a Royal Air Force British Aerospace 146 aircraft, as described in evidence to the Defence Select Committee, HC 314 of Session 1993–94, page 44.

§ Mr. Soames
No investigation was initiated since there was no evidence to suggest that any breach of flying regulations had occurred.
Subsequent inquiries have confirmed that no military BAe 146 aircraft flew in the vicinity of Hope-under-Dinmore on the day in question.