Airports (Hansard, 26 October 1994)

§ Mr. David Marshall

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what are the differences between the current Civil Aviation Authority and the proposed joint airworthiness authority specifications concerning permissible duty hours by aircraft flight deck and cabin crew; and which specifications will be applied in the United Kingdom if there is any disparity between the joint airworthiness authority specifications and the Civil Aviation Authority specifications currently in force;

(2) on how many occasions one aircraft bound for a United Kingdom international airport has declared a low fuel emergency when its airport of intended landing has been closed to normal operations; on how many occasions two or more aircraft bound for any United Kingdom international airport have simultaneously declared a low fuel emergency when their respective airports of intended landing have been closed to normal operations; on how many occasions one aircraft bound for Heathrow has declared a low fuel emergency when Heathrow airport has been closed to normal operations; and on how many occasions two or more aircraft bound for Heathrow airport simultaneously have declared a low fuel emergency when Heathrow airport has been closed to normal operations;

(3) what procedures exist to ensure the safe landing of two or more aircraft which have simultaneously declared a low fuel emergency within any one terminal control area, control zone or control area (a) when all suitable airports are operative and (b) when a designated airport or one or more designated runways has been closed to normal operations;

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(4) on how many occasions over the last five years and for what reasons (a) one of the United Kingdom international airports has been closed to all normal operations, (b) Heathrow airport has been closed to all normal operations and (c) more than one of the United Kingdom international airports have been closed to all normal operations at any one time;

(5) what consideration he has given to the United Kingdom to the minimum fuel advisory system as practised in the USA; and if he will make a statement;

(6) on how many occasions during the last five years a low fuel emergency has been declared by (a) one aircraft, bound for a United Kingdom international airport (b) more than one aircraft bound for any United Kingdom international airport at any one time, (c) one aircraft bound for Heathrow airport and (d) more than one aircraft bound for Heathrow airport at any one time.