HC Deb 23 October 1961 vol 646 cc19-21W
Mr. Mason

asked the Minister of Aviation if he will list the number of private air companies operating in this country, the number of aircraft they each operate, and the mileage per accident which has been flown jointly in the last twelve months and five years, respectively.

Mr. Thorneycroft

There are 65 private air companies in this country owning a total of 508 aircraft. Of these, 55 are engaged in public transport with 463 aircraft, and 32 of them use aircraft over 5,000 lb. weight, for which they need an air operator's certificate. The list of such operators and their aircraft is as follows:

Company Aircraft Types No. of Type
Air Couriers (Transport) Ltd. Rapide 2
Airlines (Jersey) Ltd. Dakota 8
Heron 4
Herald 2
Air Links Ltd. Dakota 2
Air Safaris Ltd. Hermes 6
Viking 8
Autair (Luton) Ltd. Dakota 3
BKS Air Transport Ltd. Viscount 2
Ambassador 4
Dakota 3
Bristol 170 3
British United Airways Ltd. (including associated companies). Britannia 6
DC6 2
DC4 5
Bristol 170 9
Dove 7
Heron 3
Rapide 3
Viscount 11
Dakota 3
Westland S51 5
Westland S55 12
Hiller 18
Consul 1
Cambrian Airways Ltd. Dakota 2
Christchurch Aero Club Rapide 1
Claydon Aviation Ltd. Viking 3
Cumberland Aviation Services Ltd. Rapide 1
Cunard Eagle Airways Ltd. (including associates). Britannia 3
DC6 3
Viscount 2
Viking 3
Dan Air Services Ltd. Ambassador 4
York 4
Dakota 2
Bristol 170 3
Dove 2
Derby Aviation Ltd. Dakota 6
Marathon 1
East Anglian Flying Services. Viking 3
Bristol 170 2
Dakota 6
Dove 2
Executive Air Transport Ltd. Dakota 1
Company Aircraft Types No. of Type
Hampshire Aeroplane Co. Ltd. Rapide 1
Lloyd International Airways Ltd. DC4 1
Mayflower Air Services Ltd. Rapide 1
Maitland Drewery Aviation Ltd. Viscount 3
Mercury Airlines Ltd. Heron 2
North South Airlines Ltd. Heron 1
Portsmouth Aero Club Ltd. Rapide 1
Silver City Airways Ltd. (including Manx Airlines). Bristol 170 15
Dakota 11
Hermes 4
Dove 1
Skyways Ltd. (including Skyways Coach Air Ltd.) Constellation 4
York 7
Dakota 4
Starways Ltd. DC4 3
DC3 3
Tradair. Viscount 2
Viking 7
Trans-European Aviation Ltd. Constellation 2
Bristol 170 1
Rapide 2
Tyne-Tees Air Charter Ltd. Dove 2
Westair Flying Services Ltd. Rapide 1
Westpoint Aviation Ltd. Dakota 2
World Wide Aviation Ltd. DC4 2

During the twelve months ended 31st March, 1961, approximately 50 million aircraft miles were flown by independent operators on public transport services per fatal aircraft accident. The comparable figure for the five years preceding that date was of the order of 17 million aircraft miles.