HC Deb 14 May 1962 vol 659 cc98-9W
71. Mr. Rankin

asked the Minister of Aviation whether the airworthiness requirements imposed in the annual review of older civil aircraft is of the same standard as that applied to the latest types of machines.

Mr. Thorneycroft

Design requirements have clearly been changed over the years and cannot generally be imposed retrospectively. The principles of airworthiness control, including the life of components, are, however, applied to all aircraft and, where necessary, performance limitations are fixed for older ones. I would add that on their airworthiness record some of the older ones are among the safest.