§ 87. Mr. A. Royleasked the President of the Board of Trade how many aircraft near misses have taken place in the London/Heathrow control zone during the year ended 16th November 1969; what were the comparative figures for the previous three years; what type of aircraft were involved and which airlines; and what were the detailed positions in the London Air Traffic Control Zone where the near misses took place.
§ Mr. Goronwy RobertsOne air miss over Epsom on 11th November is still under investigation. Other than this, no air misses assessed as involving actual risk were reported in the Heathrow Control Zone for the year ending 16th November, 1969. One such incident was reported as occurring between five and ten miles west of Heathrow in 1968. No such incidents were reported in 1967 or in 1966. During these years the annual movement rates at Heathrow increased from about 220,000 to 260,000. The incident in 1968 involved public transport aircraft.
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§ 88. Mr. A. Royleasked the President of the Board of Trade what consultations he has had with the British Airline Pilots' Association to improve air traffic control, in view of the danger of collisions by aircraft in the London area resulting in a major catastrophe affecting residents living beneath the glide path into London Airport, Heathrow.
§ Mr. Goronwy RobertsThe Board of Trade is in continual consultation with the British Air Line Pilots' Association, as with other user bodies, across the whole field of air traffic control and other matters relating to civil aviation. The Association is also represented on the Air Miss Working Group which examines air-miss reports and recommends on any action required, and is a member of the Civil Aircraft Control Advisory Committee which meets regularly to consider particular air traffic control arrangements in the United Kingdom and any proposals for improving them.