§ Mr. Sheermanasked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he intends implementing the recent resolution on the use of flight voice recorders on all fixed wing aircraft over a certain minimum weight and whether he will include helicopters under the same regulations.
§ Mr. SproatI await advice from the Civil Aviation Authority on this matter. I understand however that the authority has recently consulted the industry on a proposal to extend the fit of cockpit voice recorders to aircraft not at present covered by the requirements of the Air Navigation Order 1980.
Following this consultation, the Civil Aviation Authority is expected to recommend that these requirements be amended in respect of the carriage of cockpit voice recorders to include turbine powered aeroplanes having a maximum authorised weight between 11,400 kg and 27,000 kg. Helicopters present particular technical problems and the CAA consider they should be treated as a separate case. The Authority has been in discussion with my Department about requirements for the carriage of recording apparatus in helicopters and will shortly be consulting the industry on this matter before coming forward with proposals.