HL Deb 06 December 1983 vol 445 c1077WA
Baroness Vickers

Asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether the new airport in the Falkland Islands will be suitable for use by fully laden DC10–30 and Boeing 747aeroplanes landing at the new airport whether they will deny rumours that such aeroplanes, when fully loaded, will not be able to take off from the airport; and whether the airport; will be suitable for DC10–30 and Boeing 747 aeroplanes to fly non-stop to Ascension Island and Dakar.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Armed Forces (Lord Trefgarne)

From the start, civil as well as military requirements were taken into account in planning, and I can confirm that the runway has been designed to accept all fully laden wide-bodied aircraft, including those mentioned by my noble friend. In certain adverse conditions, these aircraft might not be able to take off with a full load to fly non-stop to Ascension Island, but the effect would he marginal and might mean for example that a few less passengers could be carried. I will write to my noble friend about Dakar.