§ Mr. Campbell-SavoursTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport why the London terminal manoeuvring area has not included the operations of civil airlines operating out of Stolport in east London.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyThe Civil Aviation Authority is responsible for air traffic management through the National Air Traffic Services (NATS). The authority has told us that NATS is not at present able to introduce procedures to include safely London City airport traffic within the London terminal manoeuvring area (LTMA). Moreover, it could not yet be handled there without an unacceptable effect on Gatwick and Heathrow traffic. This was made clear during the planning of London City airport. It is unlikely that NATS will be able to implement the necessary changes so as to include London City aircraft within the London terminal manoeuvring area before the end of 1988.
§ Mr. Campbell-SavoursTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what statistics are kept of air movements by all flying equipment within the London terminal manoeuvring area;
(2) what is the current capacity of the London terminal manoeuvring area; and what is the maximum capacity for aircraft movements.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyThe Civil Aviation Authority is responsible, through the National Air Traffic Services (NATS) for all aspects of airspace management. The authority has told us that the practical capacity of the London terminal maneouvring area is 130 aircraft movements per hour and the theoretical capacity is 147 movements per hour.
During 1986 the number of aircraft movements within the LTMA were as follows:
Number North west sector 122,954 North east sector 147,184 South west sector 178,198 South east sector 146,071 These figures cannot be aggregated to form a total movement rate because aircraft may fly in more than one sector.
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§ Mr. Campbell-SavoursTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received from civil airline operators on the use of uncontrolled airspace by flying equipment over the London area in the last three months.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyNone.
§ Mr. Campbell-SavoursTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he has any plans to seek to alter the reporting procedures for near misses or other incidents involving civil airline aircraft and other flying equipment in the Stolport area of London;
(2) if he will call for a report from the Civil Aviation Authority into each of the near misses and other incidents reported in the Stolport area by pilots and others.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyThe Civil Aviation Authority is responsible, through the National Air Traffic Services (NATS) for all aspect of airspace management. All airmiss reports in United Kingdom airspace are investigated initially by the joint airmiss section of NATS. They are then examined by the joint airmiss working group, which is comprised of representatives of civil and military aviation bodies. In order to ensure full and complete reporting by all concerned, the results of an airmiss investigation are not made public. There are no plans to alter airmiss or other incident reporting procedures in the United Kingdom.
One airmiss report has been filed by the pilot of a London City airport aircraft and is currently under investigation by NATS.
§ Mr. Campbell-SavoursTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will make a statement as to the powers and responsibilities of Civil Aviation Authority aircraft controllers in southern England in relation to the operations of civil airlines flying in uncontrolled airspace in the vicinity of Stolport;
(2) what information he has on procedures for notifying civil airline pilots in uncontrolled airspace in the vicinity of Stolport of the presence of other flying equipment including hangliders, parachutists, microlights, helicopters, balloons and private aircraft.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyThe Civil Aviation Authority is responsible, through the National Air Traffic Services, for all aspects of airspace management. The Authority has told us that the air traffic services and procedures available for pilots of aircraft flying in uncontrolled airspace are set out in the United Kingdom air pilot. These include radar and non-radar services. Responsibility for the decision whether or not any particular service is required rests with the aircraft pilot.
§ Mr. Campbell-SavoursTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement as to the responsibilities of the civil airlines for aircraft control movements in uncontrolled airspace in the vicinity of Stolport in east London.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyA civil airline operator's responsibilities are set out in part V of the Air Navigation Order 1985 —S.I. 1985/1643. It is the responsibility of the aircraft commander to satisfy himself before the aircraft takes off that the flight can safely be made, taking into account the latest information available as to the route and aerodrome to be used, the weather reports and746W forecasts available, and any alternative course of action which can be adopted in case the flight cannot be completed as planned.
§ Mr. Campbell-SavoursTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has as to on how many occasions, since the opening of Stolport, radar equipment at Heathrow, Gatwick or West Drayton has failed to function in tracking the flightpath of civil aircraft flying under 2,500 ft within 30 miles of Stolport in east London.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyThe Civil Aviation Authority is responsible, through the National Air Traffic Services, for all aspects of airspace management. The authority has told us that the Thames radar service specifically provided for London City airport aircraft has been fully available. A complementary lower air space radar service provided by Gatwick airport for aircraft in uncontrolled air space has been available 66 per cent. of the time. Use of the service is not mandatory and it is provided on an on-request basis, subject to the capacity of the air traffic unit.
§ Mr. Campbell-SavoursTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) whether he will institute an inquiry into the dangers that arise from flying in uncontrolled air space over London;
(2) what is his policy for the future control of air movements in uncontrolled air space over the London area.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyNo. The Civil Aviation Authority is responsible, through the National Air Traffic Services, for all aspects of airspace management. Any decision to institute an inquiry into flying in uncontrolled airspace over London is a matter solely for the authority.
§ Mr. Campbell-SavoursTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether flights by non-passenger military aircraft are permitted in uncontrolled airspace over the east London area.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyYes, in accordance with the Rules of the Air and Air Traffic Control Regulations 1985— S.I. 1985/1714 — and military flying regulations—joint service publication 318.