§ Mr. WilsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the minimum authorised separation distance 391W between military helicopters and civilian vehicles travelling on public roads; and what are the legislative provisions governing the proximity of military aircraft to civilian road traffic.
§ Mr. FreemanLow-flying military helicopters are instructed to maintain a minimum height of 50 ft from the ground or 32.8 ft (10m) minimum separation distance from any upstanding object when flying. They may however be authorised to hover at levels down to a minumum separation distance of 9.8 ft (3m). There are no legislative provisions governing the proximity of military aircraft to civilian road traffic.
§ Mr. WilsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the military helicopter units which were exercising in the Dalmally-Tyndrum area of Argyll on 5 May.
§ Mr. FreemanAccording to available records the only military helicopter authorised to fly at low level in Scotland on 5 May was a naval Lynx operating from HMS Minerva.
§ Mr. WilsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the incident involving a military helicopter and a civilian car on the A85 road between Dalmally and Tyndrum on 5 May.
§ Mr. FreemanFollowing notification of the incident by Strathclyde civil police on 7 May, a full investigation was commissioned to establish whether a military helicopter was involved and if so, what the circumstances were.