§ Mr. Home RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will identify the type of aircraft and operating bases of the military jets which made low-level30W flights over East Linton at 4.30 pm on 21 March and at 2.25 pm on 29 March; and if he will make a statement on the speed and height of those flights.
§ Mr. NeubertUnited Kingdom and other military aircraft are authorised as a matter of routine to carry out low-level flying training in the area mentioned at heights no lower than 250 ft and at speeds normally not exceeding 450 knots. Aircraft may originate from a number of flying stations in both the United Kingdom and the Federal Republic of Germany.
§ Mr. Home RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the large uninhabited areas of the world used for low-level flight training referred to in his Department's current advertising campaign for the recruitment of Royal Air Force officers.
§ Mr. NeubertThe RAF flying training at altitudes under 250 ft, which is needed to refine aircrew skills, is mainly undertaken in virtually unpopulated parts of the United States and Canada.
§ Mr. Menzies CampbellTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consideration has been given to the installation of transponder equipment on military aircraft which will provide warning directly to the pilots of other aircraft flying at low level of the presence of conflicting air traffic.
§ Mr. Neubert[holding answer 25 January 1989]: The Ministry of Defence has placed a small contract for a study into the feasibility of giving military aircraft collision warning facilities in order to give early warning of conflicting military traffic, in particular, by utilising existing transponder equipment.