§ Mr. William RossTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has as to the time and date when the Boeing Aircraft Company first became aware of wiring problems in their 757 aircraft; when the Federal Aviation Authority was notified; when the federal authority gave instructions that the aircraft were to be checked; what the time and date was when the Civil Aviation Authority was notified; and when the Civil Aviation Authority notified United Kingdom airlines operating these aircraft.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyI understand that the United States Federal Aviation Administration and the Boeing Company are investigating the chronology of the notification of wiring faults in the hold fire warning and extinguishing system of the Boeing 757.
My information is that the Civil Aviation Authority was notified by the FAA, by telephone, at 5.30 pm on Friday, 13 January, that an airworthiness directive was being issued which concerned the wiring of the B757 hold fire warning and extinguishing system. By 7.30 that evening the CAA had notified all United Kingdom operators of the forthcoming airworthiness directive.
On Saturday morning, 14 January, the full airworthiness directive was received by the CAA by telex. The CAA confirmed immediately that all United Kingdom operators of the aircraft had received the telex. Action was by then under way and by the end of the morning British Airways, for example, had already inspected and cleared 12 of their B757s.