§ Mr. Home RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many passengers and crew were on the BAC1-11 flight which was involved in an airmiss with a Tornado aircraft over Tranent on 2 August 1989; what airline it belonged to; what was its flight number; and from which airport it was flying.
§ Mr. McLoughlinAnonymity in airmiss investigation is preserved in the interest of full and frank reporting of incidents. This does not inhibit thorough investigation or follow-up action to remedy any failings which are uncovered. There is no reason to change this practice over the incident at Tranent on 2 August 1989.
§ Mr. Home RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will amend the air traffic regulations to establish the responsibility of an air traffic controller for vectoring aircraft in controlled or special rules airspace in respect of both the vertical and horizontal planes, in line with the recommendation of the joint airmiss working group following the incident over Tranent on 2 August 1989.
§ Mr. McLoughlinI understand that amendments to the manual of air traffic services in line with the joint airmiss working group recommendations have already been agreed and are included in the next amendment list to the regulations.
§ Mr. Home RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will amend the air traffic regulations to establish the responsibility of an air traffic controller to instruct and advise pilots in order to ensure that they remain in regulated airspace even when such pilots accept a visual approach or other relaxation from full control, as recommended by the joint airmiss working group following the incident over Tranent on 2 August 1989.
§ Mr. McLoughlinI understand that amendments to the manual of air traffic services requiring controllers to ensure that the clearances they issue do not allow aircraft inadvertently to leave regulated airspace have already been agreed and are included in the next amendment list to the regulations. Regulations allow captains of aircraft to make a conscious decision to leave regulated airspace should they so require.
§ Mr. Home RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take steps to ensure that civil pilots have readily available information as to the vertical limits of regulated airspace as recommended by the joint airmiss working group following the incident over Tranent on 2 August 1989.
§ Mr. McLoughlinThe Civil Aviation Authority has the statutory responsibility for the safety regulation of civil aviation. I understand that it is the CAA's view that the publication of the vertical limits of regulated airspace in the United Kingdom aeronautical information publication, on the CAA topographical maps and on commercially available approach charts and en route maps meets all reasonable requirements for the availability of this information.
§ Mr. Home RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if, in the light of the deliberations of the joint airmiss working group into an incident over Tranent on 2 August 1989, he will now extend the area of controlled airspace around Edinburgh airport.
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§ Mr. McLoughlinThe joint airmiss working group made no recommendation to change the dimensions of controlled airspace around Edinburgh airport. All regulated airspace in the United Kingdom is reviewed regularly to ensure that it remains appropriate to the traffic density. There are no plans to change the dimensions of the Edinburgh CTR/SRZ or those areas of the Scottish TMA associated with Edinburgh procedures.
§ Mr. Home RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if, in view of the deliberations of the joint airmiss working group into an incident over Tranent on 2 August 1989, he will direct the Civil Aviation Authority to provide secondary surveillance radar at Edinburgh.
§ Mr. McLoughlinAs part of a national programme instituted before the Tranent airmiss secondary surveillance radar is being installed at Edinburgh airport and is expected to be operational before the end of May 1990.