§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what were the maximum permitted speeds and minimum permitted altitudes for Royal Air Force Vulcan aircraft, prior to their withdrawal from the strike/attack role, during low-level sorties while deployed to Nellis air force base, Nevada, for Red Flag exercises.
§ Mr. HanleyAlthough records of heights and speeds flown by RAF Vulcan aircraft overseas are not available, inquiries indicate that the maximum permitted speed of 350 knots and minimum height of 300ft, which applied in the United Kingdom low-flying system, were also observed by Vulcan aircrew participating in red flag exercises; where appropriate aircraft would, however, have been authorised to fly down to 100ft to allow them to take full advantage of the weather conditions and facilities offered by these exercises.
§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the purpose of recording the noise level generated by Hawk aircraft flying at 150ft during Exercise Luce Belle.
§ Mr. HanleyA recording of the noise generated by the Hawk aircraft at 150ft was taken during Exercise Luce Belle on the basis that the minimum authorised altitude for the aircraft is 100ft above ground level as explained in my answer of 20 January,Official Report, column 819, to the hon. Member.
§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many low-level sorties were flown over the United Kingdom by each specified foreign air arm in each month since September 1993.
§ Mr. HanleyThe numbers of sorties flown by aircraft of foreign air forces in the United Kingdom low-flying system in each month since September 1993 to December 1993, the most recent month for which figures are available, were as follows:
October November December Netherlands — — — France — 2 — Italy — 8 — Denmark — — 3 United States of America — — — Germany — — — Belgium — — — Canada — — — Spain — — — Portugal 2 — — Turkey — — — Total 2 10 3
§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the number of low-flying sorties carried out by each aircraft type in each month since June 1993.
§ Mr. HanleyThe numbers of low-flying sorties by aircraft type carried out in the United Kingdom for the period July 1993 to December 1993, the most recent month for which figures are available, were as follows: 353W
Aircraft Type July August September October November December Buccaneer 100 139 115 137 74 54 Harrier 733 406 388 543 486 471 Hawk 1,793 1,400 1,474 1,101 1,137 486 Jaguar 625 505 444 617 301 390 Jet Provost 76 69 50 43 — — Tornado 2,045 1,953 1,893 1,958 1,504 1,280 Tucano 871 939 801 636 468 380 F-15 235 325 352 178 279 288 F-111 266 205 130 62 34 5 Other Aircraft (including helicopters) 4,887 3,712 4,871 3,613 3,984 2,315 Total 11,631 9,653 10,518 8,888 8,267 5,669 The figures in the table do not include the number of sorties flown within LFA 10 as the information is not yet available.
§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information was available to his Department on the frequency of night low flying over the Western Isles, Orkney and Shetland when the decision was made not to include those areas in the system of numbered night low-flying areas; and if he will make a statement on the means used(a) to deconflict aircraft flying at low level at night over these areas and (b) to identify the aircraft involved in the event of a public complaint about military low flying at night over these areas.
§ Mr. HanleyInformation available to my Department indicates that only a small amount of night low flying is carried out in these areas, the majority of which is conducted during exercises. Deconflicting arrangements are made during the planning and briefing for such exercises. No complaints about night low flying over these areas have been received in the last five years.
§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the number of complaints received from addresses in each of the low flying areas in the United Kingdom in 1993.
§ Mr. HanleyThe information requested is as follows:
Low flying area Numbers of complaints or inquiries 1 278 2 836 3 19 4 368 5 516 6 374 7 556 8 232 9 69 10 14 11 388 12 230 13 25 14 459 16 583 17 531 18 205
§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the current minimum annual number of low-level flying hours required for combat ready Tornado GR1 pilots to maintain their currency to fly at 250ft; and354W what is the specified period of time beyond which pilots who have not flown at 250ft are required to carry out requalification.
§ Mr. HanleyA Tornado GR1 pilot is required to complete a minimum of 80 low level sorties during annual training. Each low level sortie must include a minimum of 20 minutes of low flying at 250ft. There is no specified period of time beyond which re-qualification becomes necessary. However, if a combat ready pilot is unable to fly at low level for a period of time his squadron will implement a programme of workdown training prior to authorising him to resume unrestricted low flying at 250ft.
§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence which document contains the regulation requiring that fixed low-flying routes are(a) used as little as possible and (b) replaced are regular intervals; and what maximum interval between such replacements is stipulated.
§ Mr. HanleyThe regulation requiring fixed routes to be used as little as possible and to be replaced at regular intervals is contained in the United Kingdom military low flying handbook. The stipulation is that fixed routes must be replaced at least twice a year.
§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what were the maximum permitted speeds and minimum permitted altitudes for Royal Air Force Vulcan aircraft, prior to their withdrawal from the strike/attack role, while conducting low-level training from Goose Bay, Canada; and if any such training was conducted outside fixed low level training routes.
§ Mr. HanleyAlthough records of heights and speeds flown by RAF Vulcan aircraft overseas are not available, inquiries indicate that the maximum permitted speeds of 350 knots and the minimum height of 300ft, which applied to the United Kingdom low flying system, were also observed at Goose bay, apart from rare occasions when Vulcans were permitted to fly down to 100ft in preparation for red flag exercises. None of these sorties would have taken place outside fixed low-level training routes.
§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the operating authorities of low flying areas 2P, 3, 9 and 10 are permitted to allow fast jet aircraft to enter their low flying area when helicopters are also operating in the area at low level.
§ Mr. HanleyYes, the co-ordinating authorities of low-flying areas 2P, 3, 9 and 10 may, at their discretion, authorise fixed wing aircraft to enter the areas when helicopters are operating at low level.
355W
§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the total number of low-flying movements in the United Kingdom low flying system in 1993.
§ Mr. HanleyThe number of low-flying movements carried out in the United Kingdom low flying system in 1993 was 262,973. These figures do not include the number of movements flown within the newly created low-flying area 10. Statistics for this area are not yet available.
§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many low-flying sorties were flown over the United Kingdom by (a) Hercules aircraft and(b) all types of helicopters during 1993.
§ Mr. HanleyThe numbers of low-flying sorties carried out in the United Kingdom by Hercules aircraft and helicopters during 1993 were as follows:
Year Hercules Helicopters 1993 2,242 41,493 These figures do not include the number of sorties flown within low-flying area 10 as this information is not yet available.
§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consideration has been given to restricting the low flying avoidance area status of gliding sites on weekdays to those locations whose operators have been advised by his Department of specific weekday activity.
§ Mr. HanleyThe Civil Aviation Authority provide the location and operating times of all glider sites to the headquarters, military air traffic operations. Sites operating on a weekday are granted avoidance status on the basis of the information provided.
§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the current minimum annual number of flying hours required for combat-ready Tornado GR1 pilots to maintain their currency to fly using terrain-following radar in instrument meteorological conditions(a) in daylight and (b) at night; what is the specified period of time beyond which a qualification to fly in these conditions lapses; and what changes have taken place in these requirements since 1989.
§ Mr. HanleyA combat ready Tornado GR1 pilot is required to complete a minimum of eight hours automatic terrain following radar—T14R—flying per year. No distinction is made between TFR flying in instrument meteorological conditions—IMC—by day or night. IMC TFR currency lapses if no qualifying sortie has been flown in the last 30 days. Once a pilot's TFR currency has lapsed he is required to complete a single 20 minute TFR sortie in visual meteorological conditions—VMC—prior to recommencing IMC training. Since 1989 the currency requirement for IMC TFR flying has reduced from 60 days to 30 days.