§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the number and percentage of occasions annually on which the final approach separations used when there is no additional wake vortex separation requirement for(a) Leeds-Bradford and (b) Humberside airports are less than the legal minima; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. NorrisI have not made an assessment. I understand that there are standard procedures for reduced separation in the vicinity of an aerodrome which permit the distance between aircraft following one another to be reduced below the minimum radar separation by instead using visual separation. Visual separation may be used when the air traffic controller can see both the leading and following aircraft; or when the pilot of the following aircraft can view the preceding aircraft and maintain a safe distance. Visual separations are used whenever weather conditions permit. Controllers constantly monitor separations and take immediate action if distances between aircraft are below safe limits.