§ Mr. HarveyTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the possible impact of adverse weather on weapons range training sorties from RAF Valley.
§ Mr. HanleyIrrespective of the base of operation, adverse weather sometimes affects range sorties and results in a failure to complete the planned exercise. However, these occurrences are kept to a minimum by the use of range controllers and weather check aircraft.
§ Mr. HarveyTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what assessment he has made of the possible impact of human error on the part of solo trainee pilots on weapons range training sorties from RAF Valley;
(2) where weapons will be loaded for weapons range training sorties from RAF Valley after the closure of RAF Chivenor;
(3) what assessment he has made of the possible impact of solo trainee pilots encountering unforeseen difficulties on average times spent on the weapons range in weapons range training sorties from RAF Valley, as compared to the existing pattern of sorties from RAF Chivenor.
§ Mr. HanleyThere is no intention to fly solo weapons range training sorties from RAF Valley. Should a decision be taken to close RAF Chivenor, aircraft from RAF Valley would load weapons at RAF St. Athan.
§ Mr. HarveyTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the possible impact of congested airways on weapons range training sorties from RAF Valley.
§ Mr. HanleyThe effect will be negligible as aircraft transiting between RAF Valley and RAF Chivenor—or RAF St. Athan—will not usually need to fly through civil airways.
§ Mr. HarveyTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the extra transit fuel costs of operating weapons range training sorties from RAF Valley instead of from RAF Chivenor.
§ Mr. HanleyBecause more efficient flight profiles can be used by aircraft flying to and from RAF Valley, the difference in fuel costs would be negligible.