§ Mrs. DunwoodyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 6 March 1996,Official Report, column 215, if he will make a statement on the action his Department is taking to reduce the incidence of ice balls falling from aircraft. [21364]
§ Mr. NorrisThe aviation industry and the Civil Aviation Authority are aware of public concerns and practical steps are being taken to reduce the number of occurrences of ice falling from aircraft. These steps include
the fitting of manufacturers' modification kits to improve resistance to water leaks at servicing points;enhanced maintenance requirements to ensure the continued integrity of water sealing systems in service;routine visual inspections of aircraft after landing, by airline engineers checking for evidence of ice accretion;unannounced inspections by CAA surveyors checking airworthiness standards which include evidence of ice accretion/water leakage; andrecording of occurrences by the CAA and investigation of serious events by the air accidents investigation branch.