HL Deb 14 October 1997 vol 582 c167WA
Lord Glenarthur

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What action is being taken to minimise the risk of collision between helicopters conducting pipe and powerline surveys and low flying military aircraft; and

Whether consideration has been given to affording protected airspace to helicopters operating under the Pipeline Inspection Notification System.

Lord Gilbert

On 18 August measures were introduced to improve the accuracy of Pipeline Inspection Notification System (PINS) information available to military aircrew. These will include the issue of a revised map which refines the areas notified on the PINS chart to depict daily activity more accurately. Given these changes, we currently see no requirement to afford protected airspace to helicopters operating under PINS. We have a wide range of measures in place, which are kept under continuous review, to minimise the risk of confliction between civil and military aircraft, including those conducting power and pipeline inspections.