§ Mr. Gordon PrenticeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many incidents have been reported to him involving planes entering United Kingdom air space with insufficient fuel to meet safety standards in the past two years; and if he will make a statement. [84487]
§ Ms Glenda JacksonIn the past two years the CAA has received 12 reports of aircraft arriving at UK airports with fuel levels below the prescribed minimum.
The international standard for minimum fuel levels is contained in Annex 6 to the Chicago Convention. This requires that an aircraft should arrive at its destination airport with enough fuel to make an approach to land, carry out a missed approach, fly to an alternate airport, hold for 30 minutes and carry out the subsequent approach and landing. The aircraft should also carry a contingency reserve specified by the relevant national aviation authority. The breaching of minimum fuel levels does not immediately place an aircraft in danger.