HC Deb 03 February 2000 vol 343 cc661-2W
Mrs. Dunwoody

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if it is a requirement for helicopter inspections to be carried out by operations inspectors who are trained helicopter pilots; how many operations inspectors are trained helicopter pilots; and if he will make a statement. [108032]

Mr. Mullin

There are no international standards governing the qualifications of civil aviation authority inspectors, but the International Civil Aviation Organisation "Manual of Procedures for Operations Inspection, Certification and Continued Surveillance" recommends that to carry out a flight inspection of an aircraft, an inspector should be qualified in that type of aircraft.

In the United Kingdom, all helicopter flight inspections, together with technical evaluations of the helicopter, equipment, and operation are undertaken by Civil Aviation Authority Flight Operations Inspectors who possess a current Airline Transport Pilots Licence (Helicopters), and have had considerable commercial operating experience often including management or training duties. Not only are proficiency checks undertaken, but regular line flying duties in a variety of roles are carried out by all helicopter Flight Operations Inspectors.

The CAA has 13 specialist helicopter Flight Operations Inspectors.

There are some aspects of helicopter operations which can be audited or checked by suitably trained Inspecting Staff, who nevertheless do not hold a professional helicopter pilots licence. For example examination of pilots duty hours and training records would not necessarily require professional piloting expertise in order to evaluate their validity and integrity.