§ Mrs. DunwoodyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when the New En-route Centre at Swanwick will be fully operational. [120786]
§ Mr. MullinThe Swanwick Centre is scheduled to come into operation by spring 2002.
§ Mrs. DunwoodyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many overseas consultancy projects have been undertaken by National Air Traffic Services in the last three years; and where these projects were undertaken. [120789]
§ Mr. MullinIn the past three years, NATS has undertaken a total of 30 consultancy projects. Projects were undertaken in, or on behalf of, the following countries: Abu Dhabi, Antigua, Australia, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Eire, Finland, Hungary, Iceland, Israel, Japan, Libya, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Portugal, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Syria, Switzerland, and the UK. In addition, NATS has participated in a number of consortiums on behalf of the European Organization for the Safety of Air Navigation (Eurocontrol).
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§ Mrs. DunwoodyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many aircraft movements there were at UK airfields without air traffic control services in the last 12 months. [120788]
§ Mr. MullinThere are 142 airports licensed by the CAA. Eighty-eight do not have air traffic control services but published data on aircraft movements are available only for 11 of these. For these 11 airports, there were 100,000 movements, both commercial and non-commercial. There were a total of 3.5 million aircraft movements at all UK airports for which data are available.
§ Mrs. DunwoodyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is the average length of time taken to train an air traffic controller; how many are in training; and how many controllers are required to staff the airfields and centres under NATS control. [120784]
§ Mr. MullinArea Control (AC) Air Traffic Control Officers (ATCOs) receive 78 weeks training at the College of Air Traffic Control at Hurn followed by between 12 and 24 months on the job training before achieving validation. Airports ATCOs receive 52 weeks training at the College also followed by between 12 and 24 months on the job training before achieving validation. NATS has a total of 255 controllers currently in training (132 AC and 123 Airports—including part valid controllers). 436 controllers are required to staff the airfields under NATS control and 1,010 to staff the centres.
§ Mrs. DunwoodyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the suppliers of distress and diversion air traffic control to UK aircraft and aircraft using UK airspace. [120783]
§ Mr. MullinThe Distress and Diversion (D&D) Air Traffic Control Service in the UK is provided to civil or military aircraft in distress or emergency in UK airspace. This service is supplied by RAF Air Traffic Control personnel located at the London Area and Terminal Control Centre (LATCC) and Scottish Area Control Centre (ScATCC).
§ Mrs. DunwoodyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many air traffic controllers are needed to bring Heathrow up to full complement; and how many controllers are being trained at Swanwick. [120785]
§ Mr. MullinThe total operational requirement for the Heathrow Visual Control Room and Thames Radar/SVFR is 61. There are currently 58 validated controllers. Two trainees are expected to validate within the next six to eight weeks together with one experienced ATCO undergoing retraining who is expected to regain validation within the same period. In addition, there are seven operationally valid Watch Managers at Heathrow.
The New En-Route Centre at Swanwick is scheduled to come into operation by spring 2002. Operational Conversion Training will begin in January 2001 to meet this requirement. A total of 380 Area Control ATCOs will undergo Operational Conversion Training prior to the operational date.
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§ Mrs. DunwoodyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list those UK airports where(a) there is no air traffic control and (b) only (i) an air ground and (ii) flight information service is provided. [120787]
§ Mr. MullinThe table lists UK airports where there is no air traffic control. Those with an Air/Ground service are indicated by A/G and those with a Flight Information Service, by FISO.
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UK Airports Andrewsfield FISO Barra FISO Bembridge FISO Beverley A/G Blackbushe FISO Bodmin A/G Bourn A/G Brough A/G Caernarfon A/G Campbeltown FISO Chalgrove A/G Chichester Goodwood FISO Clacton-on-Sea A/G Compton Abbas A/G Cumbernauld FISO Denham FISO Derby A/G Dunkeswell A/G Duxford FISO Eaglescott A/G Earls Colne A/G Eday A/G Elmsett A/G Elstree FISO Enniskillen St. Angelo FISO Fair Isle A/G Fairoaks FISO Fenland FISO Fife A/G Fowlmere A/G Full Sutton A/G Glasgow Helipad SECC A/G Halfpenny Green FISO Haverfordwest A/G Hucknall A/G Inverness FISO Islay Port Ellen FISO Lashenden Headcorn A/G Leicester A/G Little Gransden A/G Lydd FISO Manchester Barton FISO Netherthorpe A/G Newtownards A/G North Ronaldsay A/G Northampton Sywell FISO Nottingham A/G Old Buckenham A/G Old Sarum A/G Oxford Kidlington FISO Panshanger A/G Papa Westray A/G Penzance Heliport A/G Perth A/G Perranporth A/G Peterborough/Conington A/G Redhill FISO Rendcomb A/G Retford Gamston A/G Rochester FISO Sanday A/G Sandown Isle of Wight A/G Sandtoft A/G
UK Airports Seething A/G Sheffield City A/G Sherburn-in-Elmet A/G Shipdham FISO Shobdon FISO Sibson Peterborough A/G Silverstone Heliport A/G Sleap A/G Stapleford FISO Stronsay A/G Sturgate A/G Tatenhill A/G Thruxton A/G Tingwall A/G Tiree FISO Tresco Heliport A/G Truro A/G Turweston A/G Unst FISO Wellesbourne Mountford FISO Welshpool A/G Westray A/G Whalsey A/G White Waltham FISO Wickenby A/G