HL Deb 03 July 2001 vol 626 c37WA
Baroness Park of Monmouth

asked Her Majesty's Government:

(a) How many Chinook Mark 2 helicopters are now equipped with the new black box, HUMS, (b) how many do not yet carry this, and (c) when the whole fleet can be so equipped. [HL53]

Lord Bach

The twenty-second and twenty-third aircraft from the RAF Chinook Mark 2/2a fleet are currently being fitted with cockpit voice and flight data recorders as part of the Health and Usage Monitoring System (HUMS) programme, which leaves 17 of the fleet still to be so equipped. Progress on this programme is of necessity slower than we would wish given that, as previously explained, the operational requirement for these helicopters is a first priority. It is now anticipated that the programme will be completed during the spring of next year.