§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence (Mr. Ivor Caplin)The ability to fly fast and low continues to be an essential skill in our armoury of tactics. Training for aircrew to achieve and maintain these skills is vital.
The amount of low flying training carried out in the United Kingdom Low Flying System (UKLFS) during the training year April 2002 to March 2003 was the minimum necessary for aircrew to reach and maintain these skills. Hours booked for low flying training in the UKLFS (excluding the Rotary Wing Dedicated User Areas, where different booking arrangements apply) during this period amounted to an overall increase of 2.6 per cent. compared to the previous training year. The increase may be linked to preparations for operations, and an increase in the flying of Apache aircraft in preparation for their introduction into service. Since detailed records of hours booked began in 1995, the annual total has reduced by some 29 per cent.
The distribution of low-flying training across the UK has not changed significantly over previous years. It is spread as widely as practicable, but for a variety of reasons including population distribution, and geographic and climatic considerations, it is inevitable that some parts of the country will see more low flying than others.
I have today placed in the Library of the House a report giving a detailed account of low flying training in the UK Low Flying System for the period April 2002 to March 2003.
Further copies of the report can be obtained from the Vote office or it can be viewed on the MOD's web site: www.mod.uk/issues/lowflying