Military Low Flying

Monday 19th July 2010 Written Statements

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence (Mr Andrew Robathan)]

The amount of low flying training carried out in the UK Low Flying System (UKLFS) during the training year 1 April 2009 to 31 March 2010 was the minimum required for aircrew to reach and maintain their ability to fly at low level. A total of 57,520 hours of low flying training were conducted across all low flying areas. In comparative terms, there was an increase of 5,632 hours, or approximately 11% on the previous training year due to operational pre-deployment training for both fixed and rotary-wing aircraft, and the continuing introduction of Typhoon into service. The amount of operational low flying (between 250 feet and 100 feet) by fixed wing aircraft was 309 hours, accounting for 0.5% of all low flying activity.

I have today placed in the Library of the House documents providing a detailed account of the low flying training that has taken place in the UK Low Flying System for the training year 1 April 2009 to 31 March 2010.

This year, information about how military low flying is conducted is contained in a main document with the annual statistics in a separate appendix. The format in which the statistics are presented is the same as the previous year to enable comparison. In future years, only the statistical appendix will be produced unless there are major changes to the UKLFS.

Additional copies are available on request from the following address:

Air Staff

Complaints and Enquiries Unit

Ministry of Defence

Level 5 Zone H

Main Building

Whitehall

London SW1A 2HB

Alternatively it can be viewed on the MOD’s web site: www.mod.uk/aboutdefence/whatwedo/airsafetyandaviation/lowflying