Military Low Flying 2010-11

Wednesday 8th June 2011 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 during the training year 1 April 2010 to 31 March 2011 was the minimum required for aircrew to reach and maintain their ability to fly at low level. A total of 49,151 hours of low-flying training were conducted across all low-flying areas. In comparative terms, there was an decrease of 8,369 hours, or approximately 14.6% on the previous training year due to the withdrawal of Harrier GR7/9 from service, and the additional operational deployment of Tornado GR4s to Italy as part of the NATO force conducting operations in Libya. The amount of operational low flying (between 250 feet and 100 feet) by fixed wing aircraft was 248 hours, accounting for 0.5% of all low flying activity.

I have today placed in the Library of the House a document giving detailed statistics of the low-flying training that has taken place in the UK low-flying system for the training year.

“1 April 2010 to 31 March 2011”. This statistical appendix may be read in conjunction with the master document “Military Low Flying in the United Kingdom” that is already in the Library of the House.

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