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Air Force: Training

Original answer

I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House. Substantive answer from Bill Rammell to Liam Fox:"My predecessor undertook to write to you in response to your Parliamentary Questions on 23 February 2009 (Official Report, column 37W) and 2 March 2009 (Official Report, column 1364W) about the average training hours spent by fast jet pilots in each aircraft type in each year since 2003 and in each month of 2008 and the training hours flying time RAF fast jet pilots were able to undertake on average in each year since 2004, respectively. I undertook to write once officials had completed collating the data and as the two questions are very similar in nature I am providing a combined answer.""Aircrew are monitored for competency levels throughout their flying career and training continues for Front Line aircrew after the initial award of Combat Ready Status. This answer gives the number of average actual Front Line pilot training flying hours for 2005 onwards. Information prior to 2005 could only be provided at disproportionate cost. Additionally, subsequent changes to the flying hours reporting system have resulted in data not being held centrally for 2007/08; figures for that year could only be retrieved at disproportionate cost. Therefore, figures for the financial year 2007-08 have not been provided.""The available annual data is provided below and has been rounded to the nearest whole number."

	Average actual front line pilot training flying hours
Fast jet aircraft type	FY 2005/06	FY 2006/07
Jaguar	225	197
Tornado F3	204	220
Tornado GR4	194	195
Harrier	165	148
Typhoon	264	250
Total hours	7,052	1,010

"From the information provided above the average of actual fast jet pilot training flying hours is 210 for FY 2005-06 and 202 for FY 2006-07." "Changes to the flying hours reporting system mentioned above, also means that monthly data for the period January to March 2008 could only be provided at disproportionate cost." "The available monthly data for 2008 is provided below and has been rounded to the nearest whole number."

	Average actual monthly front line pilot training flying hours
Month of 2008	Tornado F3	Tornado GR4	Harrier	Typhoon
April	12	11	12	17
May	10	11	9	15
June	13	10	9	15
July	11	9	10	15
August	11	9	9	11
September	10	11	14	15
October	10	10	12	14
November	9	8	7	14
December	5	6	5	7

"We expect to fly less over the winter months as a result of stations standing down over the festive season and adverse weather conditions affecting planned flights." "The hours for Hawk training aircraft have not been included as these aircraft are not used on Operations." "I apologise for the delay in replying and any inconvenience caused."

It has since been corrected.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

495 c661-2W (502 3-4MC); 258877

Session

2008-09

Related items

Deposited Paper DEP2009-1930
Wednesday, 8 July 2009
Deposited papers
House of Commons

Military aircraft:Training
Wednesday, 16 December 2009
Written corrections
House of Commons

Air Force: Training
Monday, 2 March 2009
Written questions
House of Commons

Notes

Question originally printed on 2 March 2009 at 488 c1364W. Corrected on 16 December 2009 at 501 c3-4MC.

Subjects

Air force Military aircraft Training

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk