The Air Corps operates a fleet of 38 aircraft, 23 of which are fixed wing, the other 15 are helicopters.
The total flying time of all Air Corps aircraft in 1993 was 9,854 hours. The total flying time of all aircraft in the period January 1994 to September 1994, inclusive, was 6,928 hours.
In 1993, the Air Corps carried out 89 search and rescue missions involving 122 flying hours. In the first nine months of this year, 52 such missions have been carried out involving 80 flying hours.
In relation to the ministerial air transport service, 263 missions were carried out in 1993 with 227 missions completed in the first nine months of 1994. The respective flying hours involved were 1,035 and 948.
The amount provided in the Defence Estimate 1994 in respect of maintenance, support services and fuel for all Air Corps aircraft is £860,000. It is not the practice to allocate this amount to individual operations. More detailed information on costings is being provided in reply to a separate question for answer today.