Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 24 Oct 2000

Vol. 524 No. 5

Written Answers. - Air Safety Policy.

Minister for Defence (Mr. M. Smith):

Copies of the Snow report will be supplied, on request, to interested parties with a legitimate interest.

Seán Ryan

Ceist:

127 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Defence the investigation that has been held into a radar failure on an Air Corps helicopter on a recent rescue mission off the Donegal coast; the steps that are being taken to ensure that this problem does not recur; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22972/00]

Minister for Defence (Mr. M. Smith):

I have been informed by the Air Corps that the incident which took place on the recent rescue mission off the Donegal coast was not a failure of the radar equipment per se; rather it was a disconnection which occurred in a box between the radar itself and the display in the cockpit. This was identified when the preliminary investigation took place upon completion of mission, and was verified by the engineering investigation.

The disconnection was ascribed to the severe buffeting which the aircraft received from low level turbulence in the course of the rescue. The Air Corps consider that this was a relatively minor incident as the helicopter is equipped with adequate primary navigational equipment. In this regard, it should be noted that the mission was successfully completed with the pilot using the normal navigation equipment to fly the casualty to Carrickfin Airport without any difficulty.

While any system may fail, failure prevention is based on the maintenance procedures which are appropriate and certified for each aircraft, aircraft system and ancillary equipment. The Air Corps have advised that the investigation did not perceive any requirement to amend the maintenance procedure in this instance.