Eamon Gilmore
Ceist:69 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Defence if air traffic control cover is now available on a 24 hour basis in all locations from which Air Corps aircraft operate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28685/00]
Written Answers. - Air Traffic Control.
Air Traffic Control Services means a service provided for the purpose of: preventing collisions between aircraft in flight and when manoeuvring on the ground; expediting and maintaining an orderly flow of traffic; providing advice and information useful for the safe and efficient conduct of the flight – flight information service; notifying the appropriate organisation of aircraft in need of search and rescue – SAR – assistance, and assisting that organisation as required, i.e. an alerting service.
Air traffic services normally include flight information service, alerting service, air traffic advisory service, air traffic control service, approach control service and aerodrome control service.
All or some of the above services may be provided at an aerodrome, but it is dependent upon the level of use of the airport and the complexity and nature of the flights operating into and from it. At the lowest end of the scale a private operator flying for own use from a non-licensed private airfield will not have ATC on the field. The flight plan will be filed by phone to the nearest ATC authority. At the highest level of the scale is Dublin Airport, for example. Only air craft carrying certain navigation equipment will be permitted to operate at this airport, day and night. The full range of ATC services is available and compliance is required.
With regard to the Air Corps operations, I am assured by the military authorities that normal safety procedures are always followed in relation to all operations undertaken by the Air Corps. With regard to specific locations from which the Air Corps operates the position is as follows; 24 hour ATC cover is available at Baldonnel. This cover is necessary due to its proximity to the Dublin Airport flight paths. There is no ATC in Finner Camp, County Donegal, due to it not being within the immediate area of a major airport. However, flight information services are provided on a 24 basis from Finner Camp to the pilots and the ATC and Met Éireann at Shannon are accessed for weather information-traffic control as required. SAR operations from Waterford Airport are daylight hours only and ATC services are available.