Loganair plane in near miss with military jet

LOGANAIR has praised the professionalism of its pilots after one of the company’s Saab 340 aircrafts was in a near miss with an American air fighter while approaching Sumburgh Airport last year.

An investigation by the UK Airprox Board heard that the pilot had to take action for fear of collision with the Hornet Fighter, which was participating in the Saxon Warrior exercise on 8 August.

The Saab 340 received a traffic collision avoidance alert (TCAS) to “descend, descend” while crews were preparing for the approach to Sumburgh.

The risk of collision was reported as “high” as the two aircraft came within 3,600 feet vertically and 2.1 miles laterally.

The US fighter had entered the busy airspace despite an exercise agreement not to do so.

Loganair chief operation officer Maurice Boyle said: “The TCAS system fitted to all Loganair aircraft provides immediate alerts relating to other aircraft, and served to alert the pilots in this case of the proximity of the military aircraft.

“Our pilots were following their assigned, approved flight path and acted appropriately and in accordance with their training and procedures to respond to the presence of the military aircraft.”