Military Aircraft: Helicopters

Mr. Hancock
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many pilots qualified to fly Puma helicopters have re-qualified to fly (a) Merlin and (b) Chinook helicopters in 2009 to date.

Bill Rammell
In 2009 to date, three qualified Puma pilots re-qualified to fly Chinook helicopters. In the same period, no qualified Puma pilots have re-qualified to fly Merlin helicopters.