Blink and you’ll miss it

Date: 11/12/1997

Europe's skies are safe at last now that a vital hole in the continent's air traffic control jigsaw has finally been filled.

Eurocontrol - the organisation which ensures that aircraft flying over western Europe stay in the air and away from each other - was this week pleased to announce that the Principality of Monaco had joined its ranks.

Before the Mediterranean state came on board, aircraft were presumably forced to 'fly blind' and cease all radio contact as they passed over its territory.

However, it is debatable whether this caused any serious airborne anxiety. The average speed of a modern jet airliner is around 800 kilometres an hour and Monaco covers a mere one-and-a-half square kilometres, giving sufficiently slick-tongued pilots just enough time to announce: “Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. We are now entering leaving Monaco airspace.”