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contained in " New Zealand Civil Airworthiness Requirements," leaflet P. 22. With the operation of the scheme it is anticipated that the rate of serviceability of civil aircraft will be increased. Modifications and Repair Schemes Sixty-five Modification and Repair Schemes submitted by operators and other aeronautical organizations were inspected and approved. Examination of Licensed Aircraft Engineers During the period under review thirty-three examinations were carried out. Staff The staff of the section comprised a Chief Aeronautical Engineer,. Administration Engineers, and Aeronautical Engineer at headquarters, while District Surveyors were established at Auckland and Palmerston North. The balance of work with which the Aeronautical Engineering Section has had to deal since the cessation of hostilities has increased very considerably, and additional Surveyors and Assistant Surveyors will shortly be required to cope with field surveys and inspections, while Engineering Officers will be needed at headquarters to handle the associated technical problems. SECTION VIII—ACCIDENTS Investigation of accidents for both the Civil Aviation Branch and the R.N.Z.A.F. is undertaken by an officer specially appointed to the staff of the Air Department for these duties. No major accidents were reported during the year, although minor mishaps were suffered by three commercial and one club aircraft. No personnel were injured in any of these incidents. A further machine was destroyed when a Lockheed Lodestar aircraft from Union Airways hangar at Mangere Aerodrome was removed after activities for the day had ceased and an endeavour was made to take-off. The aircraft crashed and was totally destroyed by fire. SECTION IX.—AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL AND AIR SEA RESCUE The Air Traffic Control and Air Sea Rescue Service is operated and manned by the R.N.Z.A.F., but the organization also functions on behalf of civil aviation and covers all aircraft, whether civil or Service, and irrespective oi nationality. A comprehensive and detailed report, which included proposals for administration, organization, staffing, and salaries, &c., was prepared and submitted in February, 1946. With the cessation of hostilities flying for a period decreased, but as conditions have become more stabilized general traffic figures- show a gradual increase. The cessation of- hostilities has, on the whole, had little effect on air traffic control requirements such as staffing, training, &c., due in part to the fact that, with the withdrawal of American military Forces from the South Pacific, much of the control exercised by those Forces has been taken over by the New Zealand organization.

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