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AERODROMES Maintenance Full maintenance has been undertaken for all aviation establishments, both Air Force and Civil, and has included maintenance work on airfields, buildings, engineering services, roads, grounds, aeradio services, and general aerodrome facilities, involving—(a) For R.N.Z.A.F. —Seven Air Force stations in New Zealand, 1 Air Force station in Fiji, and 4 stores depots. (b) Civil Aerodromes. —Two international airports, including Nandi in Fiji, 1 international marine airport, 5 regional airports in the Pacific islands, 23 aerodromes serving scheduled commercial air services, 40 other aerodromes or airfields, and 5 emergency seaplane-alighting areas. (c) Other Aviation Establishments. —Meteorological stations at Raoul and Campbell Islands and various detached aeradio stations in New Zealand. Capital Works, R.N.Z.A.F. Stations Construction items of importance include : Lauthala Bay, Fiji.- —The erection of 12 housing units has been commenced. Whenuapai. —The transfer and re-erection of a hangar 220 ft. by 135 ft. ex-Rukuhia has been completed. Te Rapa Stores Depot.—The erection of a barrack block for officers, N.C.O.s, and airmen has been in hand. Ohakea. —The conversion of barrack blocks into 16 housing units has been completed, Mangaroa Stores Depot.—Two housing units have been erected from converted buildings. Shelly Bay Camp. —The conversion of a building into W.A.A.F. accommodation has been completed. Weedons Stores Depot. —Alterations to stores accommodation has been undertaken, Taieri. —Eight housing units have been provided from surplus barrack blocks. Major Airfield Construction, Civil Aerodromes Gisborne. —The regrading and regrassing of the airfield surface damaged by the deposition of silt in the major Gisborne area floods of May, 1948, was completed and a 250 ft. extension added to the paved runway to give the primary runway an over-all length of 5,000 ft. Building-work undertaken included relocation and alterations to the aeradio receiving-station, the provision of standby electrical equipment and housing, and commencement of the conversion of 2 hutments into housing units. Napier. —This aerodrome has been extended on the strips principle to 1.C.A.0. Class E standards with a grassed surface on good gravel subgrade. An A.T.C. control tower is in course of erection. New Plymouth.—An extension in turf on the strips principle has been completed to give a main strip of over 5,000 ft. in length. Paraparaumu. —A 400 ft. extension of the main paved runway was completed to give 5,000 ft. over-all length. Nelson.—A 800 ft. extension, 500 ft. wide, with a central 150-ft.-wide stabilized metal runway, has been completed to give 5,000 ft. over-all length in one landing direction. A concrete apron 160 ft. by 100 ft. has been placed in front of the terminal building, which has been renovated throughout. Westport. —An extension in grass on sand subgrade of dimensions approximately 1,100 ft. by 500 ft. was completed to give the principal landing-strip an over-all length of 5,000 ft. A new control tower is nearing completion and improvements to the passenger terminal building undertaken' by National Airways Corporation.

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