H—37

Air Navigation Directions were issued under authority of the Minister of Defence in December, 1947, and March, 1948, respectively, to give effect to ICAO procedures which required immediate implementation. A.N.D. 5 introduced comprehensive rules of the air under some nine headings, such as, for example, visual flight rules, instrument flight rules, aerodrome rules for night lighting, &c. In addition, rules for air traffic control were included, together with rules for search and rescue operations. A.N.D. 6 introduced instrument ratings, which, briefly, require pilots to hold specified ratings issued by the Director of Civil Aviation before an aircraft may be piloted solely by reference to instruments and without external reference points. SECTION lI.—AIR TRANSPORT OPERATIONS During the year ended 31st March, 1948, there were further changes in the operation of internal air transport services when the New Zealand National Airways Corporation assumed responsibility on Ist October, 1947, for the services operated by Air Travel (N.Z.), Ltd., and on 2nd June, 1947, for all civil operations carried out by the R.N.Z.A.F. The latter included the operation of the inter-Island freight service on behalf of the New Zealand Railways established following a series of special inter-Island air freighting flights operated last year in order to meet a shipping emergency. After these changes were effected, New Zealand National Airways Corporation became the sole operator of scheduled commercial services within New Zealand. In addition, on Ist November, 1947, the Corporation commenced operating services in the South-west Pacific, which were previously operated by the R.N.Z.A.F. on a quasi-civil basis. (a) Internal Scheduled Services At 31st March, 1948, services were being operated by New Zealand National Airways Corporation over the following routes

No services operated on Sundays.

16

Route No. Route. Route Miles. Frequency. 1 Auckland-Dunedin (via Palmerston North, Wellington, and Christchurch 704 Twice daily in each direction, plus one daily return trip Palmerston NorthDunedin, plus one daily return trip Auckland-Wellington. 2 Dunedin-Invercargill 107 Thrice daily in each direction. 3 Nelson-Wellington-Blenheim 167 Wellington-Blenheim, five trips daily in each direction ; Wellington-Nelson, five trips daily in each direction. 4 Auckland-Wellington (via New Plymouth 316 Once daily in each direction. and Palmerston North) 5 Auckland-Gisborne (via Tauranga) 211 Once daily in each direction. 6 Auckland-Gisborne 209 Once daily in each direction. 7 Gisborne-Wellington (via Napier and 226 Once daily in each direction. Palmerston North) 8 Auckland-Kaitaia (via Whangarei and 165 Once daily in each direction. Kaikohe) 9 Auckland-Christchurch (via Wellington) 505 Once daily in each direction. 10 Auckland-Christchurch 479 Once daily in each direction. 11 Wellington-Hokitika (via Nelson and Westport) 266 Wellington-Westport, once daily in each direction; Westport-Hokitika, once daily in each direction. 12 Hokitika-Okuru (via Waiho and Haast) 135 Thrice weekly in each direction. Total route miles 3,490