57

it is proposed to purchase in comparison with other aircraft available from other sources. The type record (or flight manual), which may be required for other purposes in the operation and maintenance of aircraft, cannot be demanded for this purpose by the exercise of the Director of Civil Aviation's regulatory powers any more than can the type records (or flight manuals) of all the other aircraft with which it is desired to make comparison. CHAPTER 12.—AIR SERVICE LICENCE 164. There is no need to license the operations of a national operator. Provided that the field of activity of independent operators is carefully defined, there would appear to be no real need for a licensing system. The licensing system was designed for, and is appropriately applied to, scheduled air transport operation. Neither the necessity for avoiding duplication of operations nor the necessity for ensuring continuity of service, as a State responsibility, obtains in the case of non-scheduled operations. All such operations are subject to the Civil Aviation Act and Regulations—that is to say, the provisions of the coded law governing safety, and this normally should be sufficient to secure the safety of the public. 165. Should such independent operation be permitted, it may on occasions be of advantage to the country to use an independent operator for the operation of a scheduled service of local character, for short or long term, as a feeder of the national airways system. This may well be found desirable in the growing stage of the New Zealand National Airways Corporation, while their resources in aircraft and personnel are inadequate to meet all local demands. Such operations should be controlled by the equivalent of a licensing system, and it would be appropriate that it should be left to the control of the National Airways Corporation to arrange by contract. Moreover, as stated earlier, the operation of scheduled services is properly controlled technically by the air service certificate system. Any operator with whom the National Airways Corporation may make a contract for the operation of such a minor scheduled service should therefore be required to obtain an Air Service Certificate from the Director of Civil Aviation, in accordance with the Air Navigation Regulations. CHAPTER 13—INVESTIGATION OF ACCIDENTS 166. The investigation of accidents to aircraft and the application of the findings are, as Government have recognised, among the more important functions in the regulation of civil aviation. Accidents in New Zealand are investigated under the provisions of the Air Navigation Regulations, 1933, by an Inspector of Accidents, who is a member of the staff of the Air Department, but is outside the Civil Aviation Branch