85

effected by proper planning. We recommend that these surveys should be authorised and put in hand without delay. More detailed comment on the two sites is given in Appendix I. Ohakea —Alternate international aerodrome 265. The Royal New Zealand Air Force aerodrome has two runways of adequate length to serve as an alternate to a Class B international aerodrome. It is situated in one of the few areas in New Zealand where operations are not restricted by topography. We understand that the Air Force have no objection to its use as an international civil alternate, and its development as such will be of benefit to the Air Force. An alternate to every aerodrome served by scheduled air services is necessary, so situated that it can be used when the aerodrome of destination is closed by weather. It is more necessary for international air services operating over long stretches of water with no land en route, and where weather conditions at the aerodrome of destination may deteriorate after an aircraft has passed its " point of no return." It is still more necessary when the regular aerodrome of destination has physical limitations which make it more liable to be closed by weather, as at Whenuapai. In all cases the need for an alternate is greater at night when weather conditions at an aerodrome are more critical. 266. The development required at Ohakea for this purpose is approach and runway lighting and an instrument landing system. While bad weather conditions will not necessarily exist simultaneously both at Auckland and Ohakea, the possibility cannot be ignored. Both regular and alternate international aerodromes should therefore be equipped with instrument landing and with lighting systems. The need for these aids at Ohakea will therefore continue even after the development of international airports at Auckland and Christchurch, and they will remain an asset to the Air Force. They are more likely to be called into use by civil aircraft while Whenuapai is the only international aerodrome. We recommend, therefore, that these aids should be installed at Ohakea as soon as possible. Wellington. 267. The opinion has been stated that there is no possibility of developing a safe land aerodrome for international air services at Wellington. To avoid repetition, Rongotai and Paraparaumu are examined under the head of " Internal Aerodromes" in the next chapter. For the present purpose it is sufficient to say that even if the whole isthmus of Rongotai were cleared and the north-south runway extended (at great cost) to 1.C.A.0. dimensions for a Class C aerodrome, the constriction of the approaches in Evans Bay and Lyall