WEATHER REPORTS FOR AIR PILOTS

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 200, 21 May 1936, Page 6

WEATHER REPORTS FOR AIR PILOTS

Complete Service Delayed COMMERCIAL DROME AT CHRISTCHURCH Dominion Special Service. Christchurch, May 20. Long delays, first o£ all in determining whether Christchurch shall hare a separate commercial airport, and second, in beginning the work since the Harewood site has been decided on, have prevented the establishment o£ the special Christchurch branch o£ the meteorological service for air-pilots. Although the formation of a full weather forecasting service, with meteorological stations at main points along the air routes, was originally announced by the Government a year ago, ever since the internal air services began operations in January their pilots have had to fly their machines without the help of the full forecasting service originally planned. The Director of .Meteorological Services (Dr. E. Kidson) has stated that two main factors have contributed to the delay. One is that the municipal airport at Christchurch has not yet been established, and the other that the officer who was to have taken charge of the meteorological office at Christchurch (Mr. R. G. Simmers) has been awarded a Commonwealth Service Scholarship, taking him to America, so that another man has had to be trained in his place. Present Conditions. The chief difference between the meteorological service now given the pilots on the air lines and the full service is the absence at the landing grounds of forecasting officers capable of informing the pilots of probable changes in local conditions. At present reports are received four times a day—at 6 a.m., 9 a.m., noon and 3 p.m. —from a large number of stations along the air routes and from sufficient other stations to enable the meteorological officers in Wellington to compile a chart and make a forecast. The re-

ports are supplied to pilots at the aerodromes. Waiting for the Minister. Though the Harewood site has been chosen by the Christchurch City Council, the actual formation of the aerodrome has yet to begin. The Minister for Public Works, Hon. It. Semple, announced some time ago that he was satisfied of the need for a separate aerodrome, and that the construction of the Harewood airport would be made a public works undertaking. Since then the works committee of the City Council has been endeavouring to find out when the work of preparing the site can begin. It. needs definite information of the Government’s intention because of the need to complete negotiations with the Waiinakarirl River Trust, which owns the land.