N.Z. AIR SERVICES.

Thames Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 19637, 19 February 1936, Page 5

N.Z. AIR SERVICES.

THE FUTURE POLICY. Proposals To Government. MINISTRY SUGGESTED. HELP FOR AERO CLUB. i (By Telegraph.—Press Association) WELLINGTON, Feb. 19

"Where the air provides the best means of transport it is going to be used and wherever the demand is for a iirst-class service, it will be the Government's job to supply it," declared the Prime Minister, .Mr. M. J. Savage, in replying to a deputation from the New Zealand Aero Club, which urged the establishment of an Air Ministry. ".Moreover," added Mr. Savage, "we do not want the governing of aerial services to be situated in some other part of the world. We want to train our own pilots and in every way prove we are capable of giving some assistance to others in the British Commonwealth, instead of trying to lean on them."

A considered statement on the deputation's view on aviation generally was read to the Prime Minister, who had associated with him the Minister for Defence, Mr. P. Jones. The deputation submitted .that the future policy for the development of aviation would have to be recast in order to keep pace With developments in other parts of the world and also with the urgent needs of the Dominion.

The question of establishing an Air Ministry had become one of extreme urgency, and the present haphazard manner in which aviation was being controlled forced them to present an urgent appeal. They submitted a scheme in which the activities of aero clubs were dovetailed into civil aviation and defence.

Referring to subsidies the deputation recommended the granting of £IO,OOO next financial year to enable aero clubs to train more pilots. It also suggested that the Government should issue annually eight machines of the correct type to clubs.

Mr. Jones assured the deputation that a subsidy would be allocated to clubs before March 31. Tie agreed

f!.s to tho necessity for more cooperation between various departments. The question of an 'Air Ministry would receive consideration, Mr. Savage s'lid the was wholeheartedly with tin 1 arm clubs in their ideals. It was only -i onestion of working out I lie details. HOME-MADE MACHINES. P, EG ULA TION S EM PDA SIS KI). WARNING BY MINISTER. (By Telegraph.—Press Association). WELLINGTON, Feb. IU. "There is an increasing number of young men in the Dominion who aie inclined to embark on the building of very light aeroplanes of the 'Plying Plea' type from unapproved foreign design, or of a kind of their own devising, without first acquainting themselves with the requirements of the New Zealand air navigation regulations," states the .Minister in charge of Civil Aviation, Mr. P. Jones.

"Even though these midget machines may be based upon entirely unorthodox aerodynamic principles, they come within the legal definition of aircraft and are therefore subject to the regulations, including the provisions concerning registration, airworthiness and pilot's and ground engineer's licenses. No aricraft is permitted to lly jn the Dominion except for test or experimental purposes, and then only when it is controlled by an 'A' license pilot, unless it has been certified as airworthy. The specific authority of the department is required before a test or experimental flight can be made to obtain a certificate of airworthiness."

The aeroplane, added the Minister, must comply with certain minimum requirements laid down in the International Convention for Air Navigation, of which New Zealand was a contracting State. All designs, details, materials and calcu-

lations must be submitted for approval. The manufacture of aircraft was the function of a wellequipped factory and not a job to be lightly undertaken by a home constructor.