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selection of strategically located stations, mainly 011 airfields. Such, reports must be available without delay as they are required for preparing forecasts and for checking forecasts carried by aircraft already airborne. During daylight hours reports are prepared hourly from some twenty-one airfields and five other key points. These are exchanged rapidly between all offices on the meteorological teleprinter network. To ensure the maximum availability and utilization of these reports they are also broadcast from Wellington radio. Throughout the Pacific, and within New Zealand beyond the limits of the teleprinter network, the necessary meteorological communication facilities are provided either by the Telecommunications Section of the Civil Aviation Branch or by the appropriate Post and Telegraph organization. (v) Examinations Assistance is given to the Civil Aviation Branch in the preparation and revision of the meteorological portions of the syllabus for various pilots' and navigators' examinations. During the year three examinations were held for pilots' " C " licences, one for second-class navigators and two for first-class navigators. The preparation and the marking of the meteorological papers for these examinations were undertaken by this Branch. In addition, Meteorological examinations are held on R.N.Z.A.F. Stations as required by the training programmes. (vi) Liaison Close liaison is maintained with the aviation operating companies, particularly New Zealand Airways Corporation and Tasman Empire Airways, Ltd., and with the R.N.Z.A.F. and other branches and sections of Air Department. In furtherance of this liaison, the Assistant Director normally attends the routine staff meetings for senior controlling officers held respectively by the Chief of the Air Staff and the Director of Civil Aviation. He also attended the annual conference of R.N.Z.A.F. Station Commanding Officers. Discussions with the Telecommunications and Air Traffic Control Sections of the Civil Aviation Branch have resulted in the supply of regular weather reports from certain stations manned only by Civil Aviation Branch personnel. This assistance, and that provided by Air Traffic Control staff at other offices, has obviated the need for increasing meteorological establishments. The nature of aviation meteorology demands considerable co-ordination of meteorological practices throughout the world, and accordingly, close liaison is maintained with other individual countries, particularly with Australia. On the broader international basis, the main liaison is through the South Pacific Air Transport Council and the International Civil Aviation Organization. (vii) South Pacific Air Transport Council To facilitate the provision of Commonwealth air services, and to maintain adequate facilities for aviation in the South-west Pacific, a South Pacific Air Transport Council was established in 1946 by agreement between the New Zealand, Australian, United Kingdom, and Fiji Governments. Canada has, more recently, participated in this arrangement. Under the agreement, New Zealand accepts responsibility in that portion of the South-west Pacific lying east of 170° east for the maintenance of the necessary ground facilities required for trunk aviation services. The requirements under this agreement, together with those in our own New Zealand Trust and dependent territories, involve New Zealand in considerable meteorological commitments in the island area.

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