GENERAL - cont'd, 

 in this Department . 



It is further fortunate the Service possessed five spare aircraft. The 

 tremendous pressure of meeting requirements under these demanding conditions 

 piled up time so fast that 50-hour checks were recurring in a matter of days 

 and engines were piling up their normal overhaul periods much more rapidly 

 than anyone could have envisioned. The result was a continuing demand for 

 replacement aircraft and although we were at one time completely without a 

 spare, this condition did not maintain for very long and at no time were we 

 unable to replace an unserviceable aircraft when the demand arose. 



I am more than pleased to state that, in spite of this high total, 

 attained under sijch difficult conditions and requiring thousands of landings 

 and take-offs, there was still not an accident to any of our aircraft or our 

 staff, I think this is an outstanding accomplishment and perhaps without 

 parallel in this type of flying in the history of Canada. 



During the year our aircraft supplied a valuable service to the 

 election envunerators in preparation for the vote on June 9th. It^ is 

 essential that each eligible voter be given an opportunity to cast a ballot 

 and since the time available for eniimerating and preparing voters* lists is 

 relatively short, aircraft must be used in order to conserve the limited time 

 available. 



Another first occurred in the middle of May when our Sault Ste. Marie 

 Otter proceeded to Port Arthur to pick up a load of chum salmon fingerlings 

 to be deposited in the Attawapiskat River. This experiment along with another 

 conducted in the Severn River was to determine whether or not James and 

 Hudsons* Bay will support this type of salmon. If so, it is hoped they will 

 return to these rivers annually to spawn and in so doing, create a source of 

 food and livelihood for the Indians and perhaps constitute the basis of a new 

 industry in which the Indians may be gainfully employed. 



The year 1955 was also the occasion of the Sault Ste. Marie Centennial 

 and as a part of the civic program, groups of sightseers were escorted through 

 our Plant each Friday afternoon. This included groups of Girl Guides, Boy 

 Scouts and an association of American writers. 



Extensive photographic operations were completed in the southern part 



of the Province during the early summer. As our photographic Otter worked 



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