DEPARTMENT OF LANDS AND FORESTS FOR 1931 129 



as compared with the flying entailed in actually conveying men and equipment 

 to and from a fire. 



Transportation: 



Transportation covers all flying connected with Forestry Branch routine, 

 such as conveying men and equipment or duties other than those mentioned 

 above. The 4,089.55 hours devoted to this work is a considerable increase over 

 the hours in 1930. This increase is partly due to the rearrangement of the 

 flying classifications or titles but mostly due to the extent to which transport 

 aircraft were used in summer and in winter. The work accomplished by the 

 Hamilton seaplanes during February is demonstrated by the speedy and efficient 

 manner in which towers were erected in various districts. The assistance of the 

 flying personnel in loading and unloading the steel expedited the programme 

 resulting in its completion considerably before the anticipated time. The trans- 

 portation of large quantities of gasoline and oil to the various remote gasoline 

 caches in the Western District by these same aircraft assisted the summer 

 flying operation programme in that sufficient quantities of gasoline and oil 

 were placed at these various gasoline caches in such quantities as would permit 

 a better and more flexible programme of detection. 



The location of some of the fires in the Eastern District required at times 

 intricate flying. The danger does not lie so much in landing but in taking out 

 heavy loads from small or unsuitable lakes, such as those surrounded by high hills. 



Ferrying: 



A variety of causes reduced the hours to the lowest ferrying figures since 

 the inauguration of the service. Fewer engine changes, fewer machine repairs, 

 maintenance of aircraft in general at the bases of operation, and the co-operation 

 of the Branch officials in respect to transport requisitions were the main contri- 

 butors to this reduction of ferrying hours. Another factor meriting attention 

 was the high speed in which the planes completed the flights between the bases. 

 The 271.27 hours connected with this classification of flying is, I consider, another 

 example of the progress in the development of our service. 



Sketching: 



The programme schedule for the year limited the areas and flying hours 

 with the result that the 282.3 hours devoted to sketching was considerably less 

 than for the year 1930. Poor visibility, high winds and stormy weather condi- 

 tions experienced in the areas featured in the limited results obtained. Sketching 

 of fires while in progress is now a very definite procedure with the fire-suppression 

 programme and the information obtained is frequently of immeasurable benefit 

 to the ground organization. Sketching in this latter category is not represented 

 in the total hours because so long as the work is accomplished it is unnecessary 

 to separate the times from those covering the initial flights, whether they be 

 detection or suppression. 



Photography: 



1931 proved to be a record year for photography due to a combination 

 of good weather and close co-operation between the air service and photographic 

 personnel concerned. Early in the spring operations much valuable photography 

 was completed in the Eastern and Kawartha Provincial Forests. The flying 

 operation of this particular Work is conducted from Tweed, Ontario. 



