STAMP ISSUES FROM 2015 TO 2018
Beginnings of Aviation in El Salvador
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Issue date: 07/12/2017
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70th anniversary of the ratification of the Chicago Convention by El Salvador (see more details in the background section). ICAO’s Emblem. Texts: 1. Vertically at the left-side: Año 1944, Convenio de Aviación Internacional (CONVENIO DE CHICAGO). 2. In the center: 17 DE ABRIL DE 1947, / DECRETO LEGISLATIVO N. 73. 3. In the scroll: INICIOS DE LA AERONÁUTICA / EN EL SALVADOR. The word Civil is missing in the text related to the Chicago Convention and should be written: Convenio de Aviación Civil Internacional.
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Full sheets of 20 stamps with matching sequential number (No. 00022). This issue has 4 stamps; see more details in the background section. The left and right margins of these sheets reproduce the main subject of the 4 stamps of this issue.
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Official First Day Cover (Recto and Verso), with sequential number. 200 copies were issued. Father Domingo de Lara’s plane in the background and DGCA’s emblem (Autoridad de Aviación Civil, ACC). The cancel displays the aircraft of $0.10 stamp and ICAO emblem. Note that the cancel indicates "NOVIEMBRE 2017", without specifying the day. On 19 November 2015, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) held the first Aeronautical Fair, which brought together some 26 companies and training centers related to national aeronautics; the objective of this activity was to promote, develop and create opportunities that allow the growth of the aeronautical industry in the country, with a view of creating a regional cluster. The third edition of this fair was held on 1 November 2017; this most likely explains why the cancel bears the month of November 2017.
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First Day Cover autographed.
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Cover before stamp and first day cancel are applied.
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Stamped philatelic notice. The aircraft Cuadron G.III should have been written Caudron G.III.
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Background: The 4 stamps of this issue are celebrating the 70th anniversary of civil aviation and the history of aeronautics in El Salvador. The stamps were released on 7 December, celebrating the International Civil Aviation Day.
The stamps allude to the beginnings of Aeronautics in El Salvador, as follows: 1. $0.05: 70th anniversary of the ratification of the Chicago Convention and the admission to ICAO. See more information here-below as regards the ratification of the Chicago Convention by El Salvador and the Civil Aviation Authority. 2. $0.10: Aircraft transporting postal bags in 1928. On a background of clouds, the aircraft looks like a Waco S series (but there is some incoherence, as the Waco company began producing closed-cabin biplane models only after 1930). Aircraft flying the country’s flag. See more details on the flag here-below. It is to be noted that, during the presidential term of Pío Romero Bosque (March 1927 to March 1931), four WACO aircraft were acquired in 1929, two of the "Taperwing" type and two "F" models. 3. $0.20: Airplane of Father Domingo de Lara. In 1885, the priest José Domingo de Lara, was one of the experimenters of aviation in El Salvador, emulating the Wright brothers. Father Domingo de Lara built a wooden and fabric device (glider or plane), which was launched for the first time from a tower in the neighborhood of the San Jacinto church in San Salvador, successfully landing in a nearby park. Later he modified his device, managing to fly from a peak to what is now known as the National Zoological Park, covering a distance of approximately 1600 meters. This is how the Salvadoran aviation was born. 4. $0.75: Enrico Massi (1897-1923) and his airplane. Pioneer of aviation in El Salvador, Enrico Massi standing in front of a Spad S.XIII biplane fighter during the First World War. He greatly contributed to the formation of aviation in El Salvador. Born in Naples, Italy, after serving as Navy Italian pilot during World War I, Massi became Flight instructor. In the 1920s, he founded the National Aviation School in Honduras and then went to El Salvador, where he created the country's military flying school.
Note related to the ratification of the Chicago Convention: The Government of the Republic of El Salvador ratified the Chicago Convention by Executive Agreement Nº 125 dated 16 March 1947 (and later by Legislative Decree Nº 73 dated 17 April 1947, as mentioned on the ICAO stamp). The Legislative Assembly ratified the Chicago Convention on 7 April 1947. This Decree was published in the Official Gazette No. 95 of 6 May 1947. El Salvador deposited its instrument of ratification of the Chicago Convention on 11 June 1947.
Note related to the Civil Aviation Authority: The Department of Civil Aviation in El Salvador was created in 1955 and became the Directorate General of Civil Aeronautics (DGAC) in 1962. In 1994, the Vice Ministry of Transport was created and the DGCA reported to this Vice Ministry under the name of Directorate General of Air Transport (DGTA). In October 2001, the Legislative Assembly of El Salvador approved the new reforms of the DGTA, including its autonomy under the new name of Civil Aviation Authority (Autoridad de Aviación Civil, ACC).
Note related to the dawn of air post services in El Salvador: Although the second stamp of this series ($0.10) reports the beginning of air mail transportation in 1928, the Salvadorian international air post service was established when Pan American Airways informed the government that it would be ready to accept mail for transportation effective 15 December 1929, with its Ford Trimotor aircraft. As the government did not yet have special stamps for the air post service, it was postponed to 1930. The first air post stamp issue was released on 28 December 1929 by surcharging existing ordinary stamps by the Taller Nacional de Grabados. Due to the high demand, the limited stock of these first surcharges was quickly exhausted. Therefore, the Government made a second printing of all values, except of the 40 cents. This second printing was done by the Tribunal Superior de Cuentas, due to the need to have them as soon as possible. Pan American Airways started flights, three days a week on 15 December 1929. Its Ford NC 9670 airplane flew from Guatemala to San Lorenzo in Honduras and returned to Guatemala the same day. In both flights, airplanes stopped at the El Salvador airport named Ilopango. It is to be noted that, during the presidential term of Pío Romero Bosque (March 1927 to March 1931), four WACO aircraft were acquired in 1929, two of the "Taperwing" type and two "F" models.
Note on the flag: The flag of El Salvador, first adopted on 4 September 1908, has three horizontal stripes. The blue stripes of the flag represent the two oceans that border Central America, the Atlantic and the Pacific. The central white stripe symbolizes peace.
1. Its triangle represents equality and the three branches of El Salvador’s government. 2. The five volcanoes within the flag symbolizes the five former members of the federation, flanked by the blue of the ocean and sea. 3. Triangle contains symbols of liberty, ideals of the people and peace, which are represented by a red cap, golden rays, rainbow, and the date that El Salvador gained independence from Spain. 4. Underneath the triangle lies El Salvador’s national motto which translates in English to ‘God, Union and Liberty’. 5. Fourteen clusters of leaves represent the 14 departments or states of El Salvador.
The First Day Ceremony (see picture here-below) was held within the framework of the International Civil Aviation Day, celebrated every year on 7 December. The table of honor was chaired by (from left to right): Lic. Aristides Valencia, Minister of Interior; Coronel René Roberto López, President of the Aviation Authority; and Lcda Margarita Quintanar de Ortez, General Director of the Post Office.
Original pictures related to the stamps: 1. Domingo de Lara’s Aircraft.
2. Enrico Massi in front of a Spad S.XIII.
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