THE POSTAL HISTORY OF ICAO

 

Medals

 

BRAZIL

 

Representatives of fifteen Contracting States and three international organizations met to reassess the operational requirements of the SAM/SAT Region in the light of the problems associated with the introduction of new types of turbine propelled and turbine jet-powered aircraft as well as the increasing flow of traffic. After a four-week session, the second SAM/SAT Regional Meeting adjourned on 16 November 1957, having adopted a revised regional plan to cover every aspect of air navigation in South America and over South Pacific.

 

The medal shown here below, with a diameter of 36 mm, was struck on Brazilian colonial copper for the Philatelic and Numismatic Club of Santos, in relation with SANPEX, i.e., Santos Philatelica Exposicao (i.e., Santos Philatelic Exhibition), and commemorates the inauguration of the Museum Santos Dumont and the second SAM/SAT Meeting.

 

 

 

Obverse: Second South American/South Atlantic Regional Air Navigation (SAM/SAT) Meeting. Held in the Parque Ibirapuera, São Paulo, from 22 October to 16 November 1957.

More information on this meeting can be obtained by clicking on the following link: 1957: São Paulo Regional air navigation meeting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reverse: Inauguration of the Museum Santos Dumont, in the city of Santos, state of São Paulo, during the Semana da Asa (Week of the Wing, which commemorated Santos-Dumont's first flight and was organized by the Forca Aerea Brasileira - FAB) in October 1957.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ICAO – 50th ANNIVERSARY (1994)

 

In 1994, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) marked its 50th anniversary by awarding a commemorative 50th Anniversary Honorary Medal (bronze medal; diameter: 7.5 cm) to the entity or individual, in each member state, that had made a relevant contribution to the development of civil aviation.

 

The reverse indicates that this medal (see here-below) had been awarded to Dr. Timothy O'Driscoll from Ireland. He was part of the Irish Delegation at the Chicago Conference where Ireland secured for many years the compulsory stopover at Shannon Airport on the transatlantic routes. Later he became the Delegate representing Ireland on the Interim Council of PICAO. One of the most important contributions to Irish aviation made by Dr. O'Driscoll and for which he was proudest was the procedure which led to the introduction of the world's first custom-free airport at Shannon right after WWII, designed to provide a service for trans-Atlantic airline passengers typically travelling between Europe and North America whose flights stopped for refuelling on outbound and inbound legs of their journeys. This in turn led to the ‘Duty and Tax-Free’ shopping concept which has since been copied at airports around the world.

 

Obverse

Reverse

 

Commemoration of Ishembay Abdraimov honored as Pilot Number 1 of the USSR – Stamp issued on 28-02-2009

Another case of indirect relation with ICAO is the issue (shown below), on 30 April 2024 by the Ministry of Digital Development of the Kyrgyz Republic. of a series of 2023 Kyrgyz Express Post postage stamps commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the Ishembay Abdraimov Kyrgyz Aviation Institute (KAI), which is an educational organization of higher professional education in the field of civil aviation and provides initial training, retraining, and advanced training of flight and technical specialists for civil aviation. The Kyrgyz Aviation Institute was founded in 1923.

 

Ishembay Abdraimov (1914 - 2001) was the first Kyrgyz pilot, the initiator and organizer of civil aviation in Kyrgyzstan. In 1966, Ishembay Abdraimov became the first holder of the honorary title Honoured Pilot of the USSR with badge number 000001. In 1973, he assisted in the opening of the Frunze Aviation Technical School of Civil Aviation in the capital of Kyrgyzstan, which later became the Ishembay Abdraimov Kyrgyz Aviation Institute. In 1994, Ishembay Abdraimov was awarded the ICAO commemorative 50th Anniversary Honorary Medal for his significant contribution to civil aviation development (see model here above).

 

By the way, in 1966, a total of 27 soviet pilots became holders of the title Honoured Pilot of the USSR. Ishembay Abdraimov became badge number 000001 only from alphabetical reasons.

 

The Som is the currency unit of Kyrgyzstan in use since it gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. A first stamp commemorating Abdraimov was issued by Kyrgyzstan in 2009 (see at left) with face value of 10-Kyrgyzstani Som.

 

There are two postal operators in Kyrgyzstan: Kyrgyz Post and Kyrgyz Express Post. The ICAO stamps were issued by the Kyrgyz Express Post (KEP), which is the postal operator founded on 16 March 2012 that was granted the status of the second designated postal operator of Kyrgyzstan as of 7 December 2012. The Kyrgyz Post is the postal operator since the independence of the country.

 

  

 

Mini-sheet with two labels at the top and two stamps.

The stamp at the lower right with the face value of 150-Som features a portrait of the founder of the higher aviation educational institution of the Kyrgyz Republic, Ishembay Abdraimov, against the backdrop of the central entrance to the institute building.

The two labels of this sheet feature (from left to right): an AN-2 aircraft and a Mi-24 helicopter, located on the territory of the KAI.

The 300-Som stamp at the lower left features a Boeing 737-484 in a fantasy livery used by airlines in Kyrgyzstan.

 

Mini-sheet with one label at the top left and five 150-Som stamps.

The label features a Yak-40 aircraft on the KAI training ground.

 

Mini-sheet with one label at the top left and five 300-Som stamps.

The label features a BRM Aero Bristell NG 5 aircraft (at the Bishkek Wings Aviation Training Center).

 

First day cover (front and back).

Quantity produced: 400 covers.

The cachet shows an AN-2 aircraft.

 

The ICAO Museum at Headquarters displays several medals produced by different countries/organizations to mark a variety of events.

 

 

 

 

 

ICAO – 70th ANNIVERSARY (2014)

 

On the occasion of its 70th anniversary, ICAO requested the Banknote Printing and Minting Works of the National Bank of Ukraine to mint 1000 medals commemorating this landmark diplomatic event in ICAO’s history.

 

 

Metal: 925 Ag

Weight in fineness: 62,2 g

Diameter: 50 mm

Quality: Proof

Edge: Plain

Year of Issue 2014

The hologram was produced by Specialized Enterprise Holography Ltd, a highly technological manufacture of security holograms established in Ukraine.

 

The Middle East Regional Office in Cairo, Egypt marked the 70th anniversary of ICAO by minting the following medal:

 

 

EUR/NAT – 70th ANNIVERSARY (2016)

 

The ICAO European and North Atlantic (EUR/NAT) Office marked its 70th Anniversary on 7 July 2016. A special emblem was designed on this occasion (see below). Furthermore, a project for medals was discovered on the website of leThaler, French manufacturer of personalized coins (see sample below). According to the available information, this project did not materialize.

 

Emblem designed for the 70th anniversary of the EUR/NAT Office.

Project of personalized coins.

 

ICAO – 75th ANNIVERSARY (2019)

 

On the occasion of the 75th anniversary, ICAO requested by tender the supply of 2000 commemorative coins. The coins were eventually manufactured in China. The coin/logo designer for the ICAO 75th branding was Anthony Philbin, Chief of the COM (Communications) Section at ICAO. Characteristics of the coin: Weight: 62.2 gr; Colour: silver and blue; Fineness: Ag999.

 

 

 

PERU

 

1. THE INTER‑AMERICAN TECHNICAL CONFERENCE ON AVIATION (1937)

At the Pan-American Conference at Lima in 1937 (from 15 to 25 September), plans were made for creating a Permanent American Aeronautical Commission (Comisión Aeronáutica Permanente Americana, CAPA), but its organization never materialized. This Inter-American Technical Conference on Aviation (Primera Conferencia Técnica Interamericana de Aviación) was attended by 12 national delegations from within the hemisphere, with three observers from Europe; it was sponsored by the Pan-American Union. The CAPA shall be composed preferably of legal experts and technicians in aviation, designated by each government for periodic working sessions, with the aims of unifying and codifying the international, public and private, aeronautical rights, coordinating and developing mutual interests in technical matters, and organizing and marking the inter-American airways. In other words, the C.A.P.A. would be based on the model of both the International Commission for Air Navigation (ICAN) and Comité International Technique d'Experts Juridiques Aériens (C.I.T.E.J.A.) joined together. More details about this Conference can be obtained by clicking on the following links: 1937: The Inter‑American Technical Conference on Aviation planned for creating a Permanent American Aeronautical Commission and Peru : Inter‑American Technical Conference on Aviation.

 

Bronze medal


Text on the obverse: ARRIBA SIEMPRE ARRIBA (meaning Up Always Up)
Text on the reverse: PRIMERA CONFERENCIA TECNICA INTERAMERICANA DE AVIACIÓN LIMA-PERU 15 AL 23 DE STBRE. DE 1937

Inscription on reverse (right vertically): A. F. PAREJA. CASA N. DE MONEDA. LIMA


Weight: 149.62 grams
Diameter: 68 mm

 

2. 70TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SAM REGIONAL OFFICE (2018)

To celebrate the South American (SAM) Office’s seven decades of work in forging consensus on ICAO’s global harmonization priorities among SAM Region States, and to thank Peru for its generosity in hosting the Office, ICAO Secretary General, Dr. Fang Liu led a number of activities that coincided with an Extraordinary Meeting of Directors General of Civil Aviation of South America (RAAC/16, 6-7 December 2018) and the International Civil Aviation Day (7 December 2018).

Among those were the inauguration of a Hall of Tribute to South American Aviation Pioneers, located within the SAM Regional Office; the presentation of a commemorative stamp by Peru (see picture here below, with the ICAO Secretary General at the left side and Ambassador Roberto Seminario at the right side); her opening of a photographic exhibition at Peru’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs illustrating ICAO’s history and Peru’s contributions; and her unveiling of a monument celebrating this history and these contributions that have been installed at Jorge Chavez International Airport. More details about this commemoration can be obtained by clicking on the following link: 70th Anniversary of the SAM Regional Office.

 

 

20TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE UNIVERSAL SAFETY OVERSIGHT AUDIT PROGRAMME

2019 marked the 20th anniversary of ICAO’s Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme (USOAP). The prestigious ICAO programme had completed close to 900 activities since its inception in 2009, of which more than 450 were audits. The USOAP programme continues to be one of the most visible that ICAO has launched in the last two decades. More information on this Programme can be found by clicking on the following link: Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme.

The USOAP was established in 1999 to promote global aviation safety through regular audits of ICAO Member States to determine their ability to maintain effectively their safety oversight systems. The programme is managed by the Monitoring and Oversight office within the Air Navigation Bureau.

The objective of USOAP is to promote global aviation safety. It does this by auditing Contracting States, on a regular basis, to determine the States' capability for safety oversight. It makes this determination by assessing the effective implementation of the critical elements of a safety oversight system and the status of States' implementation of safety-related ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs), associated procedures, guidance material and safety-related practices.

 

Medal commemorating the 20th anniversary of USOAP

 

UNITED NATIONS NEW YORK

 

1. AVIATION SAFE PASSAGE (1971)

In the years since 1968, the number of aircraft hijackings rose to very serious proportions. The total was further enlarged by politically motivated acts of sabotage against aircraft and passengers, both in the air and on the ground. It is to remind that,

1.    On 24 November 1968, Pan Am Flight 281 (Boeing 707) was scheduled from JFK International Airport to San Juan, Puerto Rico; it was hijacked by 4 men from JFK airport to Havana, Cuba;

2.    On 6 September 1970, two men hijacked Pan Am flight 93, a Boeing 747–121 (which departed Brussels) route from Amsterdam to New York, as part of the Dawson's Field hijackings; the flight diverted to Beirut International Airport to take on board seven other gang members for the next leg to Cairo International Airport, where the hijackers ordered the aircraft evacuated and destroyed it with explosives. Note that the aircraft flew to Cairo instead of Dawson’s Field (a remote desert airstrip in Jordan, formerly a British Royal Air Force base), because the Jordanian airfield was considered too small to accommodate a 747.

 

As a result of the numerous hijackings in those days, the International Federation of Air Line Pilots' Associations (IFALPA) was obliged to devote a major part of its efforts and resources to what had become its number one problem requiring a combined assault by governments through ICAO, by IATA and by IAFALPA.

 

The series of skyjacking incidents, several of them desperate and dramatic, was a great and particular concern for the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA, Member of IFALPA, the largest airline pilot union in the world representing pilots from U.S. and Canadian airlines); ALPA sought an innovative step and an extraordinarily direct method to intensively lobby influential politicians from all over the world, as the fundamental problem in advancing a solution to the skyjacking problem laid in the realm of politics. A Boeing 747 sponsored by ALPA was rented from Pan Am and nearly 300 United Nations personnel flew on Saturday 6 November 1971 on a short international flight from New York to Montréal, being the home of ICAO; the aircraft was piloted by Captain Stanley L. Doepke of Pan Am. More than 30 crewmembers, who had been skyjacked, placed these world political leaders in a controlled and dramatic situation where they could hear their stories. All the international politicians from the UN General Assembly who accepted ALPA’s hospitality on the Montréal excursion went home vowing immediate action by their countries. A special first day cover was issued to commemorate this unique event and a medal was given to the UN Delegates. More information on this issue can be obtained by clicking on the following link: Hijacked Pilots Urge UN Action.

 

 

 

 

 

United Nations bronze medal. Marked on one side 'NEW YORK-NOVEMBER 6, 1971-MONTREAL / IN FLIGHT WITH THE UNITED NATIONS' and on the other 'AVIATION SAFE PASSAGE THROUGH INTERNATIONAL LAW'.

It measures 2½" in diameter x 3/16" thick.

The UN Diplomats were urged by pilots and crewmembers who arranged the trip to Montréal to bring about universal ratification of three international treaties designed to deal with attacks against aircraft:

  1. The 1963 Tokyo Convention on Offences and Certain Other Acts Committed on Board Aircraft;
  2. The 1970 The Hague Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Seizure of Aircraft; and
  3. The 1971 Montréal Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Civil Aviation.

 

The guests of the UN flight (6 November 1971) heard a strong appeal for international legislation and the symbols shown on the medal mean support for international skyjacking treaties: The world (circle) requires more (+) treaties (T).

 

 

2. SAFETY IN THE AIR (1978)

During the 1970s and the 1980s, the United Nations issued annually five commemorative medals with first day cancellations for specific events (as part of a UN Medallic First Day Cover program, held in one album per year). The issue was low mintage and all medals were proof quality struck in sterling silver. Specially designed covers, bearing the medal and the matching UN commemorative stamp, were officially cancelled on the first day of issue.

 

The set of five medals from 1978 includes: 1) Global Eradication of Smallpox; 2) Namibia; 3) International Civil Aviation Organization; 4) The General Assembly; and 5) Technical Cooperation among Developing Nations.

 

The year 1978 celebrated the 75th anniversary of the first engined-powered flight by the Wright Brothers. This occasion prompted the United Nations Postal Administration (UNPA) to issue on 12 June 1978 two sets of stamps (with US and Swiss denominations) to praise ICAO’s achievements over the past three decades; the subject of the issue was Safety in the Air.  The medal, in sterling silver (Weight: 20 g, 92.5% Silver), proof strike, measures 38 mm (1.5” inches) in diameter and was sculptured by Ronald Hower and struck by the Franklin Mint (Mint mark: "FM").

 

 

 

 

The obverse depicts two jet planes streaking across the sky as symbols of the many thousands safely flying the international routes.

 

 

 

 

The reverse shows the United Nations emblem. The outside circle shows the UN name in five languages (Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish).

 

 

 

 

First Day Cover – United Nations - 12 June 1978 – Safety in the air

The cacheted envelope houses the silver medal in protective plastic with the UN stamp tied to the envelope with an official First Day of Issue cancel of 12 June 1978. The matching stamp of the First Day Cover is the 13-cent stamp issued by the UNPA on 12 June 1978.

 

Reverse of the above First Day Cover. Certificate of authenticity signed by Clayton C. Timbrell, Assistant Secretary General, and Ole Hamann, third Chief United Nations Postal Administration (UNPA).

 

 

Special insert of the above cover. Front and back.

 

 

Silver Proof Five-Language Commemorative Medal Set in Original Box.

 

 

 

  

  

Details of the contents of the above box.

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