STAMP ISSUES RELATED TO ICAO (1994-1995)

Switzerland : Special Stamps

Issue date: 15/03/1994

A picture of the earth, a radar image and an airliner (Boeing 747‑400D, see silhouette below) symbolizing worldwide cooperation of ICAO members for the benefit of international civil aviation.

Cancelled to Order (CTO).

Upper blocks of 4 stamps.

Lower part of sheet (10 stamps).

Presentation card of this issue. ICAO’s 50^th anniversary stamp was part of a set of 4 stamps issued at the same time, commemorating the following events:

	The 50th anniversary of the École fédérale de sport de Macolin (EFSM). Macolin has enjoyed tremendous development over the years. The École fédérale de gymnastique et de sport (EFGS) was established in 1944 under the supervision of the Military Department to improve the ability of young men to serve in the military departments. In 1989, the EFGS was renamed the École fédérale de sport de Macolin (EFSM). Later in 2005, the Haute école fédérale de sport de Macolin (HEFSM) was established as the result of the merger of the École fédérale de sport de Macolin et de l'Institut des sciences du sport de Macolin. The institution currently offers continuing education and training in sports science and its practice.
	The International Congress of mathematicians held in Zurich from 3 to 11 August 1994. The stamp depicts Jakob Bernouilli, Mathematician (1654-1705), and the formula and diagram of the law of large numbers. The International Congress of Mathematicians (ICM, in French: Congrès international des mathématiciens) is an event organized every four years by the International Mathematical Union (IMU). The first congress was held in Zurich in 1897. The program of the Congress consists mainly of lectures given by leading mathematicians from around the world, selected by the organizers of the Congress. In probability theory, the law of large numbers (LLN) is a theorem that describes the result of performing the same experiment a large number of times. According to the law, the average of the results obtained from a large number of trials should be close to the expected value and will tend to become closer to the expected value as more trials are performed. A special form of the LLN (for a binary random variable) was first proved by Jacob Bernoulli. It took him over 20 years to develop a sufficiently rigorous mathematical proof.
	The participation of TELECOM PTT to UNISOURCE. The stamp depicts heads, the Unisource emblem, globe and flags (Swiss, Dutch and Sweden; flags (collaboration of Swiss, Dutch and Swedish telecommunications companies). The Swiss telegraph network was created in 1852, followed by the telephone in 1877. Both networks were combined with the postal service in 1920 to form the PTT (Post Telegraph Telephone). Later at the end of 1980s, the PTT was split into 2 divisions: Postes PTT and Telecom PTT, as a new corporate strategy more clearly oriented the postal and telecom sectors towards their specific markets. Unisource was a joint venture established on 24 April 1992 to bring together the value-added international networks of the Dutch PTT Telecom and the Swedish Telia. One year later, the Unisource initiative was extended to include the Swiss Telecom PTT with ownership equally divided among the thee participants. Unisource created a network triangle in Europe between Sweden, the Netherlands and Switzerland, which was the base for the world's third largest carrier in terms of outgoing minutes. The Spanish telecommunications company Telefónica joined the group in July 1994. In September 1997, the Swiss Telecom withdrewn from a key Unisource project leaving the other founding partners Telia and PTT Netherland to complete the project alone.
	The 50^th Anniversary of ICAO (Radar image, airliner and globe).

Presentation folder of this issue.

Official First Day Cover issued by the Swiss P.T.T.

Dual cancel combo, i.e. Switzerland and Canada. The Canadian stamp was issued on issued on 16 September 1994 to commemorate ICAO’s 50^th anniversary.

First Day Cover with the 4 stamps of this issue, issued by the Swiss P.T.T.

First Day Cover with the 4 stamps of this issue, issued by the Swiss P.T.T.

Cancel at Geneva Airport. Cachet related to the participation of TELECOM PTT to UNISOURCE.

Maximum Card with the first day cancellation, designed by Philswiss. McDonnell MD-11 Aircraft.

Maximum Card with Geneva Airport cancellation, designed by Philswiss. McDonnell MD-11 Aircraft.

Cover designed by Philswiss. Reduced reproduction of the picture from the above postcards. Geneva Airport cancellation. McDonnell MD-11 Aircraft.

Postal stationery designed by Philswiss. Reduced reproduction of the picture from the above postcards. McDonnell MD-11 Aircraft.

Maximum Card with Douglas DC-8-62CF (4 engines) in landing position. Zurich Airport cancellation.

Registered HB-IDK.

International Stamp Exhibition, Essen from 5 to 8 May 1995. Pair on special souvenir card with Zurich Airport first day cancellation.

With this First Day Cover, the four stamps of this issue were used by the Swiss PTT to commemorate the 8^th Salon international du livre et de la presse, held in Geneva from 4 to 8 May 1994.

Cover commemorating (in Samedan, Switzerland) the 25^th anniversary of the establishment of the day of Aerophilately in 1992. Junkers JU 52/3m trimotor aircraft.

On 30 April 1919, airmail was carried for the first time in Switzerland on the newly created line Zurich-Berne-Lausanne, also establishing the Aéropostale. Six years later, on 8 May 1925, the Société aérophilatélique suisse was created on the initiative of two pioneers: Adolf von Arx and Louis Rochat. The latter society organized for the first time in 1967 a Day of Aerophilately.

The Junkers Ju 52/3m (nicknamed Tante Ju and Iron Annie) is a transport aircraft that was designed and manufactured by German aviation company Junkers. It was initially designed with a single engine; the aircraft's design incorporated a corrugated duralumin metal skin as a strengthening measure, which was very unusual at the time. Following the rise of Nazi Germany, thousands of Ju 52s were procured as a staple military transport of the nation. The first flight of the Ju 52/3m took place on 7 March 1932.

The parachutes in the cachet refer to the military use of the Ju 52 which could carry up to 18 fully-equipped soldiers. Air-dropped supplies were jettisoned through two double chutes; supply containers were dropped by parachute through the bomb-bay doors, and paratroopers jumped through the side doors.

Front and back of First Flight Cover (FFC) from Zurich to Osaka Kansei International airport, Japan; Swissair MD-11 departing on 3 September 1994. Photograph of runway approach to Kansei. Cover prepared by the Philatelic Club of Swissair.

Background: ICAO 50^th anniversary stamp was part of a set of 4 stamps issued at the same time to commemorate multiple events, as mentioned above.

Excerpt from the ICAO Journal, July/August 1994.