711.4127/5
The Secretary of State to the British Chargé ( Chilton )
Sir: I have the honor to refer to the Department’s note of May 21, 1928,2 in regard to the proposed issuance on a reciprocal basis of licenses to air pilots in the United States and in Great Britain and to inform you that I am in receipt of a communication concerning this matter from the Department of Commerce.
In this communication attention is invited to the desirability of an agreement being reached between the United States and Great Britain with regard to the reciprocal recognition of airworthiness certificates. The following considerations are set forth in regard to this matter in the communication above referred to:
“Several cases are now pending which involve the granting of airworthiness certificates (or licenses) to aircraft of British manufacture which have been imported by citizens of the United States. Likewise, there are cases pending in which the validation of such certificates for aircraft manufactured in the United States and exported to subjects of the British Empire is required. The fundamental requirements in the manufacture of such aircraft are quite the same, as has been evidenced by material submitted upon the request of Commander Hetherington.
“There is an existing arrangement between Canada and the United States3 which has proven to be decidedly practical and which recognizes aircraft and pilot. The Canadian authorities accept airworthiness certificates issued by the Department of Commerce in favor of domestic aircraft which is being exported to Canada. The same situation prevails in favor of aircraft imported by citizens of the United States from Canada. Canadian nationals are issued pilots’ licenses upon accomplishing the tests prescribed by the U. S. Department of Commerce and citizens of the United States are granted like privileges in the matter of Canadian licenses.
“It is suggested that the time is propitious for a similar arrangement to be perfected with Great Britain and that it would be in order to transmit such a request to the British Ambassador.
“Meanwhile, the matter of issuing airworthiness certificates for both British and American aircraft is being held in abeyance in the respective countries.”
I shall be pleased to receive for transmission to the Department of Commerce such comments as the appropriate British authorities may deem relevant in this matter.
Accept [etc.]
- Not printed.↩
- A temporary arrangement between the United States and Canada was concluded in 1920 and renewed from time to time. It was superseded by a reciprocal arrangement effected by exchange of notes, August 29 and October 22, 1929; see vol. ii, pp. 111 ff.↩