711.1527/2
The Chargé in Honduras (Higgins) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 6.]
Sir: I have the honor to refer to the Department’s instruction No. 481 of September 9, 1933,17 and to report that the Honduran Government has stated that it is in agreement with the proposition of the Government of the United States regarding the interpretation to be given to Article IV of the Habana Convention on Commercial Aviation, to which Honduras is a party. Accordingly it has agreed that henceforth private (not Government owned) aircraft of United States registry shall, under the general authorization contained in the Habana Convention, be permitted to enter Honduras subject to compliance with the technical requirements of the Government of Honduras regarding entry and clearance and the laws and regulations in force in this country, without the necessity of requesting through diplomatic channels that the flights be authorized.
Moreover it has, at the suggestion of this Legation, decided, to the end of facilitating air travel and commerce to and from Honduras, to dispense altogether with the requirement, heretofore in force, that permission be obtained from the Honduran Government for each flight of American private aircraft to Honduras, and has stated that hereafter it will be necessary for the American pilot before taking off from a foreign place for Honduras only to comply with a requirement similar to that prescribed for entry of foreign aircraft into the United States as stated in “Chapter II—Entry” of the Department of Commerce Regulations, effective as amended April 7, 1931 (Aeronautics Bulletin No. 7–C), viz. to advise the Chief of the airport (Jefe del Aeropuerto) at the place of first landing, which must be an airport of entry unless permission for landing elsewhere is secured in advance, of the intended flight, stating the type of aircraft, the markings thereon, [Page 628] the name of the pilot, and the approximate time of arrival: and that such advice must be given sufficiently in advance and by such means of communication as to insure the chief of the airport having adequate time to assemble the appropriate authorities (immigration, customs, etc.) at the field prior to arrival.
It is gratifying that the Honduran Government has come to this decision which should materially simplify and facilitate international travel for American private aircraft.
With reference to the second paragraph of page 3 of the Department’s instruction, the Ministry of Aviation states that there are no laws or regulations in force regarding civil aviation other than Decree No. 217 of April 8, 1930,—the Law of Aviation (which was forwarded with translation under cover of the Legation’s despatch No. 366 of December 9, 1931),18 but that regulations are being prepared for submission to Congress for approval, and that they will not be issued for six or seven months to come.
Respectfully yours,