A Historical Background of International Air Law--The Madrid Convention of 1926.

The Paris Convention of 1919 produced the International Commission of Air Navigation (ICAN), but it was not signed by the United States, Russia or many other countries after World War I. Spain declined to sign because of Article 34, which related to the uneven treatment of the signatory parties (and for political reasons--Iberia would soon withdrew from the League of Nations after its permanent seat was rejected).

Spain had broad holding in the Americas and, as a result of rapid aviation activity and growth, decided to initiate its own aviation conference to counter the Paris Convention. To the Spanish convention were invited all Latin American and Caribbean states and Portugal. In October of 1926, the countries met in Madrid for the Ibero-American Conference.

The conference took into account equal voting rights and the right of the contracting states to permit independent flights above its territory of non-contracting State's aircraft. Twenty-one Spanish-origin European and American States signed the Convenio Ibero Americano de Navegacion Aerea on November 1, 1926 (it was also called the Madrid Convention). The wording of the Ibero-American Convention was essentially identical to the Paris Convention.

The only real difference between the two conventions was the elimination of the discriminatory voting rights of the signatory States. Of the twenty-one States that signed the agreement, only five (Spain, Portugal, Dominican Republic, Costa Rica and Mexico) submitted the instrument for ratification. Because of this lack of interest, the undeveloped nature of long-range aircraft to tie together Spain and Latin America, civil war in Spain, and the Havana Convention of 1928, this Convention has limited impact on the aviation world. As a result, this second alternative was no longer needed and faded into history.



Send the Elevator Back Down

Last night, I was again privileged to attend a Wake Forest function featuring Dr. Hatch, the President of the University, and Provost Jill Tiefenthaler; they both always speak eloquently, take questions, and then mingle after words. It was a well attended event at the Atlanta History Center's Overlook Ballroom and the theme was "Sustaining a Tradition of Opportunity: Why college costs so much and why Wake Forest is worth it."


To say that I am proud of Wake and its people is an understatement. My Alma mater was a powerful force in the shaping of my life. I continue to reap the seeds that were planted there so many years ago; as those seeds germinate, new fruit magically appears.


At the end of the evening, a video was presented that highlighted testimonials of Wake graduates. It was a feel-good movie that so often inspires us and makes us proud. Within that movie was a statement by one graduate that caught my attention and made me reflect. He said, and I am paraphrasing in part, that "no matter the amount of success that we achieve in life or how high we climb, we have an obligation to send the elevator back down to those less fortunate." Send the elevator back down was new fruit in my opinion!


We could all benefit as a society from that statement--send the elevator back down to help bring up those that are less fortunate but willing to give their lives a better shot if given the opportunity. We all know people who are trying hard to better themselves, who want more, and have the God-given abilities to achieve higher goals. But, for economic or physical reasons, they are stuck on the lower floors.


If you have the ability today, or especially during this holiday season, join me in reflection and giving. Help those out that want a better station in life. It doesn't only have to be monetary help it can be inspirational. To inspire a mind with what you know and have learned can make for a better world; to lend a hand to the physically challenged can bring smiles that will warm your heart. Send the elevator down and bring it back with rewards. Once the seeds are planted, they will continue to grow--I can attest to that.