International Civil Aviation Organization

The 39th session of the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) extended from January 27 to April 14, 1960, during which time the Council considered several questions on air navigation, air transport, and technical assistance, as well as administrative and legal matters. In the field of air navigation, the two subjects that aroused the most interest were Amendment 35 to Annex 10 (Aeronautical Telecommunications), proposing new specifications for distance-measuring equipment, and the Secretariat's reports on investigations of major deficiencies in air navigation facilities and services on the main international air routes. After a debate in which the United States, the Netherlands, and the Federal Republic of Germany strongly supported the aforementioned amendment, with Australia, Canada, the Union of South Africa, and the United Kingdom opposing it, the following were adopted, to be approved or rejected by member states by September 1, 1960: 1) the new Standard making VOR (omnidirectional radio range) the standard aid for air traffic control and other operational purposes en route as well as in terminal areas; 2) the new Standard requiring the installation of DME (distancemeasuring equipment) as a complement to VOR where, for operational or air traffic control reasons, there was need for more precise navigation service than that provided by VOR; and 3) amendments relating to the “protection date†for VOR and DME. To determine whether joint financing might be a possible remedy for specific deficiencies in air navigation facilities and services, the Council established a working body to study the Secretariat's reports and present its findings to the June session of the Council.