This Day in FAA History: July 8th

Full FAA Chronology at this link.
19400708: TWA employed the first flight engineer in U.S. scheduled domestic passenger service, on the Boeing 307B Stratoliner. The flight engineer took over system support functions, including the operation of the pressurization system, from the pilots. (See November 1, 1937 and July 10, 1945.)
19470708: The prototype Boeing 377 Stratocruiser first flew. The 377, an outgrowth of the military B29 Superfortress and the C-97 military transport, received its CAA type-certificate on September 3, 1948, and first saw service with Pan American World Airways on April 1, 1949. The plane had a spiral staircase leading down to a first class lounge in the lower fuselage. It could carry approximately 100 passengers or could be converted into a sleeper plane with 28 full-sized Pullman berths.
19710708: FAA put into operation a jet-propelled boat to conduct search and rescue operations in the event of a crash landing in the Potomac River near Washington National Airport. The 22-foot watercraft could accommodate all occupants of the largest airliner serving the airport.
19730708: FAA commissioned the Flight Inspection National Field Office (FINFO) at Oklahoma City. Established to oversee the operation of the entire flight inspection program within the contiguous 48 States, as well as the Caribbean and North Atlantic areas, FINFO reported directly to the Director, Flight Standards Service. Previously, flight inspection of terminal and air route navigation facilities and communications equipment had been carried out by 17 flight inspection district offices under the jurisdiction of five FAA regions. These district offices were consolidated into a smaller number of Flight Inspection Field Offices (FIFOs) under the new arrangement, which was expected to save $8 million annually.
(In 1975, FINFO became part of the Flight Standards National Field Office. Subsequently, the flight inspection program was placed under the Office of Flight Operations in 1979, then in 1982 transferred to the Aviation Standards National Field Office, which was renamed the Office of Aviation System Standards in 1992. The FIFOs were renamed Flight Inspection Area Offices in 1993.)
In addition to establishing FINFO, FAA updated its flight inspection fleet by replacing 47 DC-3s and Convair T-29s with light twin-engine jets: 5 Jet Commanders (delivery starting in June 1974) and 15 Saberliner 80s (delivery starting in April 1975). Faster and capable of flying longer distances, the new jets were expected to save many flight hours annually. Unlike a group of 5 Saberliner 40 jets that FAA had begun receiving in 1968, these new aircraft were to be equipped with the newly developed Automated Flight Inspection System (AFIS). The AFIS system greatly expanded productivity when the first of the new aircraft began operations in November 1974. In addition to Saberliners and Jet Commanders, FAA’s worldwide flight inspection fleet by the early 1980s included 3 Convairs (upgraded to the 580 configuration), one Boeing 727, one Fairchild C-123, and a single remaining DC-3 in occasional use. (See January 1962 and October 23, 1986.)
20130708: The United States and the Republic of Suriname signed an Open Skies agreement, which, following a transition period, would allow unrestricted air service by the airlines of both countries between and beyond the other’s territory, eliminating restrictions on how often the carriers flew, the kind of aircraft they used, and the prices they charged. This became the 110th such agreement the U.S. signed with other nations. (See May 28, 2013; July 14, 2015.)
20140708: Embry-Riddle announced it had become the first school to receive approval from FAA for its airline transport pilot (ATP) certification training program. Under a rule, effective August 1, 2014, FAA required all airline pilots to complete an ATP certification training program to qualify to take the ATP airman knowledge test, a prerequisite for employment as a commercial airline pilot in the U.S.
20200708: FAA and the Switzerland Federal Office of Civil Aviation announced they had reached an agreement to harmonize domestic and international safety standards for UAS. The two nations planned to collaborate under a declaration of intent (DOI) on UAS issues of mutual interest and benefit. The primary objectives of the DOI were to provide opportunities to engage in research and development; exchange ideas, personnel, and information; provide coordination with other government entities and stakeholders; and to collaborate on other initiatives and projects determined to be of mutual interest and benefit in relation to UAS operations.
20220708: DOT published an Airline Passengers with Disabilities Bill of Rights and issued a notice urging airlines to guarantee that children aged 13 and younger would be seated next to their accompanying adults. After receiving input from the Air Carrier Access Act Advisory Committee, DOT crafted the bill of rights.
20230708: Northern Pacific Airways announced it had received FAA approval to begin commercial flights. The Anchorage-based carrier expected to begin service on July 14 with weekly flights between southern California’s Ontario International Airport and Las Vegas.