This Day in FAA History: December 23rd

Full FAA Chronology at this link.
19401223: United Air Lines began what was probably the first all-freight service by a U.S. airline, supplementing its regular service with a daily all-cargo flight westbound from New York to Chicago. This experiment in freight service ended May 31, 1941. (See August 12, 1949.)
19701223: FAA established the Office of Systems Engineering Management in the Office of the Associate Administrator for Engineering and Development. This new office replaced the abolished Systems Engineering Management Staff.
19761223: FAA published a rule establishing deadlines for phased compliance of all jet transport aircraft with the noise standards already established for new aircraft types (see October 26, 1973). The agency gave operators whose fleets included aircraft that did not meet the standards the option of modifying or replacing them. FAA also required all two- and three-engine jets exceeding 75,000 lb. to comply within six years (by January 1, 1983), with half the total in each airline fleet to be in compliance at the end of four years. Aircraft in this category included the BAC-111, DC-9, Boeing models 727, 737, and 747-100. Non-complying four-engine jets were to meet the standards within eight years, with one-fourth of them complying within four years and one-half within six years. This category included the Convair 990, DC-8, and Boeing 707.
The rule did not immediately apply to foreign-flag aircraft or U.S. aircraft on international routes, since FAA was working with the International Civil Aviation Organization to establish world-wide noise standards. If no agreement was reached by January 1, 1980, however, the agency would take regulatory action to ensure compliance by at least January 1, 1985 (see November 28, 1980).
The rule followed President Ford’s October 21, 1976, announcement that noise standard compliance must be achieved within eight years. It also implemented a major provision of an FAA-DOT noise policy dated November 18, 1976. Other elements of the policy included: a new rule, published November 29, requiring the use of noise abatement flap settings; a decision not to prescribe the two-segment approach procedure, which was considered to involve unacceptable risks; and implementation of a Local Flow Traffic Management system aimed at reducing low-altitude jet flying time, rather than the minimum altitude regulations proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency. In accordance with another element of the policy, FAA during fiscal 1977 issed grants to four airports to participate in a noise control and land use planning demonstration program. (See March 3, 1977, January 19, 1979, and February 18, 1980.)
19831223: In response to clean air standards adopted by the Environmental Protection Agency, FAA published revised rules on aircraft engine exhaust emissions. Beginning January 1, 1984, FAA extended smoke limitations already in effect for some classes of engines to cover all civil aircraft jet engines. As of the same date, the agency also required all commercial aircraft jet engines manufactured for use in the United States and rated at 6,000 lb. of thrust or more to meet new regulations on unburned carbons, a contributor to regional air pollution problems. (See July 6, 1973.)
19831223: Attempting to takeoff at Anchorage, a Korean Airlines cargo DC-10 collided on the ground with a Piper Navajo operated as a commuter by SouthCentral Air. Disoriented in heavy fog, the DC-10 captain had selected the wrong runway. The accident caused no fatalities, but seriously injured three persons and destroyed both aircraft. To Donald D. Engen, who headed the National Transportation Safety Board’s investigation team, the collision illustrated the need for better surface control. Soon after becoming FAA Administrator (see April 10, 1984), Engen ordered that Airport Surface Detection Equipment (ASDE) being used for research at FAA’s Technical Center be transferred to Anchorage (see August 1979). In addition, he directed the agency to speed its procurement of the more advanced ASDE-3 system. On October 10, 1985, FAA announced a contract for 17 ASDE-3 units, with an option for 13 more. (See December 3, 1993.)
19831223: J. Lynn Helms resigned as FAA Administrator, effective January 31, 1984. Helms stated that his objectives as Administrator were largely accomplished and he wished to return to the private sector. Deputy Administrator Michael J. Fenello became Acting Administrator. (See April 10, 1984.)
19861223: Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager became the first aircraft pilots to circle the globe without landing or refueling when their experimental airplane Voyager touched down at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., after covering 25,000 miles in nine days. The aircraft had a propeller at each end of its fuselage, and was equipped with a main wing nearly 111 feet long as well as a smaller forward wing. Voyager took off on December 14 with 1,200 gallons of fuel and landed with only eight gallons of usable fuel remaining.
19961223: FAA announced the award of contracts to Raytheon and to Lockheed Martin to provide planning, design, and services required to integrate and install advanced security equipment at up to 77 U.S. airports. On December 26, the agency revealed that it had ordered 54 CTX-5000 SP explosives detection systems (see December 9, 1994) for use at the nation’s busiest airports. The action responded to a recommendation of the White House Commission on Aviation Safety and Security (see September 30, 1996).
20041223: President George W. Bush signed the Commercial Space Launch Amendments Act of 2004 (Public Law 108-492). The legislation gave FAA authority to regulate manned suborbital flight. (See July 2, 2004; February 11, 2005.)
20191223: Media reported Chicago Executive Airport had launched a sound-insulation program to reduce aircraft noise for nearby residents. Under the program, insulating materials will be provided at no cost to owners of eligible homes, with the FAA funding 90% of the cost and the remainder coming from the airport. The work was expected to extend into 2021 and beyond.
20191223: Boeing announced president and CEO Dennis Muilenburg had resigned effective immediately. CFO Greg Smith stepped in as interim CEO until David Calhoun, current non-executive chairman of the Boeing board of directors, took over the roles on a permanent basis starting January 13. (See December 16, 2019; September 11, 2020.)
20191223: Bombardier announced it had received FAA type certification of its Global 5500 and Global 6500 business jets. The milestone follows Transport Canada and European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) certification and entry-into-service in September 2019.