Full FAA Chronology at this link.
19340415: Airport development with Federal aid was transferred to the Federal Emergency Relief Administration for completion of projects started under the Civil Works Administration. (See November 24, 1933.)
19480415: CAA conducted flight demonstrations at Washington National Airport with four types of aircraft equipped with crosswind landing gear developed by the agency through contracts with industry. CAA hoped that availability of the castered gear would encourage wider use of single-strip airports, substantially reducing the large landing areas required for multidirectional runways. On October 15, 1949, CAA’s official journal reported that, as a result of further tests, the agency had approved a new component for DC-3s equipped with a cross-wind undercarriage. CAA stated that planes so equipped could land directly across a wind as high as 40 mph, and hence provide more regular airline service to single-strip airports.
19640415: FAA established a Value Engineering Staff to achieve engineering objectives at the lowest overall cost. Value engineering (or value analysis) was to be applied to design, construction, installation and other activities involved in FAA’s programs for establishing air navigation and air traffic control facilities.
19760415: The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) implemented a system for processing reports of aviation hazards and safety-related incidents while preserving the reporters’ anonymity (see August 15, 1975). FAA made certain modifications to its Aviation Safety Reporting Program (ASRP) that took effect on the same date that NASA’s participation began. Under the new policy, FAA would waive disciplinary action against all those involved in an incident provided a timely report was filed with NASA and certain other stipulations were fulfilled. FAA would not use reports for disciplinary purposes even if they involved reckless operation, gross negligence, or willful misconduct (although disciplinary action might be taken in such cases on the basis of information obtained independently). As before, no form of immunity was provided in cases involving accidents or criminal offenses, and FAA remained free to take remedial action to ensure safety. (See March 16, 1979.)
19800415: PATCO distributed to its members an “educational package” that many in FAA considered a “strike plan.” The materials provided: information on how to establish communications networks and committees on security, welfare, and picketing; recommendations for a variety of financial preparations in case of the loss of wages during a job action; and advice to local PATCO organizations to make arrangements for bail bondsman and for other legal services. (See January 7, 1980, and August 15, 1980.)
19860415: In a move to consolidate aviation medicine expertise and responsibilities, FAA transferred direction of the Civil Aeromedical Institute (CAMI) from the Director of the Aeronautical Center to the Federal Air Surgeon. (See September 30, 1966.)
19880415: Effective this date, FAA required large air carriers to report each failure, malfunction, or defect of their emergency evacuation systems and components.
19920415: United Nations sanctions, including a cut-off of air transportation links, went into effect against Libya due to its failure to surrender two suspects in the December 1988 bombing of a Pan American flight (see November 14, 1991). On April 16, FAA issued a special regulation implementing a Presidential order prohibiting any aircraft on a flight to or from Libya from taking off from, landing in, or overflying the United States.. Since commercial air links with Libya had already been prohibited for several years (see February 11, 1986), the action expanded the ban to business and private aircraft and to overflights of U.S. territory.
19940415: FAA’s Air Traffic Control System Command Center (ATCSCC) officially began operations in its new facility at Herndon, Va. The ATCSCC had moved from FAA Headquarters because of size and technological constraints (see April 27, 1970).
19970415: The tail of a German-made BK-117 helicopter reportedly broke off in flight, causing the aircraft to crash into New York’s East river, killing one occupant and injuring two. April 25, FAA issued an airworthiness directive requiring operators of certain models of helicopters manufactured by Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH to inspect the tail booms for cracks before the craft would be permitted to fly. April 26, FAA grounded all 132 of the BK-117s in the United States pending checks for cracks in certain key components.
19980415: FAA leased the Atlantic City International Airport to the South Jersey Transportation Authority. FAA and the authority signed a 50-year lease and cooperative agreement transferring 2,000 acres of land, including airport runway and taxiway systems.
19990415: FAA proposed a rule to strengthen security of checked baggage in the domestic aviation system. The proposal would require airlines to apply additional security to the checked baggage of some passengers. The rule directed the use of automated screening procedures, but provided options for airlines that choose to apply additional security to all passengers. The Computer Assisted Passenger Screening program (CAPS) would replace manual programs. CAPS used data from existing airline reservation systems to select baggage randomly or through preprogrammed criteria. The proposed rule would require CAPS for scheduled operations on any aircraft with 61 seats or more. (See March 31, 1999; November 2, 1999.)
20140415: American Airlines Group and AEA management changed the name of American Eagle Airlines to Envoy Air Inc. to differentiate the airline from other regional airlines flying as American Eagle.
20190415: The Embraer E195-E2 jet received simultaneous type certification from three major regulatory authorities: Brazilian Civil Aviation Agency; FAA; and the European Aviation Safety Agency. (See March 10, 2019; October 11, 2019.)
20200415: Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao announced the award of approximately $10 billion to commercial and general aviation airports from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act Airport Grant Program. The funding provided support for continuing operations and replacement of lost revenue resulting from the sharp decline in passenger traffic and other airport business because of the COVID-19 public health emergency. The funds were available for airport capital expenditures, airport operating expenses, including payroll and utilities, and airport debt payments.
20200415: FAA issued a safety alert (SAFO 20008) allowing passenger airlines to turn their planes into cargo-only aircraft provided they took steps to prevent fires and kept weight balanced. Existing FAA rules also required that carriers perform a risk assessment of the new operations. Airlines could remove seats from cabins to accommodate cargo. The tracks beneath the floor that held seat rows could be used to attach cargo, provided the plane was certified to hold such loads. On May 15, FAA issued information and guidance for agency safety inspectors about the carriage of cargo in the cabin of passenger-carrying planes when no passengers were on board. (See January 7, 2020; May 20, 2020.)
20220415: FAA announced $4.4 million in drone research, education, and training grants to seven universities. The research focused on electromagnetic compatibility, detecting and avoiding classifications, and cybersecurity oversight. The grant awardees included the University of North Dakota, the University of Kansas, Drexel University, Ohio State University, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Mississippi State University, and Oregon State University.