Category: Uncategorized

Full FAA Chronology at this link.
19470615: President Harry S Truman appointed a Special Board of Inquiry on Air Safety, headed by CAB Chairman James M. Landis. The action followed a series of three DC-4 airline accidents that claimed the unpredecented total of 145 lives between May 29 and June 13, 1947. On August 15, Landis suggested that the Civil Aeronautics Board immediately hold hearings on airline crew complement to determine whether a flight engineer was required on all four-engine air transports in scheduled domestic passenger service. Between October 6-8, CAB held such hearings, and as a result, in April, 1948, adopted the so-called 80,000- pound rule. Effective December 2, 1948, (subsequently extended to March 31, 1949), all airplanes certificated for a maximum takeoff weight of more than 80,000 pounds were required to carry an airman holding a flight engineer’s certificate. Airmen with a pilot’s or a mechanic’s background could qualify for the certificate.

Full FAA Chronology at this link.

19500318: President Truman approved legislation (Public Law 463) authorizing the Secretary of the Interior to acquire, construct, operate, and maintain public airports near national parks and monuments in cooperation with local government agencies and with the assistance of CAA in accordance with the Federal Airport Act (see May 13, 1946).
19850318: FAA began an in-depth inspection of Continental Airlines that lasted through April 26. This was the second special inspection of Continental (see February 6, 1984) since the Air Line Pilots Association began a strike against it. On June 11, 1985, FAA