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Full FAA Chronology at this link.
19611211: A Supersonic Transport Advisory Group established in November held its first formal meeting with the joint Supersonic Transport Steering Group. The new group was headed by General Orval R. Cook (USAF Ret.) and included aviation industry leaders. Its major tasks were: to assess basic technical background material of the supersonic transport (SST); to define Federal-industry roles in program management; to consider the impact on U.S. and world markets if a European Mach 2 SST flew before the American SST; to develop a plan for financing development; to prepare a blueprint for development, production, and entry into airline service; and to consider methods for airline financing of SST purchases. (See September 25, 1961, and January 16, 1963.)
19671211: Sud Aviation and the British Aircraft Corporation unveiled a prototype of the British-French Concorde, the West’s first supersonic transport, in Toulouse, France.

Full FAA Chronology at this link.
19511210: The Kaman K-225, the world’s first turbine-powered helicopter, made its initial flight. The Kaman Aircraft Corporation had developed the K-225 under contract for the U.S. Navy.
19641210: The Airman’s Information Manual (AIM) replaced three basic FAA flight information publications: the Airman’s Guide (see April 1946), the Directory of Airports and Seaplane Bases, and the Flight Information Manual. The AIM was divided into five sections that were revised either monthly, quarterly, or semiannually. In 1978, Parts 2 and 3 were discontinued as parts of the AIM and were published as the Airport/Facility Directory. Parts 3A and 4 were also separated from the AIM and published under the title Notices to Airmen. The Part 1 data, concerning basic flight information and air traffic control procedures, continued to be issued as the AIM. On July 20, 1995, the AIM’s title was changed to Aeronautical Information Manual.

Full FAA Chronology at this link.
19811209: President Reagan rescinded a three-year prohibition of any Federal employment of controllers dismissed for participation in the PATCO strike (see August 3, 1981); however, the fired controllers were still barred from employment with FAA.
19941209: For the first time, FAA certified an explosives detection system, the Invision CTX-5000. The system used computed tomography and high-quality x-ray technology to automatically locate suspicious objects in baggage. (See December 23, 1996)
19981209: FAA issued an airworthiness directive ordering inspection and possible replacement of electrical wiring above the forward passenger doors of McDonnell Douglas MD-11 aircraft.

Full FAA Chronology at this link.
19551208: CAA Administrator Frederick Lee resigned after months of widening personal and policy differences with the Secretary and Under Secretary of Commerce (see spring 1956). The President accepted his resignation two days later. On December 12, 1955, Charles J. Lowen took the oath as Lee’s successor. With Congress not in session, President Eisenhower had given Lowen an interim appointment on December 9.
A 1938 graduate of the University of Colorado, Lowen had worked in aviation sales and service until 1942, then served during World War II with the Air Transport Command. His experience after the war included three years as an executive with Capital Airlines and a period as Director of Aviation for Denver, as well as positions unrelated to aviation. He joined CAA as a consultant in May 1955 and became Deputy Administrator in July.

Full FAA Chronology at this link.
19261207: The Aeronautics Branch made its first official airworthiness inspection of an American aircraft when Inspector Ralph Lockwood tested a Stinson Detroiter before its delivery to Canadian Air Express.
19261207: The first airway light beacon erected by the Aeronautics Branch began operation. The beacon was located 15 miles northeast of Moline, Ill., on the Chicago-Dallas air mail route. By June 30, 1927, there were 4,121 miles of lighted airways, including 2,041 miles on the transcontinental airway that had been previously lighted by the Post Office Department. (See April 1973.)
19331207: Regulatory amendments effective this date included a provision that persons under 21 years of age were required to obtain the consent of parents or guardians before receiving any type of pilot license (see May 1, 1967).

Full FAA Chronology at this link.
19571206: The Lockheed 188A Electra first flew. The transport, a four-engine turboprop airliner of short-to-medium range with a maximum capacity of 99 passengers, received its type certificate on August 22, 1958, and entered scheduled airline service with Eastern Air Lines on January 12, 1959.
19661206: The launching of NASA’s first applications technology satellite (ATS I) on this date afforded FAA the first opportunity to evaluate a satellite as an air-ground-air relay for long-distance veryhigh-frequency radio voice communications. The 775-pound spin-stabilized satellite transmitted voice messages of excellent clarity originating either from the ground or from flying aircraft. Both FAA and air carrier aircraft took part in the testing, conducted during 1966 and 1967. (See March 29, 1967.)

Full FAA Chronology at this link.
19661205: Bureau of National Capital Airports headquarters personnel moved from FAA headquarters in Washington, D.C., to Falls Church, Va. The move allowed the Bureau, which operated Washington National and Dulles International Airports, to be centrally located between the two airports. The Eastern Region’s Washington Area Office also moved from Washington to Falls Church during December. (See June 14, 1959.)
19691205: The Legal Committee of the United Nations General Assembly voted a resolution urging governments to prosecute aircraft hijackers, and urged member states without laws against aircraft piracy to enact such legislation.

Full FAA Chronology at this link.
19281204: The Aeronautics Branch issued regulations covering the entry and clearance of aircraft carrying foreign cargo and passengers into the United States. The rules became effective February 1, 1929.
19391204: At the direction of President Roosevelt, the Bureau of the Budget’s Division of Administrative Management began a study of the organization of the Civil Aeronautics Authority. The Bureau reported its findings to the President the following spring. Roosevelt approved the Bureau’s recommendations and transmitted them as Reorganization Plans III and IV to Congress in April, 1940, under the Reorganization Act of 1939.

Full FAA Chronology at this link.
19701203: The supersonic transport (SST) program suffered a reverse in Congress as the Senate adopted an amendment to delete from the Department of Transportation fiscal 1971 appropriations bill an administration request for $290 million to continue SST prototype development. Subsequently, House-Senate conferees restored $210 million of the administration’s request to the bill. But the Senate balked again, and the House refused to take part in another conference. Accordingly, the two chambers passed a joint resolution continuing appropriations for the Department (including the SST project) through March 30, 1971, at the fiscal 1970 level; at the same time, they agreed to vote on the SST appropriation separately from the rest of the DOT appropriation early in the 92d Congress. (See April 22, 1970, and March 24, 1971.)
19901203: For the second time within eight years (see September 24, 1983), Continental Airlines filed for protection under Chapter 11 of the Federal bankruptcy code. (See January 7, 1993.)

Full FAA Chronology at this link.
19291202: Fifteen air carriers pooled $100,000.00 to set up the not-for-profit organization, Aeronautical Radio, Inc. (ARINC), to serve as the single coordinator of aeronautical communications for the air transport industry, using a common network of ground stations.
19391202: New York Municipal Airport – La Guardia Field opened for commercial traffic on the improved site of the former Glenn H. Curtiss Airport at North Beach, Long Island, N.Y. The facility was renamed La Guardia Airport in 1947.
19711202: FAA established a program to expedite departures of general aviation aircraft at certain airports when local weather conditions precluded VFR operations. Known as “card-a-clearance,” this program used preprinted cards containing three standard departure clearances. By referring to these cards, pilots avoided long and repetitious clearances on congested frequencies and also reduced the possibility of misunderstanding of air traffic control instructions.