Air Commerce Act of 1926
The Air Commerce Act of 1926 was a pivotal piece of legislation that established federal oversight of the aviation industry in the United States. This act granted the Department of Commerce the authority to regulate aviation, setting crucial safety standards and licensing requirements for pilots and aircraft. The establishment of an aeronautics branch allowed for systematic inspections of aircraft, leading to greater airworthiness and safety in flight operations. The law also facilitated the creation of airways, navigational aids, and the early development of airborne radio communication, enhancing the efficiency and safety of air travel during a time of rapid growth in the sector.
By curbing unregulated flying practices, such as barnstorming, the Air Commerce Act marked a transition to more structured commercial aviation. It prohibited hazardous behaviors like performing stunts over populated areas and flying without adequate lighting at night. As a result, accident rates decreased, and the aviation industry began to flourish under these new regulations, paving the way for the commercial airline era. Overall, the Air Commerce Act of 1926 played a crucial role in shaping modern aviation safety and infrastructure.
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Subject Terms
Air Commerce Act of 1926
The Law: Federal legislation authorizing the first national aviation regulations in the United States
Also known as: Bingham-Parker-Merritt Bill
Date: Enacted on May 20, 1926
The Air Commerce Act of 1926 authorized the United States government to enact regulations and set safety standards for the growing aviation industry. Placing aviation under the supervision of the Department of Commerce, the law directed the department to establish airways and air navigation facilities, license pilots and aircraft, and oversee research and development.
Aviation was not federally regulated until 1926, when the Air Commerce Act gave the Department of Commerce authority over the field. The department established an aeronautics branch to oversee all civil aviation activities within the United States. Department of Commerce inspectors became responsible for inspecting all aircraft annually for airworthiness, which frequently resulted in the grounding or destruction of older, unsafe aircraft. All newly built aircraft were required to meet federal airworthiness standards and were test flown by aeronautics inspectors. These aircraft were also required to display identification markings, with the letter “C” designating those approved for commercial service. All pilots were tested and licensed by the department.
The aeronautics branch was also charged with establishing airways and creating navigational aids, which typically consisted of lighted airway beacons. Airborne radiocommunication was in its infancy in the 1920s, and the Air Commerce Act was largely responsible for its rapid development. The law also resulted in the development of weather analysis and reporting systems as well as basic air traffic control centers.
The Air Commerce Act virtually ended the era of barnstormers, unregulated civilian pilots who performed flying stunts in traveling shows, and ushered in the age of commercial airlines. The new aviation regulations outlawed such activities as performing stunts over populated areas, flying within three hundred feet of another aircraft, and flying at night without navigation lights, as well as commercial use of wooden airplanes. Accident rates decreased, and as aircraft manufacturers worked to improve aircraft and equipment design under federal regulations, air travel became more widespread.
Impact
Brady, Tim, ed. The American Aviation Experience: A History. Carbondale: Southern Illinois University Press, 2000.
Christy, Joe, and LeRoy Cook. American Aviation: An Illustrated History. 2d ed. Blue Ridge Summit, Penn.: McGraw-Hill, 1994.
Davies, R. E. G. Airlines of the United States Since 1914. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1998.