The Air Commerce Act of 1926 was the start of the regulation of aviation. It has been called the beginning of the Federal Aviation Administration. This Act put gave the Department of Commerce’s Aeronautic Branch the responsibility to certify pilots and aircraft and make initial rules for the new industry (Boeing 2002). This was an important step in the regulation of aviation because it made the United States acknowledge the potential of air commerce.

In the beginning of the century aviation was not controlled. Anyone who had the means to get in an airplane could fly it. This time was a dangerous time in aviation because there were many accidents due to lack of experience. At that particular time, aircrafts didn’t have the capabilities to make extended flights, and the high death toll resulted in skepticism that airplanes were too dangerous and would never progress to become a thriving source of travel or income. This high accident rate made aviation enthusiasts lobby for regulation to further progress this industry safely.

On August 12 1918 the Post Office began transporting mail by air. The Post Office was the first to regulate their pilots

The Department of Commerce was tasked with the duty to oversee the establishing of these regulations. They, in return, formed an agency called the Bureau of Air Commerce and appointed an Assistant Secretary of Commerce to lead it. Under the leadership of the newly appointed Assistant Secretary of Commerce, William P. MacCracken, the Bureau of Air Commerce oversaw the certification of pilots, registration and licensing of aircraft, and also the medical requirements and examinations for the pilots. Civil Penalties were authorized to enforce these regulations (Adamski et al). The Air Commerce Act’s structure caused the death toll to drop drastically. Although there was not a true policing agency to enforce these rules, The Civil Aeronautics Administration was later formed to oversee and monitor that these regulations were being upheld. That was an important step because if there wasn’t an agency to enforce these rules, the rules would never be adhered to; thus canceling out the purpose of regulation. Another important fact about the CAA is that it went on to become the FAA, which still governs aviation today.

By the end of 1925, the United States was one of the few nations in the world that lacked policies on civil aviation (Downs 1999). General Billy Mitchell, a World War I flying hero became a pioneer in the lobbying for regulating the airways. He was a serious advocate in the creation of a separate, independent Air Force, as well as the formation of a Department of Air. He was motivated by the horrific crash of the Navy airship Shenandoah due to violent weather; Mitchell was further moved when a navy seaplane turned up missing on its way to

Some topics in this essay:
Post Office, Aeronautic Branch, Commerce Act, Department Air, Air Commerce, Hoover Coolidge’s, Safety Board, Aeronautics Administration, Calvin Coolidge, Lampert Adamski, air commerce, post office, et al, commerce act, air commerce act, adamski et al, adamski et, bureau air commerce, calvin coolidge, regulating aviation, agency enforce rules, enforce rules, agency enforce, federal aviation administration, bureau air,