Air commerce act of 1926

• For more than 20 years after the Wright brothers first flight, aviation was virtually an unregulated industry. Anyone who wanted could design, build, and fly an aircraft without obtaining approval from the government.

• The safety record of early air transport was not very good, and the gov¬ernment responded by passing the Air Commerce Act of 1926.

• On May 20, President Calvin Coolidge signs the Air Commerce Act, which establishes federal control over civil aviation. The act instructs the Secretary of Commerce to foster air commerce, designate and establish airways, establish, operate, and maintain aids to air navigation (but not airports), arrange for research and development to improve such aids, license pilots, issue airworthiness certificates for aircraft and major aircraft components, and investigate accidents.

The Airmail Act of 1930

• The Airmail Act of 1930 changed the method in which the United States Post Office awarded mail contracts, eliminating competitive bidding.

• The Act created a payment structure based on the weight of the load carried by the aircraft per mile rather than a flat rate per mile regardless of the weight of the load. Contracts were awarded based on aircraft payload.

• Companies that had large aircrafts were more likely to be awarded contracts rather than those companies with smaller aircrafts.

• This Act encouraged airline carriers to purchase large aircrafts increasing the likelihood of being awarded airmail contracts. It also stimulated the carriers to fill space on the aircraft with passengers.

Civil Aeronautics Act of 1938

•   In 1938, the Civil Aeronautics Act transferred federal responsibilities for non-military aviation from the Bureau of Air Commerce to a new, independent agency, the Civil Aeronautics Authority. The legislation also gave the authority the power to regulate airline fares and to determine the routes that air carriers would serve. 

• The Civil Aeronautics Act of 1938 was responsible for creating the Civil Aeronautics Board and the Civil Aeronautics Administration. The Civil Aeronautics Board was responsible for issuing and overseeing aircraft and pilot certification and suspension.

In addition, this Act issued air carrier route certificates and regulated airline fares. It was also responsible for investigating aircraft accidents.

The Federal Airport Act of 1946 

• The Federal Airport Act of 1946 brought about a federal responsibility and participation in the further construction of airports through the newly established Federal Aid Airport Program. The Federal Aid Airport Program provided annual funding of 75 million dollars for airport construction and improvements.

• In 1944, CAA submitted a National Airport Plan that helped spark Congressional interest in meeting postwar airport needs. After debating the issue, Congress passed the Federal Airport Act, signed on May 13, 1946, by President Harry S Truman.

• The Act provided for $500 million in grants for airport projects paid over seven years. The maximum federal grant for an eligible project would provide half of the project's costs.

Local airport sponsors would issue bonds to finance the rest of the cost. All projects had to meet CAA standards for location, layout, grading, drainage, paving, and lighting. Further, all tax money collected by local governments for aviation facilities or fuel had to go for airport operations and maintenance.

The Federal Aviation Act Of 1958

• The Federal Aviation Act of 1958 did away with the Civil Aeronautics Administration and established the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). In addition, the Act transferred the authority to set aviation regulations from the Civil Aeronautics Board to the FAA. This Act grants the FAA sole responsibility for the nation's civil-military system of air navigation and air traffic control. Today, the aviation regulations are known as the FARs (Federal Aviation Regulations). 

•    The Federal Aviation Act of 1958 was an act of Congress that created the Federal Aviation Agency (later the Federal Aviation Administration or the FAA) and abolished its predecessor, the Civil Aeronautics Administration. The act empowered the FAA to oversee and regulate safety in the airline industry and the use of American airspace by both civilian aircraft and military aircraft.

• Aviation in the United States was unregulated until the Air Commerce Act became law in 1926. The Act created an Aeronautic Branch within the United States Department of Commerce with regulatory powers over civil aviation. Among the functions the Aeronautic Branch performed were pilot testing and licensing, issuing aircraft airworthiness certificates, establishing and enforcing safety regulations. The agency was also responsible for establishing airways and operating and maintaining aids to air navigation, in addition to investigating accidents and incidents.

Federal Aviation Administration ( FAA )

is the agency of the United States Department of Transportation responsible for the regulation and oversight of civil aviation.

Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR’S)

• are rules prescribed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) governing all aviation activities in the United States.

• FARs allow licensed airmen other than maintenance personnel to perform preventive maintenance.

Calendar Times - (MO, YE)

Month(s) – equivalent of 1 calendar month

Year(s) – equivalent of 12 calendar month

Flight Hour(s) (FH) – Flying hours of aircraft

Flight Cycle(s) (FC) – A complete take-off and landing sequence.

Airworthy – The aircraft must be in condition for safe flight operations.

Check (CHK) – Task performed to ensure that a system or component is still serviceable.

Life limit – An item which must be removed from service and discarded before a specified time is achieved.

Discard (DIS) – The removal from service of an item at a specified life limit.

Maintenance Task - An action or set of actions, including corresponding planning data, required to achieve a desired outcome which maintains an item (component, system/sub system, structure) in or restores an item to serviceable condition. This term includes inspection and determination of condition.

Aircraft On Ground (AOG) – refers to any plane that has a serious maintenance problem that prevents it from taking off.

Line Maintenance – refers to minor, unscheduled or scheduled maintenance carried out on aircraft.

Base Maintenance – The maintenance work is done in hangar, with special tools and equipment.

Field Maintenance – The performance of line maintenance at different locations.

Repeat Interval - The maximum permitted period that can separate total completion of a task from its next accomplishment.

Restoration (RST) – Term covering all actions (on/off the aircraft) necessary to return the item to a specific standard.

Threshold – Limit deadline for all tasks not performed on a sampling basis at which the task must be accomplished for the first time.

Lubrication (LUB) – Term covering all types of lubrication by grease gun, squirt can, spray, brush or hand application for the purpose of maintaining the inherent design operating capabilities of an item.