6.2 discussion: the federal aviation act of 1958

 

WHAT IS THE FEDERAL AVIAITON ACT OF 1958?

The Federal Aviation Act of 1958 created the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). This act also gave sole responsibility for the nation's non-military air navigation and air traffic control. any regulation regarding aviation in the united states is called a Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR). This was an act of congress which created the Federal Aviation Agency (now known as the FAA) and abolished the administration before it, the Civil Aviation Administration (CAA). This act empowered the FAA to oversee and regulate safety in the aviation industry and the use of airspace by both civilian and military aircraft. 





HOW DID IT START?

The Federal Aviation Act was born out if the wreckage of two mid air collisions. One happened on July 30, 1956 when United Airlines flight 718 collided with TWA flight 2 over the grand canyon, resulting in 128 fatalities. This was the largest amount of fatalities in any aviation accident at the time. The other one happened on May 20, 1958 when a military aircraft collided with a commercial airliner over over Bunswick, Maryland. This accident exposed flaws in the regulation of air traffic and showed a need for unified control of airspace for military and commercial flights. The following day, the Federal Aviation Act was introduced by Senator Mike Monroney and Representative Oren Harris. President Dwight D. Eisenhower expressed support for the act and it was signed into law on August 23 1958.






HOW DID THIS HELP SHAPE THE AVIAITON INDUSTRY?

The Federal Aviation Act of 1958 helped shape the aviation industry but creating a safer environment for flight, both military and civilian, to fly in. Before this, the CAA oversaw the routes before the FAA and with the boom of aircraft in the 1950's the method of air traffic control became obsolete and would later result in the two accidents mentioned above. With oversight of routes consolidated to the FAA, this would make for a more up-to-date method of air traffic control which is instrumental to preventing mid-air collisions and is still being used today. With the FAA in control of routes, pilots, crews and passengers can now fly with the piece of mind knowing they wont crash into another aircraft. 



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