Reference no: EM132250955
The Civil Aeronautics Act of 1938
President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed this act into law on June 23, 1938. This piece of legislation created the Civil Aeronautics Authority (CAA), which was initially formed with three distinct elements. There was the five-member Civil Aeronautics Authority, an Administrator of the Authority, and the three-member Air Safety Board. The first element was in charge of the quasi-legislative and quasi-judicial functions, while the Administrator acted independently of the first group and had control of the executive and operational functions. Acting independently of everyone else was the Air Safety Board, which was in charge of accident investigations and their possible causes, as well as recommendations to prevent further occurrences.
It was not until 1940 that President Roosevelt broke up the CAA into two distinct agencies, the Civil Aeronautics Administration, which was returned to the Department of Commerce, and the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB). The CAB was responsible for "safety rulemaking, accident investigation, economic regulation of the airlines" ("Brief History," 2017). These would not be the last of the changes made as in 1958, President Eisenhower signed the Federal Aviation Act of 1958, which "repealed the Air Commerce Act of 1926, the Civil Aeronautics Act of 1938, the Airways Modernization Act of 1957, and those portions of the various Presidential reorganization plans dealing with civil aviation" (Brief History," 2017) and effectively creating the Federal Aviation Agency (FAA). Finally, in 1966, President Johnson signed the Department of Transportation Act, which combined 31 previously separate agencies into one Cabinet Department, resulting in the FAA becoming part of the modal organizations within the DOT and a name change to the Federal Aviation Administration.
Airlines and air carriers were basically brought under control by the Civil Aeronautics Act of 1938, similar to what motor carriers went through with the Motor Carrier Act of 1935. Economic regulation previously authorized under the Air Mail Act of 1934 was made more thorough and comprehensive, and safety regulations received similar treatment. Airports were put under the CAA's purview, as well. The DOT act of 1966 also resulted in the creation of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), taking over the accident investigation function of the CAB. President Carter's signing of the Airline Deregulation Act of 1978 further diminished the CAB's functions and authority until the CAB's eventual disestablishment in 1985. The FAA remains charged with overseeing civil aviation safety and security, and regulates the commercial space transportation industry.