Aviation Act of 1917

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Aviation Act of 1917
Great Seal of the United States (obverse).svg
Long titleAn Act to authorize the President to increase temporarily the Signal Corps of the Army and to purchase, manufacture, maintain, repair, and operate airships, and to make appropriations therefor, and for other purposes.
Enacted bythe 65th United States Congress
EffectiveJuly 24, 1917
Citations
Public law Pub. L. Tooltip Public Law (United States)  65–29
Statutes at Large 40  Stat.   243
Legislative history

Aviation Act of 1917 was a United States military appropriations bill authorizing a temporary increase for the United States Army Signal Corps. The Act of Congress authorized provisions for airship or dirigible operations governed by the U.S. Army Signal Corps Aeronautical Division. The legislation provided United States President Woodrow Wilson emergency authority for the maintenance, manufacture, operation, purchase, and repair of airships and associated aerial machines.

Contents

Sections of the Act

In an attempt to meet the progressive necessities of World War I, House bill 5326 was penned as ten sections by the United States 65th Congressional session.

Sec. 1 – Temporary Increase of Army Signal Corps and Aviation Sections
Sec. 2 – Additional Commissioned Personnel Authorized
Qualifications
Appointments by U.S. President
Appointments by U.S. President and Senate
Sec. 3 – Additional Enlisted Men by Enlistment or Draft
Age limit for men drafted
Chauffeur grades created
Chauffeur pay and rank
Sec. 4 – Organization of Tactical Units
Headquarters and detachment units
Sec. 5 – General Officers Appointed for Staff and Other Duties
Temporary appointments for created vacancies
Sec. 6 – Rating of Aviators and Aeronauts
Certificates of qualifications
Examinations
Ratings for service requirements
Exceptions in war time
Aeronauts rank increase
Flight duty financial compensation
Sec. 7 – Ratings of Enlisted Mechanicians
Balloon mechanicians compensation
Sec. 8 – U.S. Army Comprehensive Compensation
U.S. Army troop strength levels
Sec. 9 – Emergency Authority for Airships and Aerial Machines
Buildings and motor vehicles
Aviation stations
Sites and buildings
Use of public lands
Improvements of sites
Buildings and structures
Water, lights, and plumbing
Roads and wharves
Subsistence equipments
Fuel supplies
Construction machinery and tools
Special clothing
Domestic and abroad travel expenses
Vocational training
Compensation for reserve officers and enlisted personnel called into service
Pay accounts
Development of airplanes and engines
Manufacturing plants maintenance
Schools for aviation technical instructions
New equipment exchanges
Foreign instructors travel compensation within the United States
Sec. 10 – Appropriation

Associated United States Federal Statutes

United States legislation for the governance, service, and training of airships designed and developed for military operations.

U.S. Statutes for Aviation Standards
Date of EnactmentPublic Law No.U.S. Statute CitationU.S. BillU.S. Presidential Administration
July 18, 1914P.L. 63-14338  Stat.   514 H.R. 5304Woodrow Wilson
June 24, 1926P.L. 69-42244  Stat.   764 H.R. 9690Calvin Coolidge
February 23, 1927P.L. 69-62944  Stat.   1105 S. 5622Calvin Coolidge
May 11, 1928P.L. 70-36645  Stat.   498 H.R. 5465Calvin Coolidge
February 16, 1929Pub. Res. 70-8745  Stat.   1222 H.J.Res. 153Calvin Coolidge
March 2, 1929P.L. 70-99445  Stat.   1530 H.R. 16539Calvin Coolidge

See also

1917 in aviation Gordon Bennett Cup
1930 Graf Zeppelin stamps Helium Act of 1925
Aero Club of America History of aviation
Airship hangar List of aerospace museums
Aviation Service Act National Defense Act of 1916
Balloon buster Observation balloon
Balloon Pilot Badge Observer Badge
Dirigible Pilot Badge Strategic bombing during World War I
German bombing of Britain, 1914–1918 Timeline of US Navy airship units (pre-WWII)

Historic Airship Hangars in United States

Goodyear Airdock Marine Corps Air Station Tustin
Hangar One (Mountain View, California) Naval Air Station Tillamook
Henry Post Army Airfield Scott Field Historic District
Lakehurst Hangar No. 1 Weeksville Dirigible Hangar

Lighter-Than-Air Aircraft of United States

Aerostat R38-class airship
Alclad U.S. Army airships
E-class blimp U.S. Navy airships
Metal-clad airship ZMC-2

Historical Bibliography

Historical Video Archives

Early 20th Century Global Flight by Airship
"Another Columbus Sails West" [Graf Zeppelin Trans-Atlantic Flight 27742]. Internet Archive. William J. Ganz Company. October 1928.
"1929 Graf Zeppelin Dirigibile Flight Around the World William Randolph Hearst XD10334". Periscope Film. William H. Ganz Company. August 1929.
Around the World by Zeppelin (1929) on YouTube
Graf Zeppelin Returns to New York After World Tour (1929) on YouTube
First All Metal Airship (1929) on YouTube
Early Balloons: History Of Flight (1972) on YouTube
"Dirigible Hindenburg Visits NAS Lakehurst, New Jersey, Circa 1932". Internet Archive. United States Navy. 1932.
"Lighter-Than-Air History Rigid Airship". Periscope Film. United States Department of War. 1937.
"L.T.A. History: Balloons" [U.S. Navy Training Film #MN2722A]. Internet Archive. U.S. Department of Defense. 1944.
"Montgolfier Brothers & Hot Air Balloon". Internet Archive. INTER/AKTION GmbH. 2015.

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