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42-486: The SF-2, designed in response to a competition called by the United States Bureau of Air Commerce seeking design and construction proposals for an airplane affordable to the masses, was designed and built by Ole Fahlin and his partner Swen Swanson using the engine of a 1935 Plymouth automobile and featuring design accents, both interior and exterior, borrowed from the same car. The Plymocoupe , classified as

84-550: A "flying automobile", utilised the engine, dashboard, indicators and hood ornament of the 1935 Plymouth car. Based on the Swanson-Fahlin SF-1 , Fahlin used a regular six-cylinder in-line Chrysler car engine, adapted to aircraft use, to power the airplane, supported by rubber suspension. The SF-2 was flight tested by the Bureau of Commerce, but failed to meet the specifications of the contest contract. The stock Chrysler engine

126-749: A model for commercial air operations. With initial help from the U.S. Army , the Post Office in 1918 initiated an intercity airmail route. The subsequent achievements of the Air Mail Service included the establishment of a transcontinental route and the development of airway lighting. In 1925, the Airmail Act of 1925 authorized the Post Office to contract with private airlines to transport mail. The Airmail Act created American commercial aviation and several of today's airlines were formed to carry airmail in

168-850: A new independent body, the Federal Aviation Agency . The act transferred safety rulemaking from CAB to the new FAA (the CAB continued), and also made the FAA responsible for a common civil-military system of air navigation and air traffic control . The FAA's first administrator, Elwood R. Quesada , was a former U.S. Air Force Lt. General who commanded the early tactical air forces of the Ninth Air Force in Europe in World War II, and served as an advisor to President Dwight D. Eisenhower . The same year witnessed

210-531: A plan for a single world airline. After World War II began in Europe, the CAA launched the Civilian Pilot Training Program to provide new pilots. On the eve of America's entry into the conflict, the agency began to take over operation of airport control towers , a role that eventually became permanent. During the war, the CAA also greatly enlarged its en route air traffic control system. In 1944,

252-550: The ATC (Approved Type Certificate) which would allow it to be used in aircraft flight applications. The regulations required a government-run 50-hour test on the Chrysler engine and an additional 100-hour test undertaken by the manufacturer itself. Chrysler was willing at the time to participate in the process because it forecast increased demand for aviation-related applications of its automobile engines. The engine passed all necessary tests. At

294-479: The Aircraft Year Book , barnstormers caused 66% of fatal accidents during 1924. Opponents of this view included those who distrusted government interference or wished to leave any such regulation to state authorities. Barnstorming accidents that led to such regulations during this period are accurately depicted in the 1975 film The Great Waldo Pepper . At the urging of the aviation industry, that believed

336-671: The Aviation and Transportation Security Act , enacted that November, that established a new DOT organization: the Transportation Security Administration . It received broad powers to protect air travel and other transportation modes against criminal activity. [REDACTED]  This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Federal Aviation Administration . Porterfield 35 The Porterfield Model 35 Flyabout

378-526: The National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), an organization dedicated to the science of flight. Upon entering World War I in 1917, the United States government mobilized the nation's economy, with results that included an expansion of the small aviation manufacturing industry. Before the end of the conflict, Congress voted funds for an innovative postal program that would serve as

420-464: The Palmyra Atoll , where beginning in 1948, nearly 100 men, women, and children were sent to live and work. They occupied the facilities of what had been a Navy refueling base during World War II , manning its radio station and maintaining the 6,000-foot runway. Strangely, this community was dispersed in 1949, and while the exact reasons why are unclear, it was likely because the benefits of operating

462-642: The Watres Act . The Act created an Aeronautic Branch assigned to the United States Department of Commerce , and vested that entity with regulatory powers to ensure a degree of civil air safety. Among these powers were: testing and licensing pilots, issuing certificates to guarantee the airworthiness of aircraft, making and enforcing safety rules, certificating aircraft, establishing airways, operating and maintaining aids to air navigation, and investigating accidents and incidents in aviation. The first head of

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504-483: The federal government launched the Transportation Security Administration with broad powers to protect air travel and other transportation modes against criminal activity. European enthusiasm for air power was sparked by an arms race and then by the outbreak of World War I in 1914. During the following year, the United States Congress took a step toward revitalizing American aviation by establishing

546-512: The Branch was William P. MacCracken, Jr. High visibility accidents such as the 1931 Transcontinental & Western Air Fokker F-10 crash and the 1935 crash of TWA Flight 6 continued to make headlines. In fulfilling its civil aviation responsibilities, the Department of Commerce initially concentrated on functions such as safety rulemaking and the certification of pilots and aircraft. It took over

588-620: The Bureau itself took over the centers and began to expand the ATC system. Pioneer air traffic controllers resorted to using maps, blackboards, and calculations to perform their new roles, making sure aircraft traveling along designated routes did not collide. The Department of Commerce created an Aeronautics Branch in 1926. The first head of this organization was William P. MacCracken, Jr. (first recipient of its pilot certification license), whose approach to regulation included consultation and cooperation with industry. A major challenge facing MacCracken

630-482: The Bureau of Air Commerce. Eugene Vidal , nephew of Senator Thomas Gore became its first director. Vidal resigned on February 28, 1937, and was replaced by Fred D. Fagg, Jr. Fagg reorganized the bureau, but retired in April 1938, being replaced by Hindenburg crash investigator Denis Mulligan. The year 1934 also saw a crisis over airmail contracts that former Postmaster General W.F. Brown had used to strengthen

672-572: The CAB functioned independently. When a Douglas DC-3A crashed shortly after departing Washington, DC, on August 31, 1940, the CAB had their first major investigation, that of the Lovettsville air disaster , setting the pattern for subsequent accident investigations. In 1942, President Roosevelt appointed L. Welch Pogue as Chairman of the Civil Aeronautics Board. Pogue served as Chairman until 1946. During his tenure he helped strike down

714-551: The Civil Aeronautics Authority into two agencies, the Civil Aeronautics Administration and a five-member Civil Aeronautics Board . The CAA was responsible for air traffic control, safety programs, and airway development. The CAB was entrusted with safety rulemaking, accident investigation, and economic regulation of the airlines. Although both organizations were housed in the Department of Commerce,

756-590: The United States hosted a conference in Chicago that led to the establishment of the International Civil Aviation Organization and set the framework for future aviation diplomacy. In 1946, Congress gave the CAA the task of administering a federal-aid airport program aimed exclusively at promoting development of the United States' civil airports. This included the establishment of semi-permanent colonies in remote, U.S.-owned territories, such as

798-497: The airline route structure. In the Air Mail scandal , Senate investigators charged that Brown's methods had been illegal, and President Roosevelt canceled the contracts. In 1935 the BAC encouraged a group of airlines to establish the first three centers (Newark, New Jersey; Cleveland, Ohio; and Chicago, Illinois) for providing air traffic control along the airways, the following year taking over

840-509: The airplane could not reach its full commercial potential without federal action to improve and maintain safety standards, President Calvin Coolidge appointed a board to investigate the issue. The board's report favored federal safety regulation. To that end, the Air Commerce Act became law on May 20, 1926. The act was sponsored by Rep. Laurence H. Watres , and subsequently referred to as

882-710: The building and operation of the nation's system of lighted airways, a task begun by the Post Office Department. The Department of Commerce improved aeronautical radio communications, and introduced radio beacons as an effective aid to air navigation. In 1934, the Aeronautics Branch was renamed the Bureau of Air Commerce . As commercial aviation grew, the Bureau encouraged airlines to establish three centers (Newark, New Jersey; Cleveland, Ohio; and Chicago, Illinois) to provide air traffic control in airways. In 1936,

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924-508: The centers itself and expanding the traffic control system. 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. In 1940, President Franklin D. Roosevelt split

966-460: The effect of decreasing the weight of the engine while increasing the compression ratio from 6.7:1 to 7:1. The reduction gearbox was mounted on the engine housing directly connected to the crankshaft, lubricated by the engine oil system. The propeller was driven via the gearbox using a 2:1 gear-reduction ratio , which enabled the engine to operate at full power driving the propeller at its optimum speed of 1800 rpm. The propeller shaft passed through

1008-466: The facilities did not outweigh the cost of providing for the colony members. Several mid-air collisions occurred during the latter half of the 20th century, such as the 1956 Grand Canyon mid-air collision , the first time more than 100 people were killed. Jet travel was nascent at this time, prompting the passage of the Federal Aviation Act of 1958 . The legislation gave the CAA's functions to

1050-400: The first wind tunnels years earlier, the organization's work with the latter produced a new type of engine cowling with much less drag than former designs. Under President Franklin D. Roosevelt , the Aeronautics Branch cooperated with public works agencies on projects that represented an early form of federal aid to airports . The Branch was restructured and in 1934 received a new name,

1092-571: The growing importance of commercial flying. It was subsequently divided into two authorities: the Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA), concerned with air traffic control , and the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB), concerned with safety regulations and accident investigation. Under the Federal Aviation Act of 1958 , the CAA's powers were transferred to a new independent body, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). In

1134-418: The hangar. Data from General characteristics Performance Bureau of Air Commerce The Air Commerce Act of 1926 created an Aeronautic Branch of the United States Department of Commerce . Its functions included testing and licensing of pilots, certification of aircraft and investigation of accidents. In 1934, the Aeronautics Branch was renamed the Bureau of Air Commerce , to reflect

1176-423: The late 1920s (including Trans World Airlines , Northwest Airlines , and United Airlines ). Aviation in the United States was not regulated during the early 20th century. A succession of accidents during the pre-war exhibition era (1910–16) and barnstorming decade of the 1920s gave way to early forms of federal regulation intended to instill public confidence in the safety of air transportation. As claimed by

1218-474: The midwest of the United States it took the airplane two and a half hours to cover a distance of 250 mi (400 km; 220 nmi). The engine used standard gasoline and its fuel consumption was 25 mpg ‑US (9.4 L/100 km; 30 mpg ‑imp ), while its oil consumption for the trip was approximately a quart . Its performance was superior to the similarly powered Porterfield 35 , in all aspects except during takeoff. The aircraft

1260-429: The ones found in the original 1935 Plymouth car. Other features included mohair interior, adjustable windows and a cowling ornament in the form of a ship, similar to the hood ornament of the car. Flying magazine praised Fahlin's engine conversion to aircraft use as "one of the smoothest jobs of adapting an automobile motor to aircraft use". The SF-2 engine was required to pass two series of tests before being granted

1302-409: The radiator, which was mounted in front of the engine. Most engine parts remained stock and could be obtained at any of the approximately 8,000 Chrysler , De Soto or Dodge dealers in the United States, while any engine repairs and maintenance could be performed by any Chrysler-trained mechanic. Among design accents reminiscent of automotive design, the aircraft cowling featured portholes similar to

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1344-527: The same time the Bureau of Air Commerce asked Fahlin Aircraft Company in Marshall, MO to manufacture an airplane which would be used to test the certified engine in flight. An innovative feature of the wing arrangement was that the flaps could also be used as ailerons in a configuration akin to a flaperon . The flap area was one third of the total wing area and the flaps extended along the entire length of

1386-573: The same year, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) was created after the Soviet Union ’s launch of the first artificial satellite . The accident investigation powers of the CAB were transferred to the new National Transportation Safety Board in 1967, at the same time that the United States Department of Transportation was created. In response to the September 11 attacks ,

1428-595: The time, the Anchorage Daily Times had written that the flight would set a record for "the longest flight ever made with an automobile engine." The aircraft had the name Se As Ka at the pilot door followed by the description "The Flying Automobile", while the side of the fuselage was inscribed by the message "Seattle-Alaska Last Airmail Frontier Trail Blazed by The Seattle Washingtonians". However while flying over Juneau in fog, on 28 September 1936, Owen thought that he had oil-pressure problems and crash-landed near

1470-446: The transformation of NACA into the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in the wake of the Soviet Union 's launch of the first artificial satellite , Sputnik . NASA assumed NACA's role of aeronautical research. The accident investigation powers of the Civil Aeronautics Board were transferred to the new National Transportation Safety Board in 1967, at the same time that the United States Department of Transportation

1512-537: The unlit Juneau airport at night. In September 1936, following the crash-landing, Owen sent a telegram to his sponsors writing: "Sea-Aska on her asska in Alaska." The landing gear of the airplane failed and there was damage to the cowling and the propeller. The aircraft remained un-repaired in Shell Simmons' hangar at Juneau airport until 1938 when it burned during a hangar fire, started accidentally by technicians working in

1554-466: The wing. A lever controlled the flap action and through a different configuration it could change to aileron control mode. The landing gear provided knee-action struts for absorbing the shock during landing. During flight tests the Plymocoupe achieved a maximum speed of 120 mph (190 km/h; 100 kn) and cruising speed of 100 mph (160 km/h; 87 kn). On a trip between two cities in

1596-595: Was an American two-seat cabin monoplane built by the Porterfield Aircraft Corporation of Kansas City . The aircraft was designed by Noel Hockaday and was built by students at the Wyandotte High School as the Wyandotte Pup . Porterfield Aircraft recognised the potential of the aircraft design and bought the design rights and also the services of Hockaday as works manager and designer. The Pup

1638-533: Was created. The CAB's remaining authority was economic regulation of commercial air transportation. The Airline Deregulation Act of 1978 phased out these controls, resulting in the elimination of the CAB at the end of 1984, with most residual powers transferred to the DOT. The September 11, 2001 attacks challenged the air transportation system by presenting a new type of terrorist attack: hijacked airliners used for terrorist attacks. The government's response included

1680-405: Was modified for aeronautics use by removing the flywheel and cooling fan. The automotive electrical ignition system was replaced by an air plane magneto and a new lighter exhaust system was installed. The standard carburetor was replaced by the updraught type where the air entered from below and exited at the top of the unit. The cylinder heads were replaced by new ones made from aluminium which had

1722-497: Was tested and certified as airworthy and Fahlin was commissioned by Chrysler to bring it to Detroit for additional tests. However the failure of the SF-2 to win the competition and the death of Fahlin's partner Swanson, from pneumonia, led to the sale of the aircraft to Russel Owen, who was planning a non-stop flight from Anchorage to Seattle . The aircraft was subsequently renamed Sea-Aska and modified by increasing its fuel capacity. At

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1764-523: Was to enlarge and improve the nation's air navigation system. The Aeronautics Branch took over the Post Office's task of building airway light beacons, and in 1928 introduced a new navigation beacon system known as the low frequency radio range , or the "Four Course Radio Range". The branch also built additional airway communications stations to encourage broader use of aeronautical radio and combat adverse weather . NACA began its own aeronautics research undertaking in 1920. In 1928, having created one of

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