ATC Chronology 1919-1939

Air Traffic Control
A Chronology of the most important events which affected the development of ATC

20 May, 1926	President Calvin Coolidge signs the Air Commerce Act which instructed the Commerce Secretary to foster air commerce; designate and establish airways; and to establish, operate, and maintain aids to air navigation.
11 August, 1926	William P. MacCracken appointed first Asst Secretary of Commerce for Aeronautics, and the first head of the Aeronautics Branch of the Department of Commerce.
31 December, 1926	The first Air Commerce Regulations issued by the Department of Commerce Aeronautics Branch are put into effect. These regulations include safety rules which apply to air traffic.
30 June, 1927	The Transcontinental Airway is transferred from the Post Office Department to the Department of Commerce Aeronautics Branch.
1 July, 1928	Teletype machines begin transmitting aviation weather information.
1928	Radiotelephone or voice communication with aircraft in flight becomes available in the U.S.
1929	The first seven radio-range beacons are constructed on the airways. These beacons emitted radio signals which could be intercepted by equipment mounted inside aircraft, and are a major step in developing air navigation.
24 September, 1929	Lt James Doolittle completes the first successful instrument landing using a system developed in 1928 by the Bureau of Standards for the Aeronautical Branch of the Department of Commerce.
5 September, 1931	The first instrument landing using a glide slope transmitted by radio is achieved at College Park Airport, Maryland.
9 May, 1932	Captain A.F. Hegenberger completes the first successful "blind" instrument only solo flight.
21 March, 1932	The first cross-country test of an all-instrument (blind) flight from College Park, Maryland to Newark, New Jersey.
8 May, 1935	Senator Bronson M Cutting (Rep. New Mexico) is killed in airplane crash near Atlanta, Georgia. The event prompted increased presuure to improve passenger safety in air travel.
12-14 November, 1935	Federal and Airline representaives meet to discuss and draft new air traffic control guidelines.
1 December, 1935	First airways traffic control center is established at Newark, New Jersey.
2 March, 1936	Federal government appointed an Airway Traffic Control Supervisor.
6 July, 1936	Federal government assumes control of airway traffic centers at Newark, Cleveland, and Chicago.
1 November, 1937	New Civil Air Regulations take effect. These regulations are a revision and codification of earlier Air Commerce Regulations.
1 January, 1938	New Air Traffic Control Section of federal government established.
23 June, 1938	President Frankling Roosevelt signs the Civil Aeronautics Act into law. This law creates the Civil Aeronautics Authority (CAA).
1938	New teletype network "schedule B" established. This network links airway traffic control centers with Army and Navy air bases as well as Department of Commerce airway communication stations.
1 May, 1939	$7 million airways modernization project completed. The project expanded the Federal Airways System to cover 25,500 miles and includes 231 radio-range stations.