Civil Aeronautics Authority--Civilian Pilot Training Program

File — Box: 65

Identifier: IV

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

From the Series: In an article published in August 1940, Hinckley, then assistant secretary of commerce, discussed the relationship between civil aviation and the federal government as it existed before the Civil Aeronautics Act of 1938. There was no coordination between the federal services and the civil aviation industry. For instance, Hinckley states: "The Post Office Department let mail contracts; the Interstate Commerce Commission had power to fix mail rates; the Department of Agriculture provided weather reports; and the Department of Commerce inspected flyers and air craft, constructed airways, and had safety jurisdiction over airlines."

Under the Civil Aeronautics Act of 1938 these functions--airmail, weather, airways, etc.--were brought together under a single independent body of five men to judge and prescribe the rules for the whole field of civil aviation. The board was bipartisan and the terms of members were staggered to assure continuity of policy. Hinckley was one of the charter members of this board. During the two years the Civil Aeronautics Act of 1938 functioned as the central agency of control, many problems were solved but rapid growth of civil aviation and the need for extended policies resulted in executive action to bring about the reorganization of the Civil Aeronautics Authority.

Background materials dealing with this reorganization including graphs, charts, statistics, forms, letters, etc., and suggested organizational plans are found in this portion of the collection, as well as the minutes and work files of the Advisory Council of the Civil Aeronautics Authority.

The papers in this portion of the collection cover the story of the Civilian Pilot Training Program from the first agendum in 1938 to 1944. Contained therein are school programs for pilot training, lists of schools and institutions involved in the programs, materials from the Division of Research in aviation psychology and medicine, and other related items.

The Civilian Pilot Training Program was planned in 1938 and launched in 1939 with the passage by the Seventy-sixth Congress of the Civilian Pilot Training Act. It authorized the Civil Aeronautics Authority, within the limits of appropriations made by Congress, to train civilian pilots through programs using existing facilities at universities and colleges and nearby flying fields. Leaders in education and in the aviation industry were consulted and worked with the Civil Aeronautics Authority to set up the program. As a test for the feasibility of the program, $100,000 of National Youth Administration funds were allocated for the training of 330 students in 13 universities and colleges throughout the country. These 13 schools were chosen on the basis of pioneer work they had done in aeronautical engineering and actual flight training of students. The first school to begin flight training was Purdue University on a demonstration phase beginning February 16, 1939. Twelve other schools then joined this initial program as a test for the larger program which would eventually have 900 training facilities all over the United States and would train 20,000 pilots a year. Preparing fields and training facilities were part of the program.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt had recommended to Congress an appropriation for 1939-1940 if the initial program was a success. It was. The program was endorsed by the president as well as the military services because of the national defense value of the reservoir of trained pilots the Civil Aeronautics Authority was creating.

The program had been in operation only a year when the world crisis increased the urgency for greater strength in the air. Congress increased the pilot training appropriation in line with the president's request and a full-scale program for training pilots was on its way. At the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor, within less than three years of the initial program, the number of licensed civilian pilots had jumped from 25,000 to more than 100,000 and the number of planes had more than doubled from 12,000 to 25,000.

The record of air power during the war years is well known. Of the man who determinedly pursued his Civilian Pilot Training Program, the , July 3, 1942, had this to say: "Due to his foresight and promotion of the Civilian Pilot Training Program, the nation built up a reservoir of skilled pilots to fly American warplanes long before this country was plunged into war . . . ." This man was Robert H. Hinckley.

Dates

1891-1997

Conditions Governing Access

Twenty-four hour advanced notice encouraged. Materials must be used on-site. Access to parts of this collection may be restricted under provisions of state or federal law.