Federal Aviation Act of 1958

E21614

The Federal Aviation Act of 1958 is a landmark U.S. law that overhauled federal regulation of civil aviation and created a centralized authority to ensure the safety and management of the national airspace system.


Statements (48)
Predicate Object
instanceOf United States federal statute
aviation law
codifiedIn Title 49 of the United States Code (historically Title 49 Appendix)
country United States
createdAgency Federal Aviation Agency
createdPredecessorOf Federal Aviation Administration
definedTerm air commerce
navigable airspace
empoweredAgencyTo allocate and manage use of navigable airspace
issue and amend aircraft airworthiness certificates
issue and amend airman certificates
prescribe air traffic rules
regulate airport certification for safety
enactedBy 85th United States Congress
establishedAuthorityOver air navigation facilities
air traffic control system
certification of aircraft
certification of airmen
regulation of air carriers for safety
historicalContext increased mid-air collisions in the 1950s
post–World War II growth of commercial aviation
jurisdiction United States federal government
laterAmendedBy Airport and Airway Development Act of 1970
Federal Aviation Reauthorization Acts
legacy established centralized control of the national airspace system
foundation of modern U.S. federal aviation safety regulation
longTitle An Act to provide for the safe and efficient use of the airspace by both civil and military operations and to create a Federal Aviation Agency
partiallySupersededBy Department of Transportation Act of 1966
providedFor development and operation of air navigation facilities
enforcement powers for aviation safety violations
investigation of aircraft accidents for safety purposes
rulemaking authority for aviation safety standards
publicLawNumber Public Law 85-726
purpose to centralize federal authority over civil aviation
to ensure safety in air commerce
to provide for efficient use of navigable airspace
reorganized federal civil aviation functions
replaced Civil Aeronautics Act of 1938 in major respects
resultedIn creation of the Federal Aviation Administration within the Department of Transportation in 1967
shortTitle Federal Aviation Act of 1958
signedBy Dwight D. Eisenhower
signingDate 1958-08-23
subject air traffic control
aviation safety
civil aviation regulation
national airspace system
transferredFunctionFrom Civil Aeronautics Administration
Civil Aeronautics Board


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