| Shorttitle: | Aviation Act of 1917 |
| Longtitle: | An 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 By: | 65th |
| Effective Date: | July 24, 1917 |
| Introducedin: | House |
| Introducedby: | S. Hubert Dent Jr. (D–AL) |
| Signedpresident: | Woodrow Wilson |
| Signeddate: | July 24, 1917 |
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.
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
United States legislation for the governance, service, and training of airships designed and developed for military operations.
| Date of Enactment | Public Law No. | U.S. Statute Citation | U.S. Bill | U.S. Presidential Administration | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 18, 1914 | P.L. 63-143 | Woodrow Wilson | |||
| June 24, 1926 | P.L. 69-422 | Calvin Coolidge | |||
| February 23, 1927 | P.L. 69-629 | Calvin Coolidge | |||
| May 11, 1928 | P.L. 70-366 | Calvin Coolidge | |||
| February 16, 1929 | Pub. Res. 70-87 | Calvin Coolidge | |||
| March 2, 1929 | P.L. 70-994 | Calvin Coolidge |
| Marine Corps Air Station Tustin | ||
| Naval Air Station Tillamook | ||
| Scott Field Historic District | ||
| Weeksville Dirigible Hangar |
| R38-class airship | ||
| U.S. Army airships | ||
| U.S. Navy airships | ||
| ZMC-2 |
| ☆ Web site: Another Columbus Sails West . Graf Zeppelin Trans-Atlantic Flight 27742 . October 1928 . Internet Archive . William J. Ganz Company. | |
| ☆ Web site: 1929 Graf Zeppelin Dirigibile Flight Around the World William Randolph Hearst XD10334 . August 1929 . Periscope Film . William H. Ganz Company. | |
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| ☆ Web site: Dirigible Hindenburg Visits NAS Lakehurst, New Jersey, Circa 1932 . 1932 . Internet Archive . United States Navy. | |
| ☆ Web site: Lighter-Than-Air History Rigid Airship . 1937 . Periscope Film . United States Department of War. | |
| ☆ Web site: L.T.A. History: Balloons . U.S. Navy Training Film #MN2722A . 1944 . Internet Archive . U.S. Department of Defense. | |
| ☆ Web site: Montgolfier Brothers & Hot Air Balloon . 2015 . Internet Archive . INTER/AKTION GmbH. |