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Full FAA Chronology at this link.
19341015: The National Airline System, later known as National Airlines, began operations as a Florida intrastate carrier. National’s transformation into a trunk airline began in 1944, when the Civil Aeronautics Board awarded it authority to serve the New York/Florida market.
19591015: FAA adopted an amendment to Civil Air Regulations Part 29 that clarified the physical and mental conditions disqualifying an airman from holding a medical certificate.

Full FAA Chronology at this link.
19471014: Maj. Charles E. Yeager, USAF, piloting the Bell X-l rocket-propelled research aircraft at Muroc, Calif., became the first pilot to exceed the speed of sound in level flight.
19681014: A new Part 123 of the Federal Aviation Regulations went into effect, upgrading safety requirements for air travel clubs using large aircraft (over 12,500 pounds). This new part was intended to raise the clubs’ maintenance and operating standards to the safety level of airlines and commercial operators certificated under Part 121 (see December 31, 1964), but without imposing onerous or inappropriate requirements. The affected clubs were required to cease operations after December 1 unless they applied for a certificate under the new Part 123.

Full FAA Chronology at this link.
19551013: The aviation industry learned that Pan American World Airways had placed the first order for jet airliners to be produced in the United States, ordering both the Boeing 707 and Douglas DC-8. (See October 20, 1952.)
19611013: FAA commissioned a CONSOLAN long-range navigation aid for service at Miami, Fla. The new station reduced the gap in radio navigation facilities covering the North and South Atlantic, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean, in addition to strengthening coverage of the U.S. east coast.
20011013: Joint teams comprised of officials from FAA and Department of Transportation Inspector General began auditing background checks of Argenbright Security, Inc., employees at 13 U.S. airports.

Full FAA Chronology at this link.
19621012: At the Administrator’s direction, the Office of the General Counsel assumed sole responsibility for drafting of FAA safety rules. This action ended a situation in which the Office of the General Counsel had shared rule drafting responsibility with other major FAA components.
19701012: FAA announced adoption of a three-bar version of the visual approach slope indicator (VASI) system. VASI had been adopted as the U.S. national standard in 1961 and became the international standard shortly thereafter. The bicolor (red-white) light box system was located alongside the runway at its touchdown or aiming point.

Full FAA Chronology at this link.
19471011: Trans-Texas Airways began operations as a local service carrier. The airline at first served routes within Texas, reached outside the state in 1953, and acquired routes to Mexico in 1966. It adopted the name Texas International Airlines following a change of ownership in 1968.
19471011: Representatives of 42 nations signed a convention in Washington, D.C., establishing the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), which superseded the International Meteorological Organization. A focal point for international efforts toward such goals as common technical standards and a worldwide meteorological network, WMO became a specialized agency of the United Nations in December 1951.

Full FAA Chronology at this link.
19291010: The Aeronautics Branch inaugurated position-reporting service for planes flying the Federal airways.
19511010: The President approved the Mutual Security Act of 1951 to maintain security and promote foreign policy by furnishing military, economic, and technical assistance to friendly nations in the interest of international peace and security. The plan included a number of aviation assistance programs.

Full FAA Chronology at this link.
19401009: In the first appropriation made directly to CAA for airport development, Congress appropriated $40 million for the construction, improvement, and repair of up to 250 public airports determined to be necessary for national defense. Under this Development of Landing Areas for National Defense (DLAND) program, the Administrator of Civil Aeronautics had responsibility for qualifying airports with the approval of a board composed of the Secretaries of War, Navy, and Commerce.
19601009: FAA commissioned the Oakland air traffic control center’s new building, followed by the Atlanta center’s new building on October 15.

Full FAA Chronology at this link.
19461008: CAA announced the opening of 44 new district offices for the administration of the Federal-aid airport program (FAAP). Of these, 43 were located within the United States and one in Puerto Rico. CAA also established Airport branches in its regional offices at Honolulu and Anchorage. (See May 13, 1946 and January 9, 1947.)
19471008: New air traffic rules resulting from a revision of Part 60 of the Civil Air Regulations went into effect. Besides substantially altering visual flight rules, the new regulations made some changes in instrument flight rules operations. One section of the regulation set up rules for water operation of aircraft and others applied specifically to helicopter flight rules.

Full FAA Chronology at this link.
19591007: Speaking on the theme “Project Friendship,” FAA Administrator Quesada announced that FAA was preparing to assume the operation of about 2,095 military air traffic control facilities at 337 global locations. Under the “Friendship” plan, four types of military functions would be scheduled for transfer: air navigation and air traffic control services; military flight service; air traffic controller training; and facilities flight inspection. FAA and DOD would coordinate time phasing for absorbing military facilities, and implementation of certain parts of the project depended on further understandings with DOD and agreements with foreign countries. (See May 1959, and December 15, 1960.)
19631007: The Learjet 23 made its initial flight. FAA certificated the twin-engine executive aircraft in July of the following year, and the company made its first delivery in October.

Full FAA Chronology at this link.
19561006: Upgrading its fleet of flight inspection aircraft, CAA announced that it would obtain five Convair 440s, with delivery in December 1957 and January 1958. To calibrate and evaluate the performance of airway navigation aids, the agency had previously used DC-3s and Beech 18s, which had an operating ceiling of only 12,000 feet. The pressurized Convairs (later re-engined to the Convair 580 configuration) permitted testing in altitudes up to 20,000 feet. For higher altitudes up to 50,000 feet, the agency had already borrowed two Martin B-57s from the Air Force, and began operations with these in 1957. During 1956-57, CAA also obtained 40 more surplus DC-3s, most of which were eventually modified for flight inspection duty Other changes to the flight inspection fleet in this era included the acquisition in 1958 of the first two of five Lockheed L-749 Constellations, which were used primarily in the Pacific area. (See Calendar Year 1940 and January 1962.)
19641006: FAA established the National Airspace System Special Projects Office (NASSPO) to provide the management leadership and coordination necessary for the effective and timely implementation of the semiautomated air traffic control subsystem of the National Airspace System. (See September 26, 1964, and April 25, 1966.)