This Day in FAA History: November 9th

Full FAA Chronology at this link.
19671109: FAA lowered the floor of area positive control over the northeastern and northcentral United States–perhaps the most heavily traveled airspace of its size in the world–from 24,000 to 18,000 feet. The area was bounded roughly by a line running from Presque Isle, Maine, south to Danville, Va., west to Salina, Kan., north to Minneapolis, Minn., and east again to Presque Isle. This action followed FAA’s determination that it could no longer assure the safe separation of aircraft in this area without extending positive control. (See March 4, 1965, and October 14, 1971.)
19771109: President Carter signed legislation virtually ending economic regulation of air cargo operations. The President stated his hope that this was the first of many such steps to reduce regulation. (See June 10, 1977, and October 24, 1978.)
19871109: FAA issued a major revision of its airport certification regulations for airports served by air carriers with aircraft having a seating capacity of more than 30 passengers. The new regulations, designed to improve safety standards, included: strengthening fuel handling and storage requirements; making airport tenants responsible for quality control of aircraft fueling operations; requiring that firefighting and rescue vehicles be equipped with two-way radios; mandating that at least one firefighting employee trained in emergency medical care be on duty during air carrier operations; and increasing restrictions on access of ground vehicle traffic to operational areas.
19961109: David R. Hinson resigned as FAA Administrator, effective this date. With Hinson’s departure, Deputy Administrator Daschle became Acting Administrator, a post that she held until resigning from the agency, effective January 31, 1997.
19991109: FAA announced that it had signed a memorandum of understanding with NASA concerning the future of space transportation research activities, especially the development of reusable launch vehicle technology. (See June 21, 1999; October 19, 2000.)
20181109: In the aftermath of an incapacitated controller found in the Las Vegas airport tower on November 7, the FAA issued a new controller staffing policy. The agency said major airport towers no longer would be able to combine controller responsibilities to one position prior to midnight and 90 minutes after the start of the shift, allowing another controller to go on break.
20231109: The Sampson Sky Switchblade flying car made its first flight at the Grant County International Airport in Washington.