16

UNITED STATES NAVAL AVIATION 1910-1995

1914-Continued

23 November The title "Director of Naval

Aeronautics" was established to designate the officer

in charge of Naval Aviation. Captain Mark 1. Bristol,

already serving in that capacity, was ordered to report

to the Secretary of the Navy under the new title.

25 November To measure and record velocity and

direction of winds, gusts, and squalls at the ends of

the speed course at Pensacola, Fla., Director of Naval

Aeronautics Captain Mark 1. Bristol established

requirements for special meteorological equipment to

be installed there.

1915

1 February The Division of Naval Militia Affairs in the

Bureau of Navigation directed that an aeronautic corps

could be organized in each of the state Naval Militia.

3 March A rider to the Naval Appropriations Act cre-

ated the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics.

Navy members in the original organization were

Captain Mark 1. Bristol and Lieutenant Holden C.

Richardson, CC, USN.

3 March The Naval Appropriations Act of 1916

added enlisted men and student aviators to those eligi-

ble for increased pay and allowances while on duty

involving flying; increased the amount previously pro-

vided for qualified aviators; and provided for the pay-

ment of one year's pay to the next of kin of officers

and men killed in aircraft accidents. The same act also

raised the limits on personnel assigned to aviation to a

yearly average of not more than 48 officers and 96

men of the Navy and 12 officers and 24 men of the

Marine Corps.

22 March The title "Naval Aviator" replaced the for-

mer "Navy Air Pilot" designation for naval officers

qualified as aviators.

16 April The AB-2 flying boat was successfully cata-

pulted from a barge by Lieutenant Patrick N. 1.

Bellinger at Pensacola, Fla. The catapult used had

been designed in 1913 by Lieutenant Holden C.

Richardson, CC, USN, and fabricated at the

Washington Navy Yard. The success of this and subse-

quent launchings led to installation of the catapult

aboard ship.

23 April Lieutenant Patrick N. 1. Bellinger, in the

Burgess-Dunne AH-1O, established an American alti-

tude record for seaplanes by ascending to 10,000 feet

over Pensacola, Fla.

8 May Lieutenant Ug) Melvin 1. Stolz, student avia-

tor, was killed in a crash of the AH-9 hydroaeroplane

at Pensacola, Fla.

...

First catapult launch from ship, Mustin in AB-2 439969