1935-Contin ued

cal examinations and work on hygienic and physiolog-

ical aspects of research and development projects.

This was the first assignment of a Flight Surgeon to the

Naval Aircraft Factory other than as part of a specific

project.

14 January Squadrons assigned to Ranger made the

first of a series of cross-country flights from Norfolk,

Va., to Hartford, Conn., and Buffalo, NY, to test the

functioning of carrier aircraft, special equipment, and

flight clothing under the exacting conditions to be

encountered in cold weather. When the tests were com-

pleted on 2 February, the lessons learned were used in

preparing for tests aboard Ranger the next winter.

22 January The Federal Aviation Commission,

appointed by the president as provided in the Air Mail

Act of 12 June 1934, submitted its report which in

essence set forth a broad policy covering all phases of

aviation and the relation of the government thereto. A

major share of its recommendations referred to com-

mercial and civil aviation and in general stressed the

needs for a strong air transport, for expanding airport

facilities, for improving provisions for aviation in gov-

ernment organization, and for supporting the welfare

of the aviation industry, particularly through the estab-

lishment of more realistic procurement practices and

policy. For military aviation, the commission recom-

mended: continued study of air organization toward

more effective employment of aviation and closer

interservice relationships, expansion of experimental

and development work and its close coordination

through the NACA, expansion of the Reserve organiza-

tions and larger appropriations to support them, and a

modification of personnel policies to permit assign-

ment of officers with special engineering ability and

industrial experience to continuous duty related to

their specialty.

9 February The XN3N-I, prototype of the Yellow

Peril primary trainer, was ordered from the Naval

Aircraft Factory.

12 February After encountering a severe gust of

wind which caused a structural failure, the rigid air-

ship Macon (ZRS-5) crashed off Point Sur, Calif., with

two fatalities.

12 March The Navy issued a contract to Pitcairn

Autogiro Company to remove the fixed wings from

the XOP-l, thereby converting it to the XOP-2 which

thus became the Navy's first heavier-than-air aircraft

without fixed wings.

UNITED STATES NAVAL AVIATION 1910-1995

89

15 April Passage of the Aviation Cadet Act created

the grade of Aviation Cadet in the Naval and Marine

Corps Reserves. The act set up a new program for

pilot training in which otherwise qualified college

graduates between the ages of 18 and 28 would be

eligible for one year of flight instruction, benefits of

pay, uniform gratuities and insurance; and would,

after serving three additional years on active duty, be

commissioned as Ensigns or Second Lieutenants, be

paid a bonus of $1,500, and be returned to inactive

duty as members of the Reserves.

1 May A new pilot training syllabus was issued

requiring completion of about 300 hours of flight

instruction and 465 hours of ground school in a total

time of one year. The new course made no differentia-

tion between student Naval Aviators and Student

Aviation Pilots, but specified an additional 90 hours of

indoctrination courses for members of the Reserve.

5 June The designation of specially qualified offi-

cers for the performance of aeronautical engineering

duty only (AEDO) was authorized by an act of

Congress. The appointment of a board in September

to select the first officers for this AEDO designation

and the subsequent approval of its report by the

Secretary brought about the assignment of 11 officers

of the line and 33 from the Construction Corps to this

new specialist category.

20 July The first class of Aviation Cadets to report

for flight training convened at NAS Pensacola, Fla.

First of the group to become a Naval Aviator was

Elliott M. West who was designated on 12 June 1936

and assigned number 4,854.

XN3N, Yellow Peril, training plane built at NAF 1061654