40 YEARS OF AERONAUTICAL RESEARCH — ^HUNSAKER 255 



Senate-House conferees, and the Air Commerce Act became law on 

 May 20, 1926. 



"This act provides the legishitive cornerstone for the development 

 of commercial aviation in America," the Committee said. It "gives 

 an important measure of stability to commercial aviation as a business 

 proposition and in its direct effects will go far toward encouraging the 

 development of civil and commercial aviation." 



AERONAUTICAL RESEARCH 



The Air Commerce Act made the Secretary of Commerce responsi- 

 ble for the regulation of civil aviation, and for its encouragement. At 

 the same time, this action freed the NACA from an "advisoi-y" burden 

 it had carried during its first 10 years. From now on, the Commit- 

 tee could concentrate upon its chief responsibility — the conduct of 

 aeronautical research. 



During the first 10 years of the Committee's existence, demands upon 

 the time of NACA members were very heavy. From 1915 to 1919 the 

 Committee had three chairmen: General Scriven, 1915; Dr. Durand, 

 1916-1918, and Dr. John R. Freeman, 1919. Dr. Freeman was sent on 

 a mission to China and was succeeded as chairman in 1919 by Dr. 

 Walcott, who had served as chairman of the executive committee since 

 its formation in 1915. 



Dr. Walcott was succeeded as chairman of the executive commit- 

 tee by Dr. Ames, who effectively supported Dr. Walcott until the lat- 

 ter's death in 1927. At that time Dr. Ames became chairman to serve 

 until his retirement in 1939. The fact that he was located in Balti- 

 more, where he headed the physics department of Johns Hopkins 

 University until he became president of the University in 1929, proved 

 no handicap. Dr. Ames was in Washington as often and as long as 

 Committee business required. 



With the development of laboratory facilities at Langley, the NACA 

 began building a competent engineering staff'. The Langley Labora- 

 tory attracted young men with good training, who could grow to do 

 work of increasing importance. The independence of the NACA was 

 one of the attractions, as was also the opportunity for the young engi- 

 neer to sign the published report of his own research. So was the 

 availability of superior research and test equipment. 



In 1919 the Committee invited Dr. George W. Lewis, professor of 

 mechanical engineering at Swarthmore College, to become its execu- 

 tive officer. In this capacity, he was called upon to guide the research 

 programs and to plan and build the research tools needed. In 1924 Dr. 

 Lewis' title was changed to one that more closely described his re- 

 sponsibilities, director of aeronautical research. From then until 1945, 

 when his health failed under the tremendous burdens he insisted upon 



