D
Dan McNeill
Guest
Hey All,
Since the subject has been discussed on other threads, I thought I'd provide a little historical perspective that may be of interest. The original regulations covering aircraft airworthiness began in 1926 under the purview of the Department of Commerce. From 1926 to 1938 when the Civil Aeronautics Authority was formed, airworthiness regulations consisted of "Aeronautical Bulletins". Aeronautics Bulletin 7a layed out all the specifications for aircraft airworthiness including what instruments were required. Here's the list for VFR daytime flight:
Aeronautics Bulletin 7a
Sec. 72. Equipment and Instruments
(B) Instruments
(1) Tachometer for each engine.
(2) Oil-pressure gauge where oil-pressure systems are employed.
(3) Water thermometer for water-cooled engines and oil thermometer for air-cooled engines.
(4) Altimeter.
(5) A manifold-pressure gauge or equivalent for each altitude engine.
(C) Compass requirements.— Any airplane flying across country 100 or more miles or operating over large bodies of water beyond the sight of land, shall be equipped with a compass.
The early Cubs, the E-2 and J-2 models, were approved under this bulletin. As shocking as it may seem today, an airspeed indicator was not a required instrument under the regulations of the day. Nor was a compass if you didn't fly more than 100 miles. The only flight instrument in the E-2/J-2 Cubs was the altimeter. Almost every E-2 and J-2 Cub was delivered from the factory without an airspeed indicator. And the J-2 Cub was used primarily as a trainer hauling student and instructor around the patch day in and day out.
Forty horse power and no airspeed indicator. They just didn't know any better.
Dan
1936 Taylor J-2 Cub
Since the subject has been discussed on other threads, I thought I'd provide a little historical perspective that may be of interest. The original regulations covering aircraft airworthiness began in 1926 under the purview of the Department of Commerce. From 1926 to 1938 when the Civil Aeronautics Authority was formed, airworthiness regulations consisted of "Aeronautical Bulletins". Aeronautics Bulletin 7a layed out all the specifications for aircraft airworthiness including what instruments were required. Here's the list for VFR daytime flight:
Aeronautics Bulletin 7a
Sec. 72. Equipment and Instruments
(B) Instruments
(1) Tachometer for each engine.
(2) Oil-pressure gauge where oil-pressure systems are employed.
(3) Water thermometer for water-cooled engines and oil thermometer for air-cooled engines.
(4) Altimeter.
(5) A manifold-pressure gauge or equivalent for each altitude engine.
(C) Compass requirements.— Any airplane flying across country 100 or more miles or operating over large bodies of water beyond the sight of land, shall be equipped with a compass.
The early Cubs, the E-2 and J-2 models, were approved under this bulletin. As shocking as it may seem today, an airspeed indicator was not a required instrument under the regulations of the day. Nor was a compass if you didn't fly more than 100 miles. The only flight instrument in the E-2/J-2 Cubs was the altimeter. Almost every E-2 and J-2 Cub was delivered from the factory without an airspeed indicator. And the J-2 Cub was used primarily as a trainer hauling student and instructor around the patch day in and day out.
Forty horse power and no airspeed indicator. They just didn't know any better.
Dan
1936 Taylor J-2 Cub
