Problems The 1920s was a step into the modern age with developments like refrigeration and penicillin that many took advantage of. However, the target of 1920s innovation was how we used aviation to excel transportation and communication within the country using a surplus military airplanes that no longer served a purpose. With this different approach for shipping goods came difficulties soon after takeoff, pilots struggling to keep up, find their way, or stay airborne. The beginnings of American airmail started with “experimental air routes” in the year 1911, in which a monoplane was set on a path from Long Island, N.Y. to deliver bags of mail over Mineola, N.Y. where they were dropped at the latter point for a temporary post office to receive.
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Barnstormers were “the most exciting daredevils of their day” (Onkst). This was the first form of civil aviation in our recorded history, and these performers were the greatest fad of the mid 1920s. A growing factor of barnstorming was the ending of the first World War, veterans after the war wished to make their living flying. So aviators began to learn and perform feats and tricks similar to military combat maneuvers found in dogfights overseas. The stunt would usually follow a pattern before performing. Usually, a stuntman would fly close above a town to attract the attention of the residents. Then they would land in a nearby farm and negotiate with a farmer to use their field as a makeshift runway for the air show and to offer rides to customers. After a successful bargain, the daredevil or a group of aviators would then fly over the town once more to drop flyers and advertise their show in the near field. For the town, a troop of barnstormers appearing in town was just like a holiday for all productive matters, work would come to a halt for an opportunity to witness daring stunts.
This didn’t set well with congress and they wished to put an end to the unruly behavior. So to restrict the Air Commerce Act of 1926 was established to set a standard for air etiquette and enforcement of the law against unauthorized air demonstration. Under the act,
Barnstormers were “the most exciting daredevils of their day” (Onkst). This was the first form of civil aviation in our recorded history, and these performers were the greatest fad of the mid 1920s. A growing factor of barnstorming was the ending of the first World War, veterans after the war wished to make their living flying. So aviators began to learn and perform feats and tricks similar to military combat maneuvers found in dogfights overseas. The stunt would usually follow a pattern before performing. Usually, a stuntman would fly close above a town to attract the attention of the residents. Then they would land in a nearby farm and negotiate with a farmer to use their field as a makeshift runway for the air show and to offer rides to customers. After a successful bargain, the daredevil or a group of aviators would then fly over the town once more to drop flyers and advertise their show in the near field. For the town, a troop of barnstormers appearing in town was just like a holiday for all productive matters, work would come to a halt for an opportunity to witness daring stunts.
This didn’t set well with congress and they wished to put an end to the unruly behavior. So to restrict the Air Commerce Act of 1926 was established to set a standard for air etiquette and enforcement of the law against unauthorized air demonstration. Under the act,