Regulations · History

Civil Aeronautics Manuals

485 documents across 47 parts, 1936–1965 — the CAA rulebooks that became today's FARs.

How to read this library

Before the FAA existed, American civil aviation ran on the Civil Aeronautics Manuals — numbered rulebooks issued by the Civil Aeronautics Administration. Each part below is a subject (airworthiness, pilot certificates, air carrier operations…) with every edition, supplement, and amendment we hold, linked to the scanned original.

The Became column maps each part to its modern successor in the Federal Aviation Regulations.

47 parts

Airworthiness

Airworthiness — Civil Aeronautics Manual parts
PartSubjectDocumentsYearsBecame
CAM 1Certification, Identification and Marking181952–196514 CFR 21/45/47/48
CAM 2Production Certificates21945–194614 CFR 21
CAM 3Airplane Airworthiness — Normal, Utility, Acrobatic351949–196214 CFR 23
CAM 4Airplane Airworthiness (1938 base)81938–194714 CFR 25
CAM 4aAirplane Airworthiness — Transport (interim)11959–195914 CFR 25
CAM 4bAirplane Airworthiness — Transport Categories161954–196314 CFR 25
CAM 5Glider Airworthiness71940–196214 CFR 21 (gliders)
CAM 6Rotorcraft Airworthiness — Normal181954–196314 CFR 27
CAM 7Rotorcraft Airworthiness — Transport31962–196214 CFR 29
CAM 8Restricted Category Aircraft101951–196014 CFR 21 (restricted)
CAM 9Limited Category Aircraft11959–195914 CFR 21 (limited)
CAM 10Import Aircraft Certification71955–196314 CFR 21 (import)
CAM 13Aircraft Engine Airworthiness81944–196314 CFR 33
CAM 14Propeller Airworthiness81938–196214 CFR 35
CAM 15Aircraft Equipment Airworthiness11938–193814 CFR 21
CAM 16Aircraft Radio Equipment Airworthiness71941–195614 CFR 21

Maintenance and Repair

Maintenance and Repair — Civil Aeronautics Manual parts
PartSubjectDocumentsYearsBecame
CAM 18Maintenance, Repair and Alteration211936–196214 CFR 43
CAM 46Mechanical Reliability Reports151959–1963SDR system (14 CFR 121.703)
CAM 52Repair Station Certificates91941–195914 CFR 145

Airmen and Schools

Airmen and Schools — Civil Aeronautics Manual parts
PartSubjectDocumentsYearsBecame
CAM 20Pilot Certificates131954–196214 CFR 61
CAM 21Airline Transport Pilot Rating101956–196114 CFR 61 (ATP)
CAM 22Lighter-Than-Air Pilot Certificates71955–196214 CFR 61
CAM 24Mechanic and Repairman Certificates151951–196214 CFR 65
CAM 25Parachute Rigger Certificates21959–196114 CFR 65
CAM 26Control Tower Operators31956–196014 CFR 65
CAM 27Aircraft Dispatchers41954–196014 CFR 65
CAM 29Physical Standards — Medical Certificates11961–196114 CFR 67
CAM 33Flight Radio Operators31956–196214 CFR 63 (obsolete)
CAM 34Flight Navigators51955–195914 CFR 63
CAM 35Flight Engineers21956–196014 CFR 63
CAM 50Flying Schools and Air Agency Certificates181940–196214 CFR 141
CAM 51Ground Instructors51949–196214 CFR 61 (ground instructors)
CAM 53Mechanic School Certificates71940–196214 CFR 147
CAM 54Parachute Lofts21948–195914 CFR 65

Operations

Operations — Civil Aeronautics Manual parts
PartSubjectDocumentsYearsBecame
CAM 40Scheduled Interstate Air Carriers301949–196314 CFR 121
CAM 41Scheduled Air Carriers Outside Continental US111954–196214 CFR 121
CAM 42Nonscheduled and Irregular Air Carriers411946–196314 CFR 121
CAM 42aAir Taxi and Commercial Operators of Small Aircraft21960–196314 CFR 135
CAM 43General Operation Rules191955–196314 CFR 91
CAM 44Foreign Air Carriers71949–196214 CFR 129
CAM 45Commercial Operator Certification71959–196214 CFR 119
CAM 47Small Aircraft for Hire11960–196014 CFR 135
CAM 48Moored Balloons and Kites31959–196314 CFR 101
CAM 49Transportation of Explosives and Dangerous Articles141956–196249 CFR 175 (hazmat)
CAM 60Air Traffic Rules431938–196314 CFR 91
CAM 61Air Carrier Rules (CAR 61, pre-1953)141949–195214 CFR 121 (historic)
CAM 190Foreign Civil Aircraft Navigation11959–195914 CFR 375

Source: Civil Aeronautics Manuals collection, National Transportation Library (ROSA P) — United States Government works, public domain. Dates are publication dates printed on each document.