# First certified flight instructor in the U.S. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 19, 2009, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-certified-flight-instructor-in-the-u-s/503512 "2009-07-19T05:33:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2009, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-certified-flight-instructor-in-the-u-s/503512/1 "2009-07-19T05:33:36Z")
A recently came across a factoid that the actor Robert Cummings was ‘the first certified flight instructor in the U.S.’, having been certified in 1938. (Source: Wiki.) :dubious: 1938 seems a bit late for the flight instructor certification. The Air Commerce Act became law in 1926, and it created an aeronautical branch under the Department of Commerce that was responsible for licensing. But that doesn’t mean that instructors had to be licensed as instructors. What is the veracity of the Wiki claim about Robert Cummings? ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2009, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-certified-flight-instructor-in-the-u-s/503512/2 "2009-07-20T18:48:27Z")
I’ve heard that also… The key word here is ‘certified’ I believe… ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2009, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-certified-flight-instructor-in-the-u-s/503512/3 "2009-07-20T19:12:26Z")
No idea. People were teaching others to fly long before that. [Glenn Hammond Curtiss](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glenn_Curtiss) became the first licensed pilot in 1908. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2009, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-certified-flight-instructor-in-the-u-s/503512/4 "2009-07-20T19:20:12Z")
Which raises the question… If he is the first certified instructor, who certified him? ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2009, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-certified-flight-instructor-in-the-u-s/503512/5 "2009-07-20T19:23:53Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > Which raises the question… > > If he is the first certified instructor, who certified him? Dumbass. It is turtles all the way down. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2009, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-certified-flight-instructor-in-the-u-s/503512/6 "2009-07-21T01:57:13Z")
It probably has something to do with the fact that the 1938 Civil Aeronautics Act transferred non-military aviation to a independent agency. I have no doubt Cummings was one of the first certified under this new act. I also have no doubt that he was certified by the Commerce Dept.(or whoever) before that.