Evolution of General Aviation
This historic event on December 17, 1903, in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, marked the birth of the general aviation industry.
What is the Wright Brothers’ first powered flight?
This is the most common type of general aviation aircraft, widely used for training, personal travel, and short-haul flights.
What is the single-engine piston aircraft?
The primary function of every general aviation airport is to provide these for aircraft operations.
What are safe and efficient landing facilities?
This renewable aviation fuel, made from feedstocks such as biomass and waste oils, aims to reduce aviation’s carbon footprint.
What is Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)?
This post–World War I phenomenon featured daring pilots performing stunts and giving passenger rides, inspiring the development of local airfields.
What is barnstorming?
These aviation businesses provide products, services, and facilities such as fueling, ground handling, and aircraft storage.
What are Fixed Base Operators (FBOs)?
This 1994 legislation limited aircraft manufacturer liability to 18 years, helping revitalize the general aviation industry.
What is the General Aviation Revitalization Act (GARA)?
This collaborative industry initiative seeks to eliminate lead from aviation gasoline by 2030.
What is the Eliminate Aviation Gasoline Lead Emissions (EAGLE) initiative?
This 1925 legislation, also known as the Kelly Act, allowed private contractors to carry airmail and fueled airport expansion.
What is the Air Mail Act of 1925?
These specialized aviation service providers offer limited products such as maintenance or flight instruction but typically do not sell fuel.
What are Specialized Aviation Service Operators (SASOs)?
This demographic trend has created concerns about maintaining a qualified workforce of pilots and instructors.
What is an aging pilot population?
This emerging aviation sector envisions electric or hybrid aircraft providing short-range, on-demand urban flights.
What is Advanced Air Mobility (AAM)?
This early navigation innovation used rotating lights and concrete arrows to guide pilots along night air routes.
What are beacon stations?
This GA segment focuses on agricultural flying, firefighting, mapping, and other essential service missions.
What is industrial aviation?
This issue arises when residential or commercial development encroaches near airport boundaries.
What are land use and noise compatibility conflicts?
This zero-carbon energy source is being explored as a potential fuel for future aircraft propulsion.
What is hydrogen?
This 1938 Act created the Civil Aeronautics Authority and established the foundation of the National Airspace System.
What is the Civil Aeronautics Act of 1938?
Roughly 67 percent of active general aviation aircraft are used for this purpose.
What is personal or recreational flying?
These two common issues challenge airports with aging infrastructure.
What are increased maintenance costs and safety compliance challenges?
Forecasts indicate a need for over 40 million additional square feet of this type of airport infrastructure within the next decade.
What are aircraft hangars?