Editing Aviation (section)

==Operations of aircraft==

===Civil aviation===
{{Main|Civil aviation}} 
{{see|Commercial aviation|Private aviation}}
Civil aviation includes all non-military flying, both [[general aviation]] and [[scheduled air transport]].

====Air transport====
{{Main|Airline}}
[[File:Boeing 777-200 (United AL) LHR (5383777850).jpg|thumb|235x235px|A [[United Airlines]] [[Boeing 777|Boeing 777-200]] taxiing on the tarmac of [[Heathrow Airport]] in January 2011. The Boeing 777 is a popular choice for airlines that operate a [[wide-body aircraft]].]]
[[File:N819NW Delta Air Lines Airbus A330-323 takeoff from Schiphol (AMS - EHAM), The Netherlands pic1.JPG|thumb|[[Delta Airlines]] [[Airbus A330|Airbus A330-323]] taking off at [[Amsterdam Schiphol Airport]] in July 2017.]]

There are five major manufacturers of civil transport aircraft (in alphabetical order):
* [[Airbus]], based in Europe
* [[Boeing]], based in the United States
* [[Bombardier Aerospace|Bombardier]], based in Canada
* [[Embraer]], based in Brazil
* [[United Aircraft Corporation]], based in Russia, with its subsidiaries [[Ilyushin]], [[Tupolev]], and [[Sukhoi]]

Boeing, Airbus, Ilyushin and Tupolev concentrate on wide-body and narrow-body jet [[airliner]]s, while Bombardier, Embraer and Sukhoi concentrate on [[regional airliner]]s. Large networks of specialized parts suppliers from around the world support these manufacturers, who sometimes provide only the initial design and final assembly in their own plants. The Chinese [[ACAC consortium]] has also recently entered the civil transport market with its [[Comac ARJ21]] regional jet.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1670256,00.html |magazine=Time |title=Eyes on the Skies |first=Kathleen |last=Kingsbury |date=October 11, 2007 |access-date=April 26, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101031070258/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1670256,00.html |archive-date=October 31, 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=November 29, 2015 |title=China's COMAC delivers first ARJ21 jet plane to domestic airline |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/china-comac-idUSL3N13O02620151129 |access-date=August 12, 2022 |archive-date=December 3, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151203121845/http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/11/29/china-comac-idUSL3N13O02620151129 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Until the 1970s, most major airlines were [[flag carrier]]s, sponsored by their governments and heavily protected from competition. Since then, [[open skies]] agreements have resulted in increased competition and choice for consumers, coupled with falling prices for airlines. The combination of high fuel prices, low fares, high salaries, and crises such as the [[September 11 attacks]] and the [[Severe acute respiratory syndrome|SARS pandemic]] have driven many older airlines to government-bailouts, bankruptcy or mergers. At the same time, [[low-cost carrier]]s such as [[Ryanair]], [[Southwest Airlines|Southwest]] and [[WestJet]] have flourished.

====General aviation====
{{Main|General aviation}}
[[File:Piper J.3C-65 Cub ‘G-BVAF’ (32714647720).jpg|thumb|1940 [[Piper Cub]]]]

''General aviation'' includes all non-scheduled civil flying, both [[Private aviation|private]] and [[Commercial aviation|commercial]]. General aviation may include business flights, [[air charter]], private aviation, [[flight training]], [[Hot air balloon|ballooning]], [[paragliding]], [[parachuting]], [[Glider (sailplane)|gliding]], [[hang gliding]], [[aerial photography]], [[powered hang glider|foot-launched powered hang gliders]], air ambulance, crop dusting, charter flights, [[traffic reporting]], police air patrols and forest fire fighting.

Each country regulates aviation differently, but general aviation usually falls under different regulations depending on whether it is private or commercial and on the type of equipment involved.

Many small aircraft manufacturers serve the general aviation market, with a focus on private aviation and flight training.

The most important recent developments for small aircraft (which form the bulk of the GA fleet) have been the introduction of advanced [[avionics]] (including [[Global Positioning System|GPS]]) that were formerly found only in large [[airliner]]s, and the introduction of [[composite material]]s to make small aircraft lighter and faster. [[Ultralight aviation|Ultralight]] and [[homebuilt aircraft]] have also become increasingly popular for recreational use, since in most countries that allow private aviation, they are much less expensive and less heavily regulated than certified aircraft.

===Military aviation===
{{Main|Military aviation|Aerial warfare}}

Simple [[balloon (aeronautics)|balloons]] were used as surveillance aircraft as early as the 18th century. Over the years, [[military aircraft]] have been built to meet ever increasing capability requirements. Manufacturers of military aircraft compete for contracts to supply their government's arsenal. Aircraft are selected based on factors like cost, performance, and the speed of production.

[[File:Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird.jpg|thumb|The [[Lockheed SR-71]] remains unsurpassed in many areas of performance.<ref>[https://inhomelandsecurity.com/blackbird-us-intelligence-superior/#:~:text=The%20Unique%20Aspects%20of%20the%20SR%2D71&text=The%20fuselage%20panels%20were%20designed,exterior%20while%20on%20the%20ground.&text=It%20holds%20the%20fastest%20airspeed,breathing%E2%80%9D%20man%2Dpowered%20flight.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201029000317/https://inhomelandsecurity.com/blackbird-us-intelligence-superior/#:~:text=The%20Unique%20Aspects%20of%20the%20SR%2D71&text=The%20fuselage%20panels%20were%20designed,exterior%20while%20on%20the%20ground.&text=It%20holds%20the%20fastest%20airspeed,breathing%E2%80%9D%20man%2Dpowered%20flight.|date=October 29, 2020}}, "In Homeland Security" on the strategic advantage of the SR-71 blackbird. Retrieved October 25, 2020.</ref>]]

====Types of military aviation====
* [[Fighter aircraft]]'s primary function is to destroy other aircraft. (e.g. [[F-35]], [[Eurofighter Typhoon]], [[McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle|F-15]], [[MiG-29]], [[Su-27]], and [[F-22]]).
* [[Ground attack|Ground attack aircraft]] are used against [[Tactical bombing|tactical]] earth-bound targets. (e.g. [[Panavia Tornado]], [[A-10 Thunderbolt II|A-10]], [[Ilyushin Il-2|Il-2]], [[J-22 Orao]], [[AH-64]] and [[Sukhoi Su-25|Su-25]]).
* [[Bomber]]s are generally used against more [[Strategic bombing|strategic]] targets, such as factories and oil fields. (e.g. [[B-2]], [[Tu-95]], [[Dassault Mirage IV|Mirage IV]], and [[B-52 Stratofortress|B-52]]).
* [[Military transport aircraft|Transport aircraft]] are used to transport hardware and personnel. (e.g. [[C-17 Globemaster III]], [[C-130 Hercules]] and [[Mil Mi-26]]).
* [[Surveillance aircraft|Surveillance]] and [[Aerial reconnaissance|reconnaissance]] aircraft obtain information about enemy forces. (e.g. [[RC-135]], [[E-8 Joint STARS|E-8]], [[Lockheed U-2|U-2]], [[Bell OH-58 Kiowa|OH-58]] and [[MiG-25R]]).
* [[Unmanned aerial vehicle|Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs)]] are used primarily as reconnaissance fixed-wing aircraft, though many also carry payloads (e.g. [[MQ-9]], [[RQ-4]], and [[MQ-1C|MQ-1C Gray Eagle]]). Cargo aircraft are in development.  
* [[Missile]]s deliver warheads, normally explosives.

=== Air safety ===
{{main|Aviation safety}}

Aviation safety means the state of an aviation system or organization in which risks associated with aviation activities, related to, or in direct support of the operation of aircraft, are reduced and controlled to an acceptable level. It encompasses the theory, practice, investigation, and categorization of flight failures, and the prevention of such failures through regulation, education, and training. It can also be applied in the context of campaigns that inform the public as to the safety of air travel.

=== Aviation MRO ===
A maintenance, repair, and overhaul organization (MRO) is a firm that ensures airworthiness or air transport. According to a 2024 article, "maintenance (M) involves inspecting, cleaning, oiling, and changing aircraft parts after a certain number of flight hours. Repair (R) is restoring the original function of parts and components. Overhaul (O) refers to extensive maintenance, the complete refurbishment of the aircraft, and upgrades in avionics, which can take several weeks to complete."<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |last1=Wirths |first1=Oliver |last2=Tóth |first2=Zsófia |last3=Diaz Ruiz |first3=Carlos A. |date=2024 |title=Adversarial Service Networks: A Study of Service Firms' Response to Manufacturer-led Servitization in Aviation |journal=Industrial Marketing Management |volume=119 |page=166 |doi=10.1016/j.indmarman.2024.04.004 |issn=0019-8501|doi-access=free }}{{Creative Commons text attribution notice|cc=by4|from this source=yes}}</ref>  Airlines are legally obligated to certify airworthiness, meaning that a civil aviation authority must approve an aircraft suitable for safe flight operations.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Kinnison |first1=Harry A. |url=https://www.accessengineeringlibrary.com/content/book/9780071805025 |title=Aviation Maintenance Management |last2=Siddiqui |first2=Tariq "Terry" |date=2013 |publisher=McGraw-Hill Education |isbn=978-0-07-180502-5 |edition=2nd |language=en}}</ref> MRO firms are responsible for this process, thoroughly checking and documenting all components' repairs while tracking mechanical, propulsion, and electronic parts.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Inside MRO {{!}} Aviation Week Network |url=https://aviationweek.com/Inside-MRO |access-date=2024-05-06 |website=aviationweek.com}}</ref> Aviation regulators oversee maintenance practices in the country of aircraft registration, manufacture, or current location. All aircraft maintenance activities must adhere to international regulations that mandate standards.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2014-12-17 |title=Foreign Part-145 Organisations {{!}} EASA |url=https://www.easa.europa.eu/en/domains/aircraft-products/continuing-airworthiness-organisations/foreign-part-145-organisations |access-date=2024-05-06 |website=www.easa.europa.eu |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":0" />