Array ( [0] => {{Short description|Design, development, production, operation and use of aircraft}} [1] => {{Use American English|date=May 2023}} [2] => {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2023}} [3] => {{About|aircraft|the cocktail|Aviation (cocktail)|other uses}} [4] => {{Redirect|Air transport}} [5] => {{More citations needed|date=March 2015}} [6] => [[File:Pan Am Boeing 747-121 N732PA Bidini.jpg|thumb|A [[Boeing 747]]]] [7] => {{Transport}} [8] => [9] => '''Aviation''' includes the activities surrounding mechanical [[flight]] and the [[aircraft]] industry. ''Aircraft'' includes [[Airplane|fixed-wing]] and [[Helicopter|rotary-wing]] types, morphable wings, wing-less lifting bodies, as well as [[Aerostat|lighter-than-air craft]] such as [[Balloon (aeronautics)|hot air balloons]] and [[airship]]s. [10] => [11] => Aviation began in the 18th century with the development of the [[hot air balloon]], an apparatus capable of atmospheric displacement through [[buoyancy]]. Some of the most significant advancements in aviation technology came with the controlled gliding flying of [[Otto Lilienthal]] in 1896; then a large step in significance came with the construction of the first powered [[airplane]] by the [[Wright brothers]] in the early 1900s. Since that time, aviation has been technologically revolutionized by the introduction of the [[Jet aircraft|jet]] which permitted a major form of transport throughout the world. [12] => [13] => ==Etymology== [14] => The word ''aviation'' was coined by the French writer and former naval officer Gabriel La Landelle in 1863.{{Cite web |url=http://archive.org/details/bub_gb_pA9-D4QETAoC|title=Aviation ou Navigation aerienne par G. de La Landelle|date=June 6, 1863|publisher=E. Dentu|via=Internet Archive}} He originally derived the term from the verb ''avier'' (an unsuccessful [[neologism]] for "to fly"), itself derived from the Latin word ''avis'' ("bird") and the suffix ''-ation''.{{sfn|Cassard|2008|p=77}} [15] => [16] => == History == [17] => {{Main|History of aviation}} [18] => {{For timeline|Timeline of aviation}} [19] => [20] => ===Early beginnings=== [21] => There are early legends of human flight such as the stories of [[Icarus]] in Greek myth, [[Jamshid]] and [[Shah]] [[Kay Kāvus]] in Persian myth,''The Sháhnáma of Firdausí''. Vol. II. (1906), pp. 103–104, verse 111. Translated by Arthur George Warner and Edmond Warner. London. Kegan Paul, Trench, Trübner & Co. Ltd and the flying automaton of [[Archytas]] of [[Taranto|Tarentum]] (428–347 BC).{{sfn|Berliner|1996|p=28}} Later, somewhat more credible claims of short-distance human flights appear, such as the winged flights of [[Abbas ibn Firnas]] (810–887, recorded in the 17th century), [[Eilmer of Malmesbury]] (11th century, recorded in the 12th century), and the hot-air Passarola of [[Bartholomeu Lourenço de Gusmão]] (1685–1724). [22] => [23] => ===Lighter than air=== [24] => [[File:Hindenburg at lakehurst.jpg|thumb|[[LZ 129 Hindenburg]] at [[Lakehurst Naval Air Station]], 1936]] [25] => [26] => The modern age of aviation began with the first untethered human lighter-than-air flight on November 21, 1783, of a [[hot air balloon]] designed by the [[Montgolfier brothers]].{{Cite web|title=Balloon flight {{!}} aviation|url=https://www.britannica.com/technology/balloon-flight|access-date=June 6, 2021|website=Encyclopedia Britannica|language=en|archive-date=June 28, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210628232219/https://www.britannica.com/technology/balloon-flight|url-status=live}} The usefulness of balloons was limited because they could only travel downwind. It was immediately recognized that a steerable, or [[Airship|dirigible]], balloon was required. [[Jean-Pierre Blanchard]] flew the first human-powered dirigible in 1784 and crossed the English Channel in one in 1785. [27] => [28] => [[Rigid airship]]s became the first aircraft to transport passengers and cargo over great distances. The best known aircraft of this type were manufactured by the German [[Zeppelin]] company. [29] => [30] => The most successful Zeppelin was the [[LZ 127 Graf Zeppelin|Graf Zeppelin]]. It flew over one million miles, including an around-the-world flight in August 1929. However, the dominance of the Zeppelins over the airplanes of that period, which had a range of only a few hundred miles, was diminishing as airplane design advanced. The "Golden Age" of the airships ended on May 6, 1937. That year the [[LZ 129 Hindenburg|Hindenburg]] caught fire, killing 36 people. The cause of the Hindenburg accident was initially blamed on the use of hydrogen instead of helium as the lift gas. An internal investigation by the manufacturer revealed that the coating used in the material covering the frame was highly flammable and allowed static electricity to build up in the airship.{{sfn|De Angelis|2001|pages=87–101}} Changes to the coating formulation reduced the risk of further Hindenburg type accidents. Although there have been periodic initiatives to revive their use, airships have seen only niche application since that time.{{Citation|last1=Torenbeek|first1=Egbert|title=Civil Transport Aircraft|date=December 15, 2010|url=http://doi.wiley.com/10.1002/9780470686652.eae379|encyclopedia=Encyclopedia of Aerospace Engineering|pages=eae379|editor-last=Blockley|editor-first=Richard|place=Chichester, UK|publisher=John Wiley & Sons, Ltd|language=en|doi=10.1002/9780470686652.eae379|isbn=978-0-470-75440-5|access-date=June 6, 2021|last2=La Rocca|first2=Gianfranco|editor2-last=Shyy|editor2-first=Wei}} There had been previous airship accidents that were more fatal, for instance, a [[R38-class airship|British R38]] on {{date|23 August 1921}},{{cite magazine|url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1922/1922%20-%200139.html |title=The Accident to H.M. Airship R. 38|magazine=[[Flight International|Flight]]|date= 2 March 1922| page= 139}} but the Hindenburg was the first to be captured on newsreel.{{cite web|title=The Hindenburg, Before and After Disaster|website=Britannica|date=August 25, 2023 |url=https://www.britannica.com/story/the-hindenburg-before-and-after-disaster}} [31] => [32] => ===Heavier than air=== [33] => In 1799, Sir [[George Cayley]] set forth the concept of the modern airplane as a fixed-wing flying machine with separate systems for lift, propulsion, and control.{{cite web [34] => |title = Aviation History [35] => |url = http://www.aviation-history.com/early/cayley.htm [36] => |access-date = July 26, 2009 [37] => |url-status = live [38] => |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090413155148/http://aviation-history.com/early/cayley.htm [39] => |archive-date = April 13, 2009 [40] => }}{{cite encyclopedia [41] => |title = Sir George Carley (British Inventor and Scientist) [42] => |url = https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/100795/Sir-George-Cayley-6th-Baronet [43] => |encyclopedia = Britannica [44] => |access-date = July 26, 2009 [45] => |quote = English pioneer of aerial navigation and aeronautical engineering and designer of the first successful glider to carry a human being aloft. [46] => |url-status = live [47] => |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090311002545/https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/100795/Sir-George-Cayley-6th-Baronet [48] => |archive-date = March 11, 2009 [49] => }} [50] => [51] => [[File:Otto Lilienthal gliding experiment ppmsca.02546.jpg|thumb|Lilienthal in mid-flight, Berlin {{Circa|1895}}]] [52] => [53] => [[Otto Lilienthal]] was the first person to make well-documented, repeated, successful flights with [[Glider (aircraft)|glider]]s,[http://www.dlr.de/dlr/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-10280/385_read-16705/year-all/#/gallery/21944 ''DLR baut das erste Serien-Flugzeug der Welt nach''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181126135109/https://www.dlr.de/dlr/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-10280/385_read-16705/year-all/#/gallery/21944 |date=November 26, 2018 }} 2017. Retrieved: March 3, 2017. therefore making the idea of "[[heavier than air]]" a reality. Newspapers and magazines published photographs of Lilienthal gliding, favorably influencing public and scientific opinion about the possibility of flying machines becoming practical. [54] => Lilienthal's work led to him developing the concept of the modern wing.{{cite web |author=Otto-Lilienthal-Museum |url=http://www.lilienthal-museum.de/olma/eotto.htm |title=Otto-Lilienthal-Museum Anklam |website=Lilienthal-museum.de |date= |access-date=March 4, 2022 |archive-date=December 20, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211220021702/http://www.lilienthal-museum.de/olma/eotto.htm |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://www.dlr.de/content/en/dossiers/2019/lilienthal-glider-project.html |title=The Lilienthal glider project – DLR Portal |website=Dlr.de |date= |access-date=March 4, 2022 |archive-date=March 7, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220307224806/https://www.dlr.de/content/en/dossiers/2019/lilienthal-glider-project.html |url-status=live }} His flight attempts in [[Berlin]] in 1891 are seen as the beginning of human flight{{cite web |author=Otto-Lilienthal-Museum |url=http://www.lilienthal-museum.de/olma/e34.htm |title=Otto-Lilienthal-Museum Anklam |website=Lilienthal-museum.de |date= |access-date=March 4, 2022 |archive-date=July 3, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220703015730/http://lilienthal-museum.de/olma/e34.htm |url-status=live }} and the "[[Lilienthal Normalsegelapparat]]" is considered to be the first airplane in series production, making the ''Maschinenfabrik Otto Lilienthal'' in [[Berlin]] the first air plane production company in the world.{{cite web |url=https://aeroreport.de/en/good-to-know/like-a-bird |title=Like a bird | MTU AEROREPORT |website=Aeroreport.de |date= |access-date=March 4, 2022 |archive-date=February 26, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220226135425/https://aeroreport.de/en/good-to-know/like-a-bird |url-status=live }} [55] => Lilienthal is often referred to as either the "father of aviation"{{cite web |url=https://www.dpma.de/english/our_office/publications/milestones/airandspacepioneers/ottolilienthal/index.html |title=DPMA | Otto Lilienthal |website=Dpma.de |date=December 2, 2021 |access-date=March 4, 2022 |archive-date=February 26, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220226135452/https://www.dpma.de/english/our_office/publications/milestones/airandspacepioneers/ottolilienthal/index.html |url-status=live }}{{Cite web|url=https://www.cobaltrecruitment.co.uk/blog/2017/11/in-perspective-otto-lilienthal|title=In perspective: Otto Lilienthal|website=Cobaltrecruitment.co.uk|access-date=March 5, 2022|archive-date=February 26, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220226160700/https://www.cobaltrecruitment.co.uk/blog/2017/11/in-perspective-otto-lilienthal|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.economist.com/prospero/2011/09/20/remembering-germanys-first-flying-man|title=Remembering Germany's first "flying man"|date=September 20, 2011|access-date=March 5, 2022|newspaper=[[The Economist]]|archive-date=March 2, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210302015744/https://www.economist.com/prospero/2011/09/20/remembering-germanys-first-flying-man|url-status=live}} or "father of flight".{{cite web |url=http://scihi.org/otto-lilienthal-glider-king/ |title=Otto Lilienthal, the Glider King |publisher=SciHi BlogSciHi Blog |date=May 23, 2020 |access-date=March 4, 2022 |archive-date=February 26, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220226135401/http://scihi.org/otto-lilienthal-glider-king/ |url-status=live }} [56] => [57] => Early dirigible developments included machine-powered propulsion ([[Henri Giffard]], 1852), rigid frames ([[David Schwarz (aviation inventor)|David Schwarz]], 1896) and improved speed and maneuverability ([[Alberto Santos-Dumont]], 1901) [58] => [59] => [[File:First flight2.jpg|thumb|First powered and controlled flight by the [[Wright brothers]], December 17, 1903]] [60] => There are [[Early flying machines#Adding_power|many competing claims]] for the earliest powered, heavier-than-air flight. The first recorded powered flight was carried out by [[Clément Ader]] on October 9, 1890, in his bat-winged, fully self-propelled [[fixed-wing aircraft]], the [[Ader Éole]]. It was reportedly the first manned, powered, heavier-than-air flight of a significant distance ({{convert|50|m|ft|abbr=on}}) but insignificant altitude from level ground.{{cite web|url=https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/5780/Clement-Ader|title=Clement Ader – French inventor|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120308231925/https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/5780/Clement-Ader|archive-date=March 8, 2012}}{{cite web|url=http://www.flyingmachines.org/ader.html|title=FLYING MACHINES – Clement Ader|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120204055424/http://www.flyingmachines.org/ader.html|archive-date=February 4, 2012}}{{cite web|url=http://www.eads.com/1024/en/eads/history/airhist/1890_1899/ader.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071020082858/http://www.eads.com/1024/en/eads/history/airhist/1890_1899/ader.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 20, 2007|title=EADS N.V. – Eole/Clément Ader|date=October 20, 2007}} Seven years later, on October 14, 1897, Ader's [[Ader Avion III|Avion III]] was tested without success in front of two officials from the French War ministry. The report on the trials was not publicized until 1910, as they had been a military secret. In November 1906, Ader claimed to have made a successful flight on October 14, 1897, achieving an "uninterrupted flight" of around {{convert|300|m|ft|abbr=off}}. Although widely believed at the time, these claims were later discredited.Gibbs-Smith, C. H., ''Aviation''. London, NMSO 2003, p. 75.L'homme, l'air et l'espace, p. 96 [61] => [62] => The [[Wright brothers]] made the first successful powered, controlled and sustained airplane flight on December 17, 1903, a feat made possible by their invention of [[Flight dynamics (fixed-wing aircraft)|three-axis]] control{{Cite web |title=The Last Piece of the Puzzle |url=https://www.wright-brothers.org/History_Wing/Wright_Story/Inventing_the_Airplane/Wagging_Its_Tail/Last_Piece_of_Puzzle.htm |access-date=2024-03-29 |website=www.wright-brothers.org}} and in-house development of an engine with a sufficient [[power-to-weight ratio]].{{Cite web |title=1903 Wright Engine |url=https://www.wright-brothers.org/Information_Desk/Just_the_Facts/Engines_&_Props/1903_Engine.htm |access-date=2024-03-29 |website=www.wright-brothers.org}} Only a decade later, at the start of [[World War I]], heavier-than-air powered aircraft had become practical for reconnaissance, artillery spotting, and even attacks against ground positions. [63] => [64] => Aircraft began to transport people and cargo as designs grew larger and more reliable. The Wright brothers took aloft the first passenger, Charles Furnas, one of their mechanics, on May 14, 1908.{{cite web |url=http://www.airspacemag.com/history-of-flight/1908_The_Year_the_Airplane_Went_Public.html |title=1908: The Year the Airplane Went Public |author=Tom D. Crouch |work=[[Air & Space/Smithsonian]] |date=August 29, 2008 |access-date=August 21, 2012 |archive-date=May 25, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120525040238/http://www.airspacemag.com/history-of-flight/1908_The_Year_the_Airplane_Went_Public.html |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/thismonth/this_month_may08.html |title=This Month in Exploration: May |publisher=[[NASA]] |access-date=August 21, 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120406110825/http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/thismonth/this_month_may08.html |archive-date=April 6, 2012 }} [65] => [66] => During the 1920s and 1930s great progress was made in the field of aviation, including the first [[transatlantic flight of Alcock and Brown]] in 1919, [[Charles Lindbergh]]'s solo transatlantic flight in 1927, and [[Charles Kingsford Smith]]'s transpacific flight the following year. One of the most successful designs of this period was the [[Douglas DC-3]], which became the first [[airliner]] to be profitable carrying passengers exclusively, starting the modern era of passenger airline service. By the beginning of World War II, many towns and cities had built airports, and there were numerous qualified pilots available. During World War II one of the first jet engines was developed by Hans con Ohain, and accomplished the world's first jet-powered flight in 1939.{{Cite book |last=El-Sayed |first=Ahmed F. |title=Aircraft propulsion and gas turbine engines |date=2017 |publisher=CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group |isbn=978-1-4665-9517-0 |edition=2nd |location=Boca Raton London New York}} The war brought many innovations to aviation, including the first [[turbojet|jet]] aircraft and the first liquid-fueled [[rocket]]s. [67] => [68] => [[File:Cessna 172S Skyhawk SP, Private JP6817606.jpg|thumb|The [[Cessna 172]] is the most produced aircraft in history{{cite web |last1=Martin |first1=Swayne |title=The 20 Most Produced Aircraft Of All Time |url=https://www.boldmethod.com/blog/lists/2014/12/20-most-produced-aircraft/ |access-date=January 3, 2021 |archive-date=April 14, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210414083543/https://www.boldmethod.com/blog/lists/2014/12/20-most-produced-aircraft/ |url-status=live }}]] [69] => [70] => After World War II, especially in North America, there was a boom in [[general aviation]], both private and commercial, as thousands of pilots were released from military service and many inexpensive war-surplus transport and training aircraft became available. Manufacturers such as [[Cessna]], [[Piper Aircraft|Piper]], and [[Beechcraft]] expanded production to provide light aircraft for the new middle-class market. [71] => [72] => By the 1950s, the development of civil jets grew, beginning with the [[de Havilland Comet]], though the first widely used passenger jet was the [[Boeing 707]], because it was much more economical than other aircraft at that time. At the same time, [[gas turbine|turboprop]] propulsion started to appear for smaller commuter planes, making it possible to serve small-volume routes in a much wider range of weather conditions. [73] => [74] => Since the 1960s [[composite material]] airframes and quieter, more efficient engines have become available, and [[Concorde]] provided [[supersonic transport|supersonic passenger service]] for more than two decades, but the most important lasting innovations have taken place in instrumentation and control. The arrival of [[transistor|solid-state]] electronics, the [[Global Positioning System]], [[communications satellite|satellite communications]], and increasingly small and powerful computers and [[light-emitting diode|LED]] displays, have dramatically changed the cockpits of [[airliner]]s and, increasingly, of smaller aircraft as well. Pilots can navigate much more accurately and view terrain, obstructions, and other nearby aircraft on a map or through [[synthetic vision]], even at night or in low visibility. [75] => [76] => [[File:Helios cthomas.jpg|thumb|[[NASA]]'s [[Helios Prototype|Helios]] researches [[solar power]]ed flight.]] [77] => [78] => On June 21, 2004, [[SpaceShipOne]] became the first privately funded aircraft to make a [[spaceflight]], opening the possibility of an aviation market capable of leaving the Earth's atmosphere. Meanwhile, the need to [[Climate change mitigation|decarbonize]] the aviation industry to face the [[climate crisis]] has increased research into aircraft powered by alternative fuels, such as [[ethanol]], [[electricity]], [[Hydrogen-powered aircraft|hydrogen]], and even [[solar energy]], with flying prototypes becoming more common. [79] => [80] => ==Operations of aircraft== [81] => [82] => ===Civil aviation=== [83] => {{Main|Civil aviation}} [84] => Civil aviation includes all non-military flying, both [[general aviation]] and [[scheduled air transport]]. [85] => [86] => ====Air transport==== [87] => {{Main|Airline}} [88] => [[File:United Boeing 737 at SFO.jpg|thumb|235x235px|The [[Boeing 737]] series of aircraft, as seen here in the [[United Airlines|United Airways]] livery, is a popular choice for airlines that operate [[narrow-body aircraft]].]] [89] => [[File:Northwest Airlines A330-323 (N805NW) landing at London Gatwick Airport.jpg|thumb|[[Northwest Airlines]] [[Airbus A330|Airbus A330-323]]]] [90] => [91] => There are five major manufacturers of civil transport aircraft (in alphabetical order): [92] => * [[Airbus]], based in Europe [93] => * [[Boeing]], based in the United States [94] => * [[Bombardier Aerospace|Bombardier]], based in Canada [95] => * [[Embraer]], based in Brazil [96] => * [[United Aircraft Corporation]], based in Russia, with it's subsidiaries Ilyushin, Tupolev, and Sukohi [97] => [98] => 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.{{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 }}{{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 }} [99] => [100] => 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. [101] => [102] => ====General aviation==== [103] => {{Main|General aviation}} [104] => [[File:Piper J.3C-65 Cub ‘G-BVAF’ (32714647720).jpg|thumb|1940 [[Piper Cub]]]] [105] => [106] => ''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. [107] => [108] => 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. [109] => [110] => Many small aircraft manufacturers serve the general aviation market, with a focus on private aviation and flight training. [111] => [112] => 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. [113] => [114] => ===Military aviation=== [115] => {{Main|Military aviation|Aerial warfare}} [116] => [117] => 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. [118] => [119] => [[File:Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird.jpg|thumb|The [[Lockheed SR-71]] remains unsurpassed in many areas of performance.[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.]] [120] => [121] => ====Types of military aviation==== [122] => * [[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]]). [123] => * [[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]]). [124] => * [[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]]). [125] => * [[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]]). [126] => * [[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]]). [127] => * [[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. [128] => * [[Missile]]s deliver warheads, normally explosives. [129] => [130] => === Air safety === [131] => {{main|Aviation safety}} [132] => [133] => 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. [134] => [135] => ==Aviation accidents and incidents== [136] => {{main|Aviation accidents and incidents}} [137] => [[File:Crash.arp.600pix.jpg|thumb|upright|A [[United States Air Force Thunderbirds|USAF Thunderbird]] pilot [[Ejection seat|ejecting]] from his [[F-16]] aircraft at an [[air show]] in 2003]] [138] => [139] => An ''aviation accident'' is defined by the [[Convention on International Civil Aviation]] Annex 13 as an occurrence associated with the operation of an aircraft which takes place between the time any person boards the aircraft with the intention of flight until such time as all such persons have disembarked, in which a person is fatally or seriously injured, the aircraft sustains damage or structural failure or the aircraft is missing or is completely inaccessible.{{cite web|publisher=The Investigation Process Research Resource Site|title=International Investigation Standards|url=http://www.iprr.org/manuals/Annex13.html|access-date=May 7, 2012|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120427102210/http://www.iprr.org/manuals/Annex13.html|archive-date=April 27, 2012}} An accident in which the damage to the aircraft is such that it must be written off, or in which the plane is destroyed, is called a ''hull loss accident''. [140] => [141] => The first fatal aviation accident occurred in a [[Wright Model A]] aircraft at [[Fort Myer|Fort Myer, Virginia, US]], on September 17, 1908, resulting in injury to the pilot, [[Orville Wright]], and death of the passenger, Signal Corps Lieutenant [[Thomas Selfridge]]. The worst aviation accident in history was the [[Tenerife airport disaster]] on March 27, 1977, when 583 people died when two Boeing 747 jumbo jets, operated by Pan Am and KLM collided on a runway in Los Rodeos airport, now known as Tenerife North. [142] => [143] => An ''aviation incident'' is defined as an occurrence, other than an accident, associated with the operation of an aircraft that affects or could affect the safety of operations.{{cite web |website=AirSafe.com |title=Definitions of Key Terms Used by AirSafe.com |url=http://www.airsafe.com/events/define.htm |access-date=May 7, 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120420172922/http://www.airsafe.com/events/define.htm |archive-date=April 20, 2012 }} [144] => [145] => ==Air traffic control== [146] => {{Main|Air traffic control}} [147] => [[File:Towers Schiphol small.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Air traffic control tower]]s at [[Amsterdam Airport]]]] [148] => [149] => Air traffic control (ATC) involves communication with aircraft to help maintain separation – that is, they ensure that aircraft are sufficiently far enough apart horizontally or vertically for no risk of collision. Controllers may co-ordinate position reports provided by pilots, or in high traffic areas (such as the United States) they may use [[radar]] to see aircraft positions. [150] => [151] => Becoming an [[Air traffic controller|air traffic controller]] in the United States typically requires an associate or bachelor’s degree from the Air Traffic Collegiate Training Initiative. The FAA also requires extensive training, along with medical examinations and background checks. Some controllers are required to work weekend, night, and holiday shifts.{{Cite web |title=Occupational Outlook Handbook |url=https://www.bls.gov/ooh/transportation-and-material-moving/air-traffic-controllers.htm#tab-1 |access-date=2023-12-04 |work=U.S. Bureau Of Labor Statistics}} [152] => [153] => There are generally four different types of ATC: [154] => * Center controllers, who control aircraft en route between airports [155] => * Control towers (including tower, ground control, clearance delivery, and other services), which control aircraft within a small distance (typically 10–15 km horizontal, and 1,000 m vertical) of an airport. [156] => * Oceanic controllers, who control aircraft over [[international waters]] between continents, generally without radar service. [157] => * Terminal controllers, who control aircraft in a wider area (typically 50–80 km) around busy airports [158] => [159] => ATC is especially important for aircraft flying under [[instrument flight rules]] (IFR), when they may be in weather conditions that do not allow the pilots to see other aircraft. However, in very high-traffic areas, especially near major airports, aircraft flying under [[visual flight rules]] (VFR) are also required to follow instructions from ATC. [160] => [161] => In addition to separation from other aircraft, ATC may provide weather advisories, terrain separation, navigation assistance, and other services to pilots, depending on their workload. [162] => [163] => ATC do not control all flights. The majority of VFR (Visual Flight Rules) flights in North America are not required to contact ATC (unless they are passing through a busy terminal area or using a major airport), and in many areas, such as northern Canada and low altitude in northern Scotland, air traffic control services are not available even for IFR flights at lower altitudes. [164] => [165] => ==Environmental impact== [166] => {{Main|Environmental impact of aviation}} [167] => [168] => Like all activities involving [[combustion]], operating powered aircraft (from airliners to hot air balloons) releases [[soot]] and other pollutants into the atmosphere. [[Greenhouse gas]]es such as [[carbon dioxide]] (CO2) are also produced. In addition, there are environmental impacts specific to aviation: for instance, [[File:Contrails.jpg|thumb|Water vapor [[Condensation trails|contrails]] left by high-altitude jet [[airliner]]s. These may contribute to [[cirrus cloud]] formation.]] [169] => * Aircraft operating at high altitudes near the [[tropopause]] (mainly large [[jet airliner]]s) emit aerosols and leave [[contrail]]s, both of which can increase [[cirrus cloud]] formation – cloud cover may have increased by up to 0.2% since the birth of aviation.{{cite web|url=http://www.grida.no/climate/ipcc/aviation/032.htm|title=Aviation and the Global Atmosphere|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070629113916/http://www.grida.no/climate/ipcc/aviation/032.htm|archive-date=June 29, 2007}} Clouds can have both a cooling and warming effect. They reflect some of the sun's rays back into space, but also block some of the heat radiated by Earth's surface. On average, both thin natural cirrus clouds and contrails have a net warming effect.{{Cite web|url=https://www.newscientist.com/article/2207886-it-turns-out-planes-are-even-worse-for-the-climate-than-we-thought/|title=It turns out planes are even worse for the climate than we thought|last=Le Page|first=Michael|website=www.newscientist.com|access-date=July 5, 2019|archive-date=July 5, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190705102129/https://www.newscientist.com/article/2207886-it-turns-out-planes-are-even-worse-for-the-climate-than-we-thought/|url-status=live}} [170] => * Aircraft operating at high altitudes near the tropopause can also release chemicals that interact with greenhouse gases at those altitudes, particularly [[nitrogen oxide|nitrogen compounds]], which interact with ozone, increasing ozone concentrations.{{cite journal | last = Lin | first = X. | author2 = Trainer, M. |author3-link=Liu Shaw-chen | author3 = Liu, S.C. | name-list-style = amp | title = On the nonlinearity of the tropospheric ozone production | journal = Journal of Geophysical Research | volume = 93 | issue = D12 | pages = 15879–88 | date = 1988 | doi = 10.1029/JD093iD12p15879 | bibcode = 1988JGR....9315879L | url = https://zenodo.org/record/1231446 | access-date = September 12, 2019 | archive-date = November 6, 2020 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20201106100603/https://zenodo.org/record/1231446 | url-status = live }}{{cite journal | last = Grewe | first = V. |author2=D. Brunner |author3=M. Dameris |author4=J. L. Grenfell |author5=R. Hein |author6=D. Shindell |author7=J. Staehelin | title = Origin and variability of upper tropospheric nitrogen oxides and ozone at northern mid-latitudes | journal = Atmospheric Environment | volume = 35 | issue = 20 | pages = 3421–33 |date=July 2001 | doi = 10.1016/S1352-2310(01)00134-0 |bibcode = 2001AtmEn..35.3421G | hdl = 2060/20000060827 | hdl-access = free }} [171] => * Most light piston aircraft burn [[avgas]], which contains [[tetraethyllead]] (TEL). Some lower-compression piston engines can operate on unleaded [[Gasoline|mogas]], and turbine engines and diesel engines – neither of which require lead – are appearing on some newer [[light aircraft]]. [172] => [173] => Another environmental impact of aviation is [[noise pollution]], mainly caused by aircraft taking off and landing. [[Sonic boom]]s were a problem with supersonic aircraft such as the [[Concorde]]. [174] => [175] => {{clear}} [176] => [177] => ==See also== [178] => {{Portal|Aviation }} [179] => {{wikivoyage|Flying}} [180] => * [[Aeronautics]] [181] => * [[Environmental impact of aviation]] [182] => * [[Index of aviation articles]] [183] => * [[Timeline of aviation]] [184] => [185] => ==Notes== [186] => {{Reflist}} [187] => [188] => == Bibliography == [189] => * {{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Efr2Ll1OdqMC&pg=PA128|title=Aviation: Reaching for the Sky|first=Don|last=Berliner|year=1996|publisher=The Oliver Press, Inc|isbn=1-881508-33-1}} [190] => * {{cite book|language=fr|first=Jean-Christophe|last=Cassard|publisher=Skol Vreizh|title=Dictionnaire d'histoire de Bretagne|date=2008|location=Morlaix|isbn=978-2-915623-45-1}} [191] => * {{cite book|last=De Angelis|first=Gina|title=The Hindenburg|date=2001|publisher=Chelsea House Publishers|location=Philadelphia|isbn=0-7910-5272-9|url=https://archive.org/details/hindenburggreatd00gina}} [192] => [193] => ==External links== [194] => {{Sisterlinks|wikt=aviation|b=no}} [195] => * {{Wikivoyage-inline|Flying}} [196] => * {{Commons category-inline|Aviation}} [197] => * {{Wikiversity-inline|Aviation|at-link=School:Aviation|at=The School of Aviation}} [198] => * {{Wiktionary-inline|aviation}} [199] => * [[wikt:Appendix:Aviation, aerospace, and aeronautical terms|Aviation, aerospace, and aeronautical terms]] [200] => [201] => {{Aviation lists}} [202] => [203] => {{Authority control}} [204] => [205] => [[Category:Aviation| ]] [] => )
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Aviation

Aviation is a branch of technology that deals with the design, development, production, operation, and use of aircraft. It includes all activities related to the science, art, and business of flying.

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It includes all activities related to the science, art, and business of flying. The history of aviation dates back to ancient times when humans first attempted to soar into the skies. Through centuries of innovation and perseverance, aviation has evolved into a vital industry that contributes to economic growth, global connectivity, and various fields of science and engineering. The Wikipedia page on aviation covers a wide range of topics related to this field. It provides an overview of the history of aviation, starting from the early experiments of human flight to the development of modern aircraft. The page explores the significant milestones achieved in aviation, such as the invention of the hot air balloon, the first powered flight by the Wright Brothers, and the advancements in jet propulsion technology. Furthermore, the page delves into the different types of aircraft, including airplanes, helicopters, gyroplanes, and airships, explaining their construction, functioning, and uses. It discusses the principles of aerodynamics, aircraft controls, and the various components that make up an aircraft, giving readers a deeper understanding of the mechanics behind flight. The aviation page also explores the different sectors within the aviation industry, such as commercial aviation, military aviation, and general aviation. It covers topics like airline operations, air traffic control, airport infrastructure, aviation safety, and regulations. Additionally, the page highlights the impact of aviation on society, including its role in transportation, tourism, trade, and military defense. Furthermore, the page provides information on aviation organizations and institutions worldwide, such as the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and International Air Transport Association (IATA). It also covers notable individuals in aviation history, including aviators, engineers, and pioneers who have significantly contributed to the advancement of aviation technology. Overall, the Wikipedia page on aviation serves as a comprehensive resource for anyone interested in learning about the science, history, and practical applications of aviation. It offers a wealth of information on the development of aircraft, the functioning of aviation systems, and the impact of aviation on society, making it an invaluable reference for both aviation professionals and enthusiasts alike.

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