Aviation
From ArticleWorld
Aviation includes all aspects of mechanical flight. This includes fixed wing, and rotary aircraft as well as hot air balloons, airships, dirigibles, and other lighter-than-air craft. Aviation can be divided into two main classes:
- Civil aviation
- Military aviation
Unfortunately, civil aviation and military aviation are subject to different rules around the globe, which can often lead to complications when the two share the same airspace.
Civil aviation
Civil aviation is concerned with all private and commercial aviation. The majority of countries worldwide belong to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). This enables the various countries to collaborate to create common standards, rules, and guidelines for civil aviation. Member countries of the ICAO strive to ensure that the civil aviation industry maintains high safety standards.
Civil aviation can be further sub-divided into two categories:
- Scheduled air transport
- General aviation
Scheduled air transport includes all flights that operate on a published flight schedule. These can be passenger, or cargo flights. These are the most typical forms of flight that the majority of the general public use for vacation or business travel.
General aviation encompasses all non-scheduled flights. These can be private or commercial flights.
Military aviation
Military aviation, as the name suggests, is any form of aircraft that is operated by a branch of the military services of a particular country. A large number of countries have their own dedicated branch of the military that is primarily based around aviation, known as the Air Force. However, there are often aircraft within the other branches of the military, including the Army, Navy, and Special Services.
Military aviation is best known for its combat capabilities. These include bombing, ground attack, reconnaissance, and air defense. Other less well-known applications of military aviation are transportation, training, and search-and-rescue functions. In many countries, military aircraft will be drafted in to aid civilian emergency services in certain situations.