Aviation

Activities of sport and leisure

The Gliding

It is an activity of sport and leisure using a Planeur, plane without engine. The sailplane is towed by a plane, even by a released winch until a sufficient altitude then. The objective of the pilot is in general to be maintained in the air more the possible for a long time by using the ascending currents of the atmosphere (hot air). One speaks then about flight in thermics in opposition to the dynamic exploiting the airstreams due to the reliefs and generally practiced flight in mountain.

The Extra-light motorized (ULM)

As its name indicates it, ULM ultra-light are Aéronef S single-seaters or two-seaters very light with a maximum weight of 450kg or 472.5kg with parachute, equipped with only one engine. They are often close to a Deltaplane with engine, (the pendular one), but can also be similar to Avion S of small gauge, small Hélicoptère S (gyrocopter) or be Parapente S provided with a small adapted engine (paramotor). They are well adapted to the walk and with air photography or even with the voyage, are satisfied with reduced grounds and are much less expensive than private planes.

To obtain the whatever the class, pilot's license ULM concerned, it is necessary to be 15 years old completed, to satisfy a theoretical examination of type Multiple-choice questionnaire (QCM), and to be seen delivering an authorization of flight alone on board by an instructor entitled after a hands-on training (10 to 8 p.m. in general).

The Aviation of leisure or tourism

It is an activity of leisure regulated at the same time with regard to the pilots (license of pilot), the machines (standards of minimal equipment, maintenance, etc) and displacements (Vol at sight known as VFR or Instrument flying known as IFR ). The cost the training to piloting, that of the apparatuses and their maintenance often make of it to an associative activity within Aéro-club S. the pilot, and possibly some passengers, go for air walk by using light planes and while generally moving at sight of the ground. This activity is very dependant on the weather conditions.

This activity relates to also the Hélicoptère S but their cost of exploitation is such as the volume of activity is marginal. However, let us note that this volume is in growth thanks to the exploitation of machines studied specifically for tourism or the leisure. To be able to control this type of aircraft, a private assistance, pilot's license is required for the young people exist in particular the B.I.A (aeronautical patent of initiation).

The Aerobatics or aerobaticss

It is an sports activity which requires especially adapted apparatuses. The apparatuses must be reinforced to resist the efforts: steep turns, etc and the engines must continue to function whatever the position: inverted flight…

Economic activities

Some figures: there are 650 aerodromes in France are used for the multiple needs for the companies and the private individuals. In Ile-de-France, one counts about 800.000 movements of general aviation per annum on ten aerodromes which are open for him (including Le Bourget which counts for 50.000), which is of the same order of magnitude as the movements of commercial aviation (500 000 for Roissy and 200.000 for Orly).

One counts 50.000 pilots of plane holder of a license in France from which 6.000 are professional pilots. Among them, 2.000 private pilots and 3.000 professional pilots hold a qualification of instrument flying. In Europe, according to the EASA, the European agency for the air security, there are 300.000 pilots private and 80.000 apparatuses.

The turnover 2006 of the General aviation in France is estimated (according to various sources) between 150 and 500 million euros. This activity would occupy between 1000 and 5000 paid.

Utility planes, the school and the drive

It is an marketing activity which generally consists with épandre a liquid on a given zone (fight against the mosquitos, treatment of harvests, etc) It uses light apparatuses on which one assembles the devices of storage and spreading of the liquids. There exist some apparatuses especially designed for this activity.

The fire control is a particular case because there exist apparatuses especially designed at sea to bail out water or on a lake (filling of the tank during the flight) then to release it. Contrary to spreading, storage then the dropping are carried out in a few seconds what requires an adapted piloting.

Other activities must or can use air means but, generally, the apparatuses are adapted and not conceived for these missions. One can quote the towing of the Planeur S, the dropping of Parachutiste S or the air Ambulance. The most important activity of this category is the school and the drive with piloting where monitors use light apparatuses to train and train the future private or professional pilots.

These activities can also call upon the Hélicoptère.

The Aviation of business

It is about an activity of commercial nature which makes it possible to transport some passengers to schedules and on negotiated routes. It is especially practiced by the business men, from where its name, who use an apparatus bought or rented (charter aircraft) by their company to bring them on the place of their meeting. The aviation of business seeks to be freed from the weather conditions and uses professional pilots who practice the instrument flying (IFR). In order to fulfill the lawful requirements of the commercial transport of passengers, the apparatuses are at least twin-engine and the crew is consisted a pilot and a copilot. The type and the size of the apparatuses are very variable, of the standard piston twin-engine Piper seneca which can take along four passengers to the standard four-jet aircraft Boeing 747 or Airbus A340 taking along ten passengers under luxurious conditions. Certain companies or governments use commercial transport aircraft like business aircraft. The plane is then equipped with some luxurious cabins intended for the leaders and with a standard cabin for the guides.

This activity can also use Hélicoptère S.

The Air transport commercial

Commercial air transport consists in conveying passengers or freight for regular lines. This activity as well recovers airline companies which have only one apparatus conveying some tourists for an island distant from a few kilometers of the continent as of the companies which have hundreds of apparatuses, carry out several thousands of flights per day, transport tens of million passengers or tons of freight per annum at distances which can reach 14 to 15.000 kilometers.

Certain companies are classified as:

conveying regional, their fleet forwards the passengers to a large airport in a radius of 100 to 400 kilometers
conveying interior, their fleet circulates inside an international country
conveying, their fleet joint several countries even several continents.

The companies charter practice the flight with the request. It generally sell their services with organized groups. Their activity obeys the rules of commercial transport but with the objectives of the aviation of business.

Commercial air transport is practiced between airports equipped with installations specific to the treatment of the passengers and freight. It tries to be freed from the weather conditions: all the flights are accomplished under flying conditions without visibility (IFR) and under air control. The activity is very regulated, the pilots are professionals subjected to the renewal programmed their licenses, the apparatuses are certified and subjected to periodic controls and the flight is carried out in connection with the air-traffic controllers by respecting roads envisaged.

The apparatuses used are at least twin-engine (rules IFR). They can transport to 580 passengers, soon 800, at distances reaching 14 to 15.000 kilometers. The crew is consisted of the PNT (Flight crew Technique):

a pilot (CDB or Commander)
and a copilot (OPL or Officer Airline pilot).

The automation of the apparatuses of navigation, radiocommunication and control of the flight made almost disappear the functions from flight engineer, of navigator and of radio (OMN or sailing engineer officer) the comfort and the safety of the passengers are ensured by the personnel of cabin (or commercial flight crew PNC) the regulation imposes 1 PNC by section of 50 PAX (nonpejorative term designating the passengers in air jargon), even if for trade names there is often more; no PNC is obligatory when there is less than 20 PAX but danc this case separation cockpit and cabin must remain open to make it possible to the pilots to throw an eye in the cabin.

Military activities

As of the invention of the first planes, their creators tried to interest the soldiers in order to obtain appropriations. Those saw well the possibilities of aviation and the superiority which they were going to be able to draw some. Thus of many discoveries and technological advances in the aeronautical field are due to the soldiers.

The military aircrafts are characterized by their missions:

the fighter plans or of interception must be able to reach an enemy apparatus within very short times and to fight it. Their principal performances are speed and maneuverability.
the planes of attack on the ground or light bombardment can be lower performances speed but their maneuverability is essential because they operate very close to the ground.
the heavy bombers are conceived to be able to carry an important quantity of bombs at long distance.
the airfreighters or of dropping of parachutists have characteristics close to those of the commercial transport aircraft. Initially the latter were besides derivatives of their military counterparts. These planes are sometimes adapted to other missions such as the in-flight refueling (transport and transfer of the fuel towards another apparatus) or the monitoring (carrying of an antenna radar of great dimension).

Because of their development cost, the military apparatuses are often multi-missions (one speaks about planes multi-roles). The adaptation to a particular mission is done by the change of carryings: they are containers placed under the fuselage or the wings which contain the particular equipment and the weapons necessary to a mission.

The military aircrafts must be obligatorily freed from the worst weather conditions and must be able to ensure their mission without assistance on the ground. This is why the crews of the planes of the transport type comprise a navigator and a mechanic contrary with their civil counterparts. The single-seater airplanes have very an high degree of automation of the functions of piloting and navigation in order to discharge to the maximum the pilot of all the functions which could compete with the achievement of its mission.

These activities also apply to the Hélicoptère S soldiers. It is noted that the majority of the military helicopters are multimissions, the principle of the modularity of carryings applying even more than to plane. A helicopter can as well make connections, ambulance, attack on the ground, monitoring etc

External bonds

aviation

Head office of the civil aviation
the Aeronautical French federation
Trades of Aeronautics
Directory of Aeronautics
Aviation and Aéronautique in Morocco

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