Aviation Airplanes

Aviation – How to Succeed

Friday, June 25th, 2010 | Aviation Airplanes | No Comments

History

Aviation refers to the activities involving aircraft, including the people, various support, operational and manufacturing organisations, and regulatory bodies associated with them.

Many individuals and societies have built devices with the aim of being able to travel through the air. Such manifestations range from the earliest projectiles, such as stones and spears, to more sophisticated, buoyant or aerodynamic structures, such as the mechanical pigeon of Archytas in Ancient Greece, the boomerang in Australia, the hot air Kongming lantern, and kites.

There are ancient tales of human flight, such as the fanciful story of Icarus, to the more credible claims of short-distance human flights, such as a kite flight by Yuan Haungtou in China, and the parachute flight and controlled glider flight of Armen Firman.

The true age of aviation began in 1783. Up to then, attempts had involved machines linked to the ground by ropes. However, this represented the first untethered manned flight, in a hot air balloon, designed by the Montgolfier brothers.

Since balloons had the limitation of being only able to travel downwind, then it was quickly realised that a steerable, or dirigible, balloon was required. The challenge was taken up by Jean Pierre Blanchard who, in 1784, flew the first human-powered steerable balloon. Then, in 1785, he went one step further by crossing the English Channel in one.

These machines were subsequently developed further, with such innovations as machine-powered propulsion, in 1852, the addition of rigid frames in 1896, and improved speed and maneuverability by 1901.

Whilst there are many conflicting claims with regards the earliest powered flight, the consensus is the 1903 flight by the Wright brothers. However, this aircraft was impractical to fly for more than a short distance due to severe control problems.

The introduction of ailerons made aircraft much easier to handle, and only a decade later, World War 1 powered aircraft had become practical solutions for reconnaissance, artillery spotting, and even attacks against ground positions.

Soon, as they developed into larger and more reliable machines, aircraft had begun to transport people and cargo. In contrast to small non-rigid blimps, which are airships without an internal supporting framework or keel, giant rigid airships 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. Probably the best known and most successful Zeppelin airship was the Graf Zeppelin which flew over a million miles, including an around-the-world flight in 1929. However, as airplane design advanced, the dominant position of the Zeppelins over the aircraft of the period, even though they had a range of only a few hundred miles, was steadily being eroded.

The “Golden Age” of the airships finally ended, on June 6, 1937, when the Hindenburg caught fire, killing 36 people, whilst it was in the process of landing. Even today, there is no clear evidence to suggest the cause of the conflagration

Although periodic attempts have been made to revive their use, the efforts have mostly been in vain, and limited to niche applications. Could the fate of the Hindenburg be a contributing factor?

Aviation – How To Succeed

Peter Radford writes Articles with Websites on a wide range of subjects. Aviation Articles cover History, Aircraft Types, Air Traffic Control.

His Website contains a total of 75 Aviation Articles, written by others and carefully selected

View his Website at: aviation-how-to-succeed.com

View his Blog at: aviation-how-to-succeed.blogspot.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


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What Does an Aviation Attorney Do?

Sunday, June 20th, 2010 | Aviation Airplanes | No Comments

An aviation attorney handles litigation involved with all aspects of the aviation industry. While primarily concerned with assigning liability after an accident, other responsibilities include regaining losses caused by faulty airplane design, private jet liability, and cargo plane litigation. This particular field of law is a challenging niche to occupy. Not only do lawyers associated with the aviation industry have to attend law school and pass the bar exam like any other attorney, they also need an understanding of aeronautics. Many of these lawyers hold advanced degrees in aeronautical engineering and several are former or current pilots. Adding to the difficulties of litigation of this complicated industry, are the involvement of local, state, and federal regulatory agencies when dealing with accidents, especially large commercial accidents. These agencies, through legal red tape and bureaucratic structure, can severely hinder prosecution of those entities liable.

The primary function of an aviation attorney is to assign liability after an accident. This is oftentimes a contentious and difficult procedure. When a passenger purchases a ticket for a commercial fight, he or she assumes a certain amount of inherent liability. This is most easily interpreted as a “fly at your own risk” stipulation. However, there are a number of circumstances in which the airline company, manufacturer, or pilot could be held liable. These include pilot error or negligence, improper aircraft design, or insufficient maintenance of the aircraft. The airport authority or even the flight tower operator can also be held liable for an accident if the plane was allowed to operate in unsafe conditions or if the plane was put at risk due to scheduling constraints. It is the attorney’s responsibility to sort through these potential issues and assign liability where appropriate.

While the media focuses on the large commercial accidents, attorneys also preside over the much more numerous private and cargo aviation legal situations. Many attorneys argue that this aspect of their legal niche is much more important to average flyer because airline manufacturers, airport authorities, and aviation companies hesitate to accept liability. When dealing with the private flyers insurance companies are quick to blame the potential inexperience of the pilot. However, every pilot has the right to know that the plane in question was manufactured without serious flaws, maintained properly, and that air traffic controller operated confidently and correctly. An aviation attorney provides this sort of analysis.

Cargo aviation offers unique legal challenges when trying to assign liability. Whereas in commercial flights you are dealing hundreds of individuals, when dealing with a cargo flight accidents, attorneys deal with packages and cargo from thousands of different companies and are often dealing with hundreds of different insurance companies. Also, as in private flights, insurance companies are more likely to complain of pilot or crew error thereby eliminating any legal liability. However, aviation attorneys bring to light such issues as improper weight distribution of cargo, maintenance records of the planes, and the age and reliability of cargo planes (cargo planes typically much older than commercial planes). In any situation there a numerous complainants, a multitude of insurance companies, and any number of regulatory bodies which make this particular legal field very challenging.

Looking for an aviation attorney.

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Knowing the Civilian Aviation Authority

Tuesday, June 15th, 2010 | Aviation Airplanes | No Comments

In the United Kingdom, one of the most important regulatory bodies in the aerospace industry is the Civilian Aviation Authority, or the CAA. The CAA was created in 1972 to act as a public organization to oversee all elements of British domestic aviation. The CAA was formally made the government’s aviation regulator with the Civil Aviation Act in 1982, which replaced the Department of Transport in this role. Aerospace professionals, from engineers to pilots, need to know about the CAA’s regulatory functions and jurisdiction in order to better understand the British aerospace industry.

Aerospace professionals should first understand the jurisdiction in which the CAA provides regulation and consultation. The Civilian Aviation Authority is the sole regulator for flights within the United Kingdom, from small charters to regularly scheduled airliners. However, the international nature of airline travel has required consultation and team work with European aviation organizations in order to facilitate safe and efficient travels. When international regulations come into effect, the CAA’s offices in London act as the local office for the European Aviation Safety Agency. CAA officials also act on regulatory boards of the EASA which determine regulations and enforcement policies.

The CAA has broad authority as the United Kingdom’s regulatory of aviation and aerospace activities, which should be understood by aerospace professionals. The function of the CAA that professionals will become most familiar with is the licensing of aviation and aerospace professionals. Flight crew, engineering, and air traffic controller licensing all run through the CAA and regular license upgrades and renewals are required. In a similar vein, the CAA monitors medical regulations and facilitates physicals for aviation personnel that are involved in regular flights.

Aerospace professionals may become intimately familiar with the professional licensing aspects of the CAA but there are a number of other functions that are equally important. The CAA regulates the United Kingdom register of aircraft, which is necessary to maintain an accurate record of all planes in the region. As well, the CAA regulates the licensing of airplanes and other aircraft in the United Kingdom. The CAA not only regulates individual aircrafts and professionals but leads the charge against unfair aerospace business practices. The CAA’s regulatory function allows it to manage public aviation organizations while regulating against private monopolies. In all, the CAA’s jurisdictional and regulatory functions allow it to deal with safety and economic issues in the UK’s aerospace industry. Aerospace professionals who understand the nuances of the CAA will function better in their jobs.

Tony Beaumont is the Managing Director of wynnwith aerospace, the leader provider of aviation jobs.


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