Aircraft: general definition and features

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:43

Interaction with air masses, with which the aircraft is supported in the atmosphere, has significant differences from the relationship with air reflected from the Earth's surface. The concept of "aircraft" is defined by the current legislation of the country, as well as the Chicago Convention. In Russia, all ships intended for flights are registered in a certain order. This is a necessary condition according to established laws.

Defining aircraft

Not all aircraft are classified as aircraft. Vehicles that rise and move in the air only due to jet thrust or inertia are not included. These are ships with a certain principle of support, rocket and space technology, unguided balloons.

Flight apparatuses are divided into classes. Below are the main ones:

• A - free balloons;
• B - controlled balloons (blimps);
• C - aircraft and others;
• S - spacecraft.

Civil ships (types)

Civil aviation aircraft are divided into 2 types: general and commercial, depending on the purpose of their use.

If a vessel is involved in the field of activity of airlines carrying people and various cargoes on a commercial basis, then it is classified as a commercial vessel. If the aircraft is used for personal or business flights, then it refers to general aviation.

Currently, the demand for the second type of aviation is increasing. It tends to perform tasks that aviation operating on a commercial basis is not able to solve. A civil general aviation aircraft capable of transporting small loads. It is used in aviation sports, for the transport of tourists, as well as other purposes. This aircraft has the potential to significantly save passengers time.

The vessels of this aviation do not fly on schedule, they do not need a large airfield to take off and land. People using civil aviation services of this type can choose their own route to the designated place, while they do not need to issue and register air tickets.

Aircraft are informally classified by their specific gravity. They can be lighter or heavier than airspace. Light ships (aerostat, airship) can rise into the atmosphere without resorting to a special power plant, but heavy ones (airplane, glider) cannot. Heavy aircraft have differences instructure by which they are supported in the atmosphere.

Aircraft flight (classification)

The flights of these vessels are classified depending on their purpose, piloting and navigation (instrument and visual), area of operation, altitude, terrain and time of day.

By destination, flights are classified into:

• transport, transporting people and various goods;
• performing aerial work related to agriculture, construction, nature conservation and other fields of activity;
• training designed for training flight personnel;
• training, used to consolidate the knowledge of pilots;
• research needed for various work, and others.

According to the area of execution, they are: airfield, areal, route and off-route.

According to altitude, flights are divided into very low, low, medium, high, stratospheric altitudes.

Depending on the factor over which terrain they are made (over the plain, mountains, desert, water surface, polar territories), flights also have their own specific qualifications.

Crew requirements

The crew of an aircraft is responsible for its functioning. It may include persons who have a full baggage of special knowledge and have documents on qualifications confirming this fact. The flight crew may be allowed to conduct flights only by decisionmedical board, must have the required flight hours to work.

Certain norms that crew members must comply with are prescribed in the Air Code of our country.

Flight crew

Commander, co-pilot, flight engineer are usually members of the flight crew. The commander is responsible for the safety of the aircraft and the persons on board. He controls all work carried out on board the vessel, having the necessary authority for this.

The co-pilot is the assistant commander, he is en titled to perform his duties.

The flight engineer directly monitors the condition of mechanisms and equipment, without the coordinated work of which the aircraft will not be able to function properly.

Technical staff

The main duty of flight attendants is to control the safety of passengers, the implementation of actions established by special regulations. In the event of an unusual situation, these people are responsible for carrying out the evacuation of passengers. Flight attendants are also required to create comfortable conditions for persons on board.

The service personnel is subordinate to the senior flight attendant, who coordinates his actions with the commander.

Aircraft is always controlled by people - flight crew or remotely. At any moment of the flight, a person can control the process of his work.