Page 22 - Planning and Design of Airports

CHAPTER 1

The Nature of

Civil Aviation

and Airports

Introduction
Since its beginning in the early twentieth century, civil aviation has
become one of the most fascinating, important, and complex indus-
tries in the world. The civil aviation system, particularly its airports,
has come to be the backbone of world transport and a necessity to
twenty-first-century trade and commerce.
In 2008, the commercial service segment of civil aviation, con-
sisting of more than 900 airlines and 22,000 aircraft, carried more
than 2 billion passengers and 85 million tons of cargo on more than
74 million flights to more than 1700 airports in more than 180 coun-
tries worldwide. Millions more private, corporate, and charter
“general aviation” operations were conducted at thousands of com-
mercial and general aviation airports throughout the world. In many
parts of the world, commercial service and general aviation serve
as the primary, if not the only method of transportation between
communities.
The magnitude of the impact of the commercial air transporta-
tion industry on the world economy is tremendous, contributing
more than $2.6 trillion in economic activity, equivalent to 8 percent
of the world gross domestic product, and supporting 29 million
jobs. In the United States alone civil aviation is responsible for
$900 billon in economic activity and 11 million jobs. General avia-
tion serves an equally important role in the world’s economy, pro-
viding charter, cargo, corporate, medical, and private transport, as
well as such services as aerial photography, firefighting, surveil-
lance, and recreation. In the United States alone, there are more
than 225,000 registered general aviation aircraft and more than
600,000 registered pilots.

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