Aviation
Send us your questions
- What do you mean by "Fly Neighborly" or "Friendly Flying"?
- What is this "general aviation" I'm hearing about?
- Don't Air Traffic Controllers tell pilots where to fly?
- What's the deal with airspace?
- What are flight rules?
- What do you mean by "Fly Neighborly" or "Friendly Flying"?
- •We use the terms interchangeably to indicate a conceptual thought process to be applied by pilots during their planning and flying. Pilots have a large amount of responsibility and trust placed in them to conduct safe flights, which is any pilot's first priority. Before each flight, pilots must familiarize themselves with a lot of information regarding their flights, and update it and their associated decisions throughout the flying day. Friendly flying involves planning and flying, workload permitting, with consideration of the effects of aircraft sound waves at ground level.
- •"Fly Neighborly" is a term that was coined by operators and industry in the early 1980s and has been applied to training programs and operational techniques by all manner of operators around the world. Manufacturers join the effort by conducting research and development of quieter aircraft and sound reduction flight techniques.
- •ERHC was awarded the first ever Fly Neighborly Award in 1982 for its efforts at community-focused solutions to citizen concerns.
- What is this "general aviation" I'm hearing about?
- •In the more than 100 years of its history, powered flight has developed in the U.S. into such broad categories as airlines, military, and general aviation (GA). Chances are, you have had experience with the airlines, and have a notion of what military aviation is about. The rest of aviation, from small planes and helicopters flown for fun and personal transportation, to jets and more, are in the general aviation category. This piece of aviation is quite large and not well understood by the general media or public. You can learn more about this sector at GA at GA Serving America, a web site of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), the largest US pilot group, which counts about two thirds of America's approximately 600,000 pilots as members.
- •GA is the average American's portal to the freedom of the skies and benefits of aviation. For your regional travel, it may well be time and cost effective for you to earn your pilot certificate and rent or own your own aircraft instead of using the airlines or driving. There may well be a small airfield closer to your home and frequent destinations than you realize. Even just going out flying and enjoying the view from the air, maneuvering, exploring new places, is a joy of aviation that is there waiting for you to experience.
- Don't Air Traffic Controllers tell pilots where to fly?
- •Actually, most of the airspace over the U.S. is the type that allows pilots the freedom to choose the route and altitude that best serves their transportation needs. It's the best way for humankind to derive the maximum usefulness from aviation.
- •Many aircraft are equipped to fly by instruments and automated systems, and many pilots train for and earn the additional qualification that allows instrument flight, so they can continue even when the weather or darkness makes it difficult to see. When on an instrument flight, the pilot files a flight plan requesting a specific route, and it is up to ATC to assign a route and keep the aircraft under their control physically separated for safety. Airline flights are always under this kind of flight plan; Visually-guided flights have more discretion.
- What's the deal with airspace?
- •Since flying involves three-dimensional travel, the FAA establishes several kinds of airspace for different kinds of uses, and each kind has its own requirements for entry, communication, visibility, distance from clouds, speed, and aircraft equipment. In the NYC area, the most restrictive is the Class B airspace around JFK, LGA, and EWR. Over MacArthur in Islip, there is a Class C; over towered airports there is Class D when the tower is in operation. The rest of the airspace is a mix of Class E and Class G.
- •The light planes and helicopters you see above can use any of these in compliance with applicable rules, however, the Class E and G allow the pilot the most freedom of choice in route and altitude, while requiring the most responsibility for avoiding other aircraft and maintaining visibility and cloud clearance.
- •Pilots must get ATC permission to enter Class B, C, or D airspace, so sometimes they fly around or over it at busy times or if permission is not given. Since the B and C airspace generally follows an "inverted wedding cake" shape, this allows pilots to fly under some sectors to achieve an efficient flight route.
- What are flight rules?
- •The FAA is the exclusive regulator of the national airspace. They establish regulations for safety and efficiency, so we can get the greatest benefit from aviation. There are entire courses of study on this topic, and pilots spend many hours learning them in the process of training. But broadly, we can say there is IFR and VFR.
- •Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) govern flights on specific routes and altitudes, generally flown with reference to aircraft flight instruments and/or automated systems. These flights are conducted in "controlled" airspace, which is airspace in which air traffic services are available to pilots. IFR flights must be on an approved flight plan and follow ATC instructions. ATC gives instructions to maintain physical separation and sequencing of IFR flights.
- •Visual Flight Rules (VFR) allow the pilot the most freedom for pure enjoyment of flight, or efficiency in travel. Pilots guide the aircraft by using their eyes to navigate and avoid obstacles and other aircraft, hence "visual". VFR flight can be conducted in "controlled" or "uncontrolled" airspace, the latter being volumes of space in which air traffic services are not provided. The word "control" in the context of flight rules has nothing to do with flight paths or guidance of the aircraft, but only refers to availability of services.