Questions tagged [commercial-operations]

Questions pertaining to the operation of aircraft for commercial purposes.

Filter by
Sorted by
Tagged with
3 votes
0 answers
52 views

How many commercial or ATP pilots have lost their medical yearly from 2015 to 2022?

I wold like to know how many pilots have lost their medical that prohibits flying on a commercial or ATP, year to year from 2015 to 2022.
Jeff Smathers's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
249 views

Commercial Operator vs Air Carrier

What is the difference between a commercial operator and an air carrier? What certificates do you need for both? I saw somewhere online that you need an operating certificate for both air carrier and ...
Maggie Mayfield's user avatar
5 votes
2 answers
4k views

Will getting a 4-year degree actually make a difference?

I'm currently working on my PPL, still in high school. I should get my PPL almost exactly on my 17th birthday. Instrument comes after, then complex, etc, etc. Should I still consider a college or go ...
Alec Henderson's user avatar
-2 votes
1 answer
184 views

What is the minimum manpower required for A320 start up airline

Ideally on a A320 aircraft how many captains, first officers and cabin cre would be required for a start up airline accounting for 2 Management Captains, standby, training, sickness, leave, mandatory ...
MAS's user avatar
  • 19
0 votes
1 answer
169 views

Number of US Commercial Aircraft versus Rest of the World

I have been trying to obtain information on the number of commercial passenger aircraft (i.e. jetliners) that US airline companies have compared with the number airlines for the whole rest of the ...
inquiries's user avatar
  • 441
2 votes
1 answer
192 views

Planform Area of Commercial Passenger Airplanes

I am trying to retrieve information on the total area constantly covered by commercial passenger airplanes in flight (that is, airborne planes, not planes on the ground). To this end, I've been trying ...
inquiries's user avatar
  • 441
0 votes
0 answers
137 views

Can a pilot fly past their 12 hour "Regularly Scheduled Duty Day" of 135.267(c) if they stay within the legal 14 hour max limit?

Can a pilot who is assigned a regularly assigned duty day under .267(c) of 12 hours, be assigned a flight on the 12th hour (right before they would normally go home) which would cause the pilot to fly ...
tom.s's user avatar
  • 1
0 votes
0 answers
78 views

What does “in position time” normally mean in the aviation industry?

I’ve read route descriptions for a cargo company, and they have a line for “in position time”. What does in position time correspond to as industry jargon? Does it mean holding short of the runway, ...
Ryan Mortensen's user avatar
1 vote
2 answers
1k views

Can a commercial pilot rent an airplane and use it for hire?

Can the holder of a commercial pilot certificate rent an airplane (with a recent 100-hour inspection) from a fixed-base operator and use it to carry passengers for hire? I believe the answer this is a ...
LastXdeth's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
178 views

How could Airbus better tailor the A380 to the modern market? [closed]

I understand any company do things that give net profit. But, had not manufacturing newer engines that increase its Endurance and Range saved it from its decline? Airbus had designed the A380 to ...
Noorul Quamar's user avatar
14 votes
2 answers
3k views

How does helicopter mustering make financial sense?

I've seen and know that helicopter mustering is popular in Australia and what I do not understand is why this works from a business perspective. Helicopters are expensive and dangerous machines so it ...
user57247's user avatar
  • 221
1 vote
1 answer
168 views

Why are private jets more expensive to travel in than commercial aircraft?

I am not sure if this is the right site for a question that asks about the economics of aviation rather than the technical aspects of it, but I couldn't find any other stack exchange site so I am ...
Chandrahas's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
381 views

Does the retirement age for commercial airline pilots vary across the globe?

Do the retirement age of commercial airlines pilot varies from country to country?
Prashant Akerkar's user avatar
11 votes
15 answers
7k views

Are there passenger flights with stops in the middle?

Train and bus lines usually have a number of stops along the way where some passengers can get on and off, while the rest stay onboard and continue to their destinatiom. For sufficiently long routes, ...
Airy Anna's user avatar
  • 135
-1 votes
1 answer
308 views

Has any commercial airliner ever flown inverted? [duplicate]

Has any commercial airliner ever flown inverted, either intentionally (extremely unlikely) or during an upset?
Cloud's user avatar
  • 10.4k
9 votes
5 answers
4k views

First time passenger flight by two pilots?

In this video, the captain proclaims after take-off: We were nervous about this, but takeoff went smoothly It was his first passenger flight in the A350, but still... not exactly what I would want ...
Cloud's user avatar
  • 10.4k
5 votes
2 answers
695 views

Does the FAA consider flights that generate content for profitable YouTube channels displaying airborne video to be commercial operations?

Is there any guidance from the FAA such as an Advisory Circular, Letter of Interpretation, or other document that directly clarifies the scenario below? If a pilot creates aerial video content while ...
Ryan Mortensen's user avatar
14 votes
4 answers
6k views

Why do helicopter operations avoid IFR?

In almost any airplane commercial operation, unless you’re doing something very short haul daytime ops, an Instrument Rating is all but required with airplanes (it’s even in the FARs). Generally the ...
Jhon Lewis's user avatar
2 votes
0 answers
120 views

What is the ratio of standby crews to flying crews?

Section 4.O of the FedEx Collective Bargaining Agreement discusses how pilots are to be compensated for being on standby. From what I can tell they basically get paid a "trip guarantee" that is close ...
nodapic's user avatar
  • 1,775
-4 votes
4 answers
560 views

Why don't commercial aircraft use tail hook technology?

Tail hooks help drastically reduce an aircraft's speed during landing, and would therefore reduce the necessity of having long runways. So why doesn't tail hook technology be implemented into ...
Super's user avatar
  • 1,273
46 votes
5 answers
13k views

Why are 'ghost flights' necessary?

This article details the recent (March 2020) grounding of 90% of Ryanair's fleet due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Flight tracking data showed that all bar one of the jets had been flown in recent days:...
Cloud's user avatar
  • 10.4k
6 votes
1 answer
2k views

When is a runway considered to be wet or slippery for 135 or 121 landing performance considerations?

For the purposes of following FAA regulations, when is a runway considered to be wet or slippery in the context of landing performance calculations? Specifically, what definitions or guidance on ...
J W's user avatar
  • 16.5k
2 votes
3 answers
140 views

Technical factors to consider for retrofitting aerial refueling for commericial aircraft

What are the factor that need to be taken into account to retrofit and an airliner like an a330 or 777 or maybe even a business jet like a global 5000 to an aerial refuelable (receiving) aircraft. Is ...
user19440's user avatar
  • 1,075
1 vote
4 answers
1k views

When do commercial aircraft tail numbers change?

Each (large, commercial and most other) aircraft has a registration number, painted or stickered on its hull: the tail number. I was under the false impression that tail numbers don't change, and ...
einpoklum's user avatar
  • 334
9 votes
3 answers
4k views

Why was this commercial plane highly delayed mid-flight?

What could be the main reasons for a short-haul flight to be delayed over an hour in-flight? Recent Lufthansa LH 2227 CDG-MUC flight took off only half an hour after scheduled time, but landed at ...
trejder's user avatar
  • 4,162
-3 votes
3 answers
717 views

Would building an airport at 30,000 ft save money?

So... this would obviously cost a ton of money initially, but long-term, I believe the savings both environmentally and financially would be returned many times over. If a building can already be ...
Cloud's user avatar
  • 10.4k
4 votes
2 answers
235 views

Are there locations/altitudes with minimum speed requirements?

For example, a slower aircraft operating on the North Atlantic Track System would have an operational impact on surrounding/overtaking aircraft as well as potentially increasing ATC workload to ensure ...
nodapic's user avatar
  • 1,775
3 votes
1 answer
496 views

What does the “test result indicator” indicate on a cockpit voice recorder?

I am really curious as to what the “green/red” strip of led indicate and the numbers below it. Having read around the web, i speculated that it could be an audio quality rating scale. Would help alot ...
Curiousgeorge's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
341 views

What steps do I need to follow to use my PPL for income?

So I am currently taking my PPL because flying was always a passion. But, as I am sure all who do such can relate, it is an expensive license to hold on to. None the less we go through simply for the ...
Diogo Santo's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
844 views

Can an aircraft operator hire a Commercial Pilot to fly their aircraft under part 91?

Here is the scenario. Joe owns a Cessna 172. Joe hires Tim to fly him in his 172 from A to B. Tim is a Commercial Pilot. Is this legal? So far, everyone has said yes to this question, but not one ...
Forseth11's user avatar
  • 203
8 votes
1 answer
349 views

Why do airlines outsource regional flying?

The three major American airlines (American, United, and Delta) all have regional brands. These brands are actually operated by other airlines (ie: SkyWest). Air Canada has a similar regional brand ...
Sam Creamer's user avatar
0 votes
0 answers
66 views

Was this 'load-balancing' seat change refusal real? [duplicate]

On Sunday, I was on a flight in Greece, on a A320. I was sat just forward of the wings. Someone sat in the isle seat opposite me, asked if she could move to the back to sit with her friend, since the ...
Cloud's user avatar
  • 10.4k
17 votes
2 answers
3k views

Who operates delivery flights for commercial airlines?

Seeing an A220 flying to Atlanta for delivery to Delta made me wonder: Which crew operates a delivery flight? The manufacturer’s pilots? Or the airline’s crew?
zymhan's user avatar
  • 2,198
8 votes
1 answer
390 views

How can I find out if the FAA has ever sanctioned a pilot?

Is there any easy way to check to see if a CFI or commercial pilot has had past problems with the FAA? The question came to me after an old thread in one of the aviation forums pointed me to this ...
Bryan Lee's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
269 views

What is a typical ratio of aircraft in air vs. total aircraft per airline?

While commercial airlines have a fleet of x aircraft, not all x aircraft will be in the air at any given time. Typically, several aircraft are in the air, some are on the ground (turnaround, loading, ...
Stefan's user avatar
  • 4,662
7 votes
1 answer
416 views

Can I use a rental airplane to conduct air tours?

Can a commercial pilot perform non-stop air tour operations under part 91 within 25SM of the airport using a rental airplane from the FBO? I noticed that in the LOA application, the operation needs ...
Shaun's user avatar
  • 147
5 votes
3 answers
914 views

What's the difference between "Nonstop Commercial Air Tour" and "Aerial Photography"?

I work for an FBO that has a LOA for Nonstop Commercial Air Tours, which are limited to a 25 statute mile radius of the airport. I was contacted by a man who is a semi-professional photographer who ...
CFI Andy's user avatar
-9 votes
1 answer
305 views

What can I do if my aircraft type changes last minute? [closed]

I have a flight scheduled for June with a popular, European commercial budget-operator on a 737. I'm sure everyone knows about the groundings of the MAX. However, I'm concerned that the MAX may be ...
Cloud's user avatar
  • 10.4k
3 votes
1 answer
183 views

Are there regulations that limit the airports an air carrier can visit based on rescue equipment?

ICAO Annex 14 (which deals primarily with SARPS for international airports) outlines requirements for rescue and firefighting that the airports shall have based on the fuselage lengths of the planes ...
user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
176 views

What operational aspects of Alphabet's Wing drone delivery service will be the same as that of an airline?

The NPR News article and podcast FAA Certifies Google's Wing Drone Delivery Company To Operate As An Airline begins with: The Federal Aviation Administration has certified Alphabet's Wing Aviation to ...
uhoh's user avatar
  • 5,298
2 votes
1 answer
161 views

Would knowing the exact weight that has been loaded on a commercial plane and it's distribution be useful? [duplicate]

There's been a bit in the media about weighing passengers in order to get more accurate take off weights for commercial planes. I'm guessing the delta between a heavy set of passengers and a light ...
DoubleD's user avatar
  • 21
7 votes
2 answers
827 views

Why is the Beluga chartered out for oddball missions, but not the Dreamlifter?

Both Airbus and Boeing have special outsize-cargo freighters for transporting large pieces of airliner; Airbus has five Belugas (derived from the A300), while Boeing uses four Dreamlifters (...
Vikki's user avatar
  • 27.8k
8 votes
1 answer
528 views

How are businesses able to use experimental aircraft?

I saw businesses like this using military jets to sell rides to civilians. Since warbirds are considered experimental aircraft, does the FAA issue special certs to fly them commercially? According ...
DerekRobot's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
246 views

Do pilots get full credit hours when they fly double or augmented?

In commercial airlines, in some very long flights as far as I know they require double cockpit crew sets (2 pilots, 2 co-pilots) to operate. Do both crew sets get the full credit hours for these ...
Nean Der Thal's user avatar
34 votes
1 answer
7k views

What is the purpose of a walled area in the vicinity of Heathrow Airport?

Looking at a satellite map to the East of Heathrow Airport, there is a small passenger jet parked in a walled off area. Looking at the aerodrome chart the entire area is listed as Bealine Base, which ...
mfurseman's user avatar
  • 443
5 votes
1 answer
654 views

May airlines cancel unprofitable flights?

If a given flight is unprofitable for an airline (occupancy ratio or – more precisely – revenue from ticket fares and cargo below the break even point) and if operating this flight incurred a bigger ...
summerrain's user avatar
  • 3,324
2 votes
1 answer
334 views

Are there any safety or technical reason airlines do not display flight information to passengers in real-time?

A newer addition to commercial airliners is seatback screens, that allow the passengers to watch movies, TV, and so forth. On most airlines, there is also a map, that shows you the aircraft's flight ...
M28's user avatar
  • 2,399
8 votes
4 answers
4k views

Can an amateur-built aircraft ever be used for commercial activities?

There are some non-recreational activities, such as aerial photography, wildlife observation, environmental monitoring, etc., that seem well-suited to certain amateur-built aircraft. The open-cockpit ...
Grant Petty's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
344 views

Do special procedures exist for commercial pilots flying over Russia?

Since Russia, and in particular the Asian part of it, is huge, I was wondering if there are special procedures for commercial pilots to follow over Russia (in particular and specifically Siberia and ...
Stefan's user avatar
  • 4,662
10 votes
2 answers
2k views

Did these pilots break any regulations by hand-flying an A320 for most of the cruise?

A couple of days ago, I flew with a popular budget airline within Europe. The aircraft was an A320. It was also a brand new one (only in service since June 2018 and produces 15% less noise and fuel ...
Cloud's user avatar
  • 10.4k