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«Student-Edition 2022

What Is Business Aviation?

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Special Olympics

When looking at aviation career choices, most people think about becoming pilots and flying for the commercial airlines or joining the military and making flight missions. Aviation is much broader than that, though, and business aviation is the specific industry segment that Duncan Aviation is proud to serve.

Business aviation refers to the business use of an aircraft that is not operated by the military or a commercial airline. It consists of many different operators that utilize airplanes, helicopters, and more recently, drones or UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles). These pieces of equipment are tools that individuals, companies, and governments use to be more efficient, productive, and safe.

animal rescue mission

Animal Rescue Mission

Operators of business aviation use their airplanes or helicopters in a variety of ways. One of the most common ways a company may use an aircraft is by transporting their own employees, especially if they have middle managers, salespeople, or subject matter experts who need to visit a variety of locations/plants or facilities. They may also transport customers and vendors to an event or cargo to a location.

General aviation aircraft can utilize more than 5,300 public airports in the United States, where commercial airlines provide service to only about 550. This gives access to more rural areas with less drive time from the airport to the locations businesses might want to reach.

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WWII Veteran Honor Flight

Business aviation provides an enormous amount of flexibility and freedom to any and all that utilize it. Passengers on business aircraft can set their own schedules, make quick and easy schedule changes, avoid long TSA security lines and crowded airports, and have private and meaningful business meetings in flight.

Oftentimes, what we don’t think about, however, is how often business aviation can impact people around the world who need help. The industry has been utilized during world disasters, time-sensitive medical emergencies, and especially during the worldwide Coronavirus pandemic.

Business aircraft fly mercy missions every day. They are used in support of a variety of humanitarian and philanthropic organizations, including the Red Cross, Air Care Alliance, Angel Flight, Corporate Angel Network, Honor Flight, Veteran Airlift Command, the Special Olympics and many others.