U.S.-China Aviation Competition Military, Commercial, and General Aviation Are Different
Abstract
Aviation comes in three flavors: military aviation, commercial aviation, and general aviation. Military aviation is driven by performance demands speed, radars, stealth, short or vertical takeoff. Commercial aviation emphasizes safety, reliability, and efficiency. General aviation places the most importance on lowering the capital costs of aviation to allow small companies and individuals to fly, which requires trade-offs with performance and efficiency. While each is distinct, they all contribute to defense capabilities in different ways. All three involve aerospace technology and often lead to the discussion of platforms and vehicles. However, each flavor of aviation is also underpinned by complex systems and processes. Militaries need to continuously train, sustain, and innovate in ways that meet their strategic goals. Commercial aircraft manufacturers and commercial airlines are heavily regulated by national safety boards, constrained by the availability of landing slots at key airports and international agreements between nations, and face continuous competition in their markets. General aviation depends on numerous smaller airports and companies to support a myriad of independent actors in ways that do not interfere with military or commercial aviation.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 13, 2023
- Accession Number
- AD1199165
Entities
People
- Chad J. Ohlandt
Organizations
- RAND Corporation