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Annual Safety Review 2014
Business Aviation
PAGE
56
Business Aviation
Scope
Business aviation operations present some very different challenges to other areas of aviation operations. This
Chapter covers the safety of fixed wing aircraft operations that broadly fit into three separate categories:
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Air Taxi Operations:
aircraft flown for business purposes involving the short notice carriage of pas‑
sengers or cargo by an operator having an Air Operators Certificate.
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Corporate Business Operations:
non‑commercial operations involving professional flight crew em‑
ployed to fly and aircraft on behalf of a business or organisation.
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Owner Operated Business Operations:
aircraft flown for business purposes and is flown by the own‑
er of the business.
In this context and within Europe, there are over 800 business aviation operators flying in excess of 4,000 air‑
craft and over 160,000 aviation professional are involved in the sector. Business aviation involves operations
using both jet and turboprop aircraft and the sector undertakes a significant percentage of the annual aviation
movements in Europe. One of the key differences between business aviation and commercial airline operations
is the flexibility that it offers to those who choose to use this type of service. For example, 70% of business avia‑
tion flights take off and land at smaller airports that handle fewer than 100 departures per day
5
. That means that
business aviation operations also involve more flight in uncontrolled airspace. Together, these factors present
the sector with some specific safety challenges and this section provides an analysis of the key types of safety
occurrences involving business aviation and considers some of the specific safety risks these operators face and
manage on a day‑to‑day basis.
5 Source – European Business Aviation Association.