| General aviation encompasses charter flights, bush | | | | personal plane, you are in control of and are |
| flights, gliding, police, fire and emergency ambulance | | | | responsible for, your own flight. You won’t run into |
| services, as well as any unscheduled flights with | | | | a pilot canceling a flight or flight attendants at the end |
| commercial airlines. In most countries, business jets and | | | | of their patience. Generally speaking, you’ll also |
| cargo jets are under the same regulations as most | | | | have the pick of the seats in the plane, and there |
| regularly scheduled commercial flights. Bush flying and | | | | isn’t a bad view if they’re all window seats. |
| air ambulances, charter flights and gliders have lower | | | | With general aviation flights, you are free from the |
| expectations and guidelines. They use smaller, often | | | | “3 ounce restriction” on personal care products |
| private, airports, and are subject to less government | | | | that the TSA has for commercial airlines. What’s |
| regulation. | | | | more, many airlines are now charging for each bag, as |
| Three quarters of all the planes that take off and land | | | | well as charging an additional fee for a window seat |
| in the U.S. are general aviation planes. The National Air | | | | or an aisle seat. These are non-issues with general |
| Transportation Committee says that general aviation | | | | aviation. |
| pumped about $100 billion into the nation’s economy | | | | Besides being in control of your own flight, you set the |
| last year alone. | | | | schedule for your arrival and return. With airlines cutting |
| In recent years, security on general aviation flights has | | | | capacity and sending flights to fewer and fewer |
| become increasingly important. However, the TSA | | | | destinations, you spend more time in the airport waiting |
| (Transportation Security Administration) is busy | | | | for flights. With general aviation, you can leave after |
| checking people’s bags so they can load a | | | | morning rush hour traffic if you’d like, or you can |
| commercial flight, and has little time for making | | | | leave before anyone else is up. And, you’re not |
| monitoring the general aviation facilities. Therefore, | | | | bound to an airline with a non-refundable ticket when |
| generally speaking, small airport operators shoulder the | | | | they randomly choose to cancel or postpone a flight. |
| bulk of the security burden for general aviation. | | | | With small, general aviation airports all over the world, |
| Still, there are lots of good reasons to use general | | | | you don’t have to settle for landing at the nearest |
| aviation. Skipping the commercially scheduled flights | | | | “big city.” A general aviation plane can land at |
| and snagging a chartered jet or private plane to your | | | | any of the thousands of smaller airports. This could |
| nearest vacation spot can be a tempting proposition, | | | | mean leaving from a spot closer to home, and will |
| especially in these days of higher prices and increased | | | | almost surely mean arriving at a spot closer to your |
| regulation on commercial flights. | | | | destination. |
| For starters, if you rent a charter plane or have a | | | | |