Classification of Air Transportations

Air transportation is the carriage of passengers, mail, load and freight by aircraft or helicopters. All air transportations are classified according to the territorial sign, to the objects of transportation and to the direction of transportation. By the territorial division they are defined as domestic and international transportations. Domestic and international transportations are divided into scheduled and non-scheduled flights.

Scheduled flights are performed due to the definite traffic schedule. Non-scheduled flights are operated according to special agreements or orders. On international routes they are known as charter flights. In summer during rush-hours there may be additional flights to the schedule. Depending upon the object of the transportations we define passenger, mail, load and freight transportations.

As to their direction the transportations differ as non-stopover flights, that is from the point of departure to the point of destination, round trips, from the point of departure to the point of destination and back to the starting point, and onward journey with the transfer from one airplane to another. Carriage of Dangerous Goods

Carrying goods by air or rail involves the risk of traffic accidents. If the goods carried are dangerous, there is also the risk of an incident, such as spillage of the goods, leading to hazards such as fire, explosion, chemical burn or environmental damage.

Most goods are not considered sufficiently dangerous to require special precautions during carriage. Some goods, however, have properties which mean they are potentially dangerous if carried. Dangerous goods are liquid or solid substances and articles containing them, that have been tested and assessed against internationally-agreed criteria-a process called classification - and found to be potentially dangerous (hazardous) when carried. Dangerous goods are assigned to different Classes depending on their predominant hazard.

There are regulations to deal with the carriage of dangerous goods, the purpose of which is to protect everyone either directly involved (such as consignors or carriers), or who might become involved (such as members of the emergency services and public). Regulations place duties upon everyone involved in the carriage of dangerous goods, to ensure that they know what they have to do to minimize the risk of incidents and guarantee an effective response.

Carriage of dangerous goods by air or rail is regulated internationally by agreements and European Directives, with biennial updates of the Directives take account of technological advances. New safety requirements are implemented by Member States via domestic regulations which directly reference the technical agreements.

Landing Area

The landing area or flying field includes the runway or runways and taxiways. The principal element of the landing area is the runway. The runway is designed for aircraft taking-off and landing. To provide safe landings of aircraft there are terminal safety lines at both ends of the runway and side safety lines all along it.

The length of the runway depends on many factors, such as altitude, climate, types and weight of the airplanes that use them. Most modern airports have the runways ranging from 2500 to 3700 metres. And for large super-heavy transport planes the runways are up to 4000 metres long and 40-60 metres wide.

Large jet airplanes use only the airports with paved or hard surface runways, although smaller airplanes car operate from grass strips.

Taxiways provide access form the runways to the terminal area and maintenance hangars, as well as from the terminal area to the take-off ends of the runways. Taxiways should be arranged so that aircraft, which landed, do not interfere with aircraft taxiing to take off. At busy airports there is a main taxiway going parallel the runway connecting its ends. Taxiways are routed so as to avoid crossing of active runways. During peak traffic periods, when a continuous supply of aircraft is available, the capacity of a runway is dependent, to a large degree, on how quickly landing aircraft can be vacated from the runway. Therefore, taxiways should be located at various points along the runway, so that landing aircraft can leave the runway as quickly as possible to clear it for use by other aircraft. These taxiways connect the runway with the main taxiway. The function of the exit taxiways is to minimize runway occupancy time by landing aircraft. Exit taxiways can be placed at right angles to the runway or at some other angle. When the angle is approximately 30 to 45 degrees, the term “high-speed exit” is used to denote that it is designed for higher speeds than other exit taxiway configurations.

There is a network of taxiways, also referred to as taxi strips, at the airfield. Taxiway (TW) is the special well-equipped part of the airfield used for taxiing only. Taxiways may be the main and connecting ones. Their purpose is to provide safe movement of aircraft about the airfield. Taxiways provide access from the runways to the terminal area and maintenance hangars, as well as from the terminal area to the take-off ends of the runways. Taxiways should be arranged so that aircraft, which landed, do not interfere with aircraft taxiing to take off.

At busy airports there is a main taxiway going parallel the runway connecting its ends. Connecting TW is intended to link the RW, main TW, apron and special purpose areas. Where taxiing traffic is simultaneously in both directions parallel one-way taxiways are provided. Routes are selected to provide the shortest practicable distances from the terminal area to the end of the runways used for take-off. Whenever possible, taxiways are routed so as to avoid crossing of active runways.

During peak traffic periods, when a continuous supply of aircraft is available, the capacity of a runway is dependent, to a large degree, on how quickly landing aircraft can be vacated from the runway. Therefore, taxiways should be located at various points along the runway, so that landing aircraft can leave the runway as quickly as possible to clear it for use by other aircraft.

The location of exit taxiways is also influenced by the location of the runways relative to the terminal area.