17.07.2015 Views

Acknowledgments US Department of Transportation - BTS

Acknowledgments US Department of Transportation - BTS

Acknowledgments US Department of Transportation - BTS

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

than 30 years but cautioned that inconsistencies may occur in groupings <strong>of</strong> ship types over time. For example, tankbarges are now included in the tanker ship-type grouping rather than the barge grouping.TABLE 1-13. Active Air Carrier and General Aviation Fleet by Type <strong>of</strong> AircraftAir Carrier, Certificated, All ServicesPrior to 1995, data originated from the U.S. <strong>Department</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Transportation</strong>, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA),FAA Statistical Handbook <strong>of</strong> Aviation. Later data are from the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA), AerospaceFacts and Figures. However, Aerospace Facts and Figures is compiled from the FAA Statistical Handbook <strong>of</strong>Aviation. U.S. air carrier fleet data are based on reports collected by FAA field <strong>of</strong>fices from carriers. The reportsinclude information on the number <strong>of</strong> aircraft by type used in air carrier service. The FAA points out that thisinformation is not an inventory <strong>of</strong> the aircraft owned by air carriers, but represents the aircraft reported to the FAA asbeing used in air carrier fleet service. The reported aircraft are all aircraft carrying passengers or cargo forcompensation or hire under 14 CFR 121 and 14 CFR 135.General AviationThe 1960-1980 figures originated from the FAA Statistical Handbook <strong>of</strong> Aviation. Later data are from FAA annualissues <strong>of</strong> the General Aviation and Air Taxi Activity (GAATA) Survey report, table 3.1.The FAA collects both aircraftregistration data and voluntary information about aircraft operation, equipment, and location. Before 1978, the FAAmandated owners to annually register their aircraft for the Aircraft Registration Master File. This was a completeenumeration <strong>of</strong> operating aircraft. Registrants were also asked to voluntarily report information on hours flow, avionicsequipment, base location, and use. The FAA changed their data collection methodology in 1978. The annualregistration requirement became triennial and the General Aviation Activity and Avionics Survey was initiated tosample aircraft operation and equipment data.The General Aviation Activity and Avionics Survey was renamed the General Aviation and Air Taxi Activity Survey in1993 to reflect the fact that the survey includes air taxi aircraft. This survey is conducted annually and encompassesa stratified, systematic design from a random start to generate a sample <strong>of</strong> all general aviation aircraft in the UnitedStates. It is based on the FAA registry as the sampling frame. FAA established three stratification design variables inthe survey: 1) the average annual hours flown per aircraft by aircraft type, 2) the aircraft manufacturer/modelcharacteristics, and 3) the state <strong>of</strong> aircraft registration.Data ReliabilityBecause <strong>of</strong> the change in 1978, the reliability <strong>of</strong> comparisons over time will be affected. The FAA asserted that thechange to a triennial registration deteriorated the Aircraft Registration Master File in two ways. First, the resulting lagin registration updates caused the number <strong>of</strong> undeliverable questionnaires to steadily increase over the three-yearperiod. Second, inactive aircraft would remain in the registry, inflating the general aviation fleet count. In addition, anew regulation added two categories <strong>of</strong> aircraft to the general aviation fleet. However, FAA concluded that thesechanges resulted in no more than a five-percent error in the fleet population estimate.The reliability <strong>of</strong> the GAATA survey can be impacted by two factors: sampling and nonsampling error. A measure,called the standard error, is used to indicate the magnitude <strong>of</strong> sampling error. Standard errors can be converted forcomparability by dividing the standard error value by the estimate (derived from sample survey results) andmultiplying it by 100.This quantity, referred to as the percent standard error, totaled seven-tenths <strong>of</strong> a percent in 1997for the general aviation fleet. A large standard error relative to an estimate indicates lack <strong>of</strong> precision and, inversely, asmall standard error indicates precision.Nonsampling errors could include problems such as nonresponse, respondent's inability or unwillingness to providecorrect information, differences in interpretation <strong>of</strong> questions, and data-entry mistakes. Readers should note that nonresponsebias might be a component <strong>of</strong> reliability errors in the data from 1980 to 1990.The FAA conducted telephonesurveys <strong>of</strong> nonrespondents in 1977, 1978, and 1979 and found no significant differences or inconsistencies inrespondents' and nonrespondents' replies. The FAA discontinued the telephone survey <strong>of</strong> nonrespondents in 1980 tosave costs. Nonresponse surveys were resumed in 1990, and the FAA found notable differences and thus adjustedits fleet estimates. The 1991 through 1996 data have been revised to reflect nonresponse bias. In 1997, a sample <strong>of</strong>29,954 aircraft was identified and surveyed from an approximate population <strong>of</strong> 251,571 registered general aviationaircraft. Just over 65 percent <strong>of</strong> the sample responded to the survey.

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!