Hours flown data (available up to the end of 2010) is used to calculate accident and fatal accident rates for different operation types. This data includes hours flown for both domestic/regional and international high capacity air transport operations for Australian airlines, and hours flown for general aviation. Note that information reported on hours flown by foreign registered aircraft is not reliable, and hence is not included in these figures. While departures are generally used as an exposure measure for commercial air transport operations, hours flown is considered to be a more useful measure of exposure than departures for some operation types within general aviation because of the higher risk of an accident outside of the approach/landing and takeoff phases of flight; for example some aircraft may be required to perform low flying.
Table 2 records thousands of hours flown by operation type6 for Australian (VH-) registered aircraft. In 2002, general aviation and air transport hours flown were similar, but since this time, hours flown in air transport have continued to rise at a faster rate than those in general aviation. In 2010, there was a difference of about 480,000 hours flown between the two.
Hours flown in Australia increased steadily in air transport over the past nine years. For general aviation, hours flown increased from 2004 until 2008 but have remained static since 2008 (Figure 3). Low capacity air transport hours flown have generally declined over this period, however, they have increased slightly in 2010 (Figure 4). The reduction in low capacity air transport hours is in part due to an increase in the seating capacity of aircraft being used to service regional cities and mining communities, and the focus of low cost and leisure airlines on second-tier airports and major regional centres.
Figure 5 shows a comparison of flying activity between each subgroup of general aviation. Flying training hours flown increased since 2004, but showed a marked drop in 2010. Sources from the training industry have indicated that the 2010 drop was a result of lower numbers of overseas students due to the high Australian dollar. Private and business hours flown have been static for a number of years. Aerial work activity as a whole has increased slightly, though within aerial work Survey and Agricultural flying hours have displayed significant variability. This is most likely due to variability in business markets and drought conditions over the last decade. Other types of aerial work have displayed a relatively stable level trend in hours flown.7
Figure 3: Hours flown by operation type, 2002 to 2011
Figure 4: Hours flown in commercial air transport, 2002 to 2011
Figure 5: Hours flown in general aviation, 2002 to 2011
Table 2: Hours flown (thousands), 2002 to 2010
|
2002
|
2003
|
2004
|
2005
|
2006
|
2007
|
2008
|
2009
|
2010
|
All commercial air transport
|
1,367
|
1,378
|
1,562
|
1,623
|
1,633
|
1,732
|
1,767
|
1,700
|
1,819
|
High capacity
|
720
|
758
|
883
|
944
|
978
|
1,027
|
1,122
|
1,128
|
1,202
|
Low capacity
|
208
|
197
|
204
|
201
|
181
|
166
|
132
|
108
|
115
|
Charter
|
439
|
423
|
475
|
478
|
474
|
539
|
513
|
464
|
502
|
All general aviation
|
1,240
|
1,214
|
1,162
|
1,237
|
1,215
|
1,285
|
1,336
|
1,337
|
1,338
|
All Aerial workError: Reference source not found
|
410
|
404
|
412
|
426
|
412
|
445
|
464
|
446
|
514
|
Aerial Agriculture
|
70
|
69
|
86
|
94
|
61
|
62
|
78
|
73
|
103
|
Aerial Mustering
|
110
|
99
|
103
|
113
|
102
|
112
|
112
|
105
|
118
|
Aerial EMS
|
67
|
68
|
69
|
68
|
78
|
74
|
81
|
81
|
90
|
Aerial Search & Rescue
|
5
|
4
|
4
|
6
|
7
|
9
|
9
|
7
|
5
|
Aerial Survey
|
39
|
52
|
33
|
32
|
44
|
54
|
64
|
38
|
58
|
Flying training
|
415
|
425
|
357
|
420
|
429
|
461
|
490
|
501
|
440
|
Private/Business
|
415
|
385
|
393
|
391
|
374
|
379
|
382
|
390
|
384
|
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