The US Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Office of Aviation Policy and Plans, Statistics and Forecast Branch (APO-110) conducts the annual General Aviation and Air Taxi Activity Survey, the primary source of data on activity and equipment in the general aviation industry.
The results of the survey are used by a wide range of government agencies, manufacturers and industry associations. The survey provides estimates of general aviation aircraft activity (such as fleet size, hours flown and primary use), avionics equipment and weather-related capabilities and current characteristics of the active general aviation fleet.
In 1999, the first year of the project, PA worked with the FAA, general aviation associations and aircraft manufacturers, to revise the survey content and format, improve data collection procedures, improve precision of statistical estimates and automate the production of tables for the annual report.
Each year a stratified probabilty sample of 30,000 owners/operators of general aviation aircraft on the Civil Aviation Registry are invited to participate in the survey over the Internet or by mail. Mail survey data is processed by PA using an optical scanner to reduce data entry errors, processing time and project costs. Response rates are maximized by tracking operators and owners and by supplementing address information with other aviation data sources. PA designed methods to estimate fleet size and hours flown for over 19 aircraft types by state, FAA region and primary use of aircraft. Adjustments are made for misclassification of aircraft on the Civil Aviation Registry and for unit and item non-response. Sample weights are made to account for sampling probabilities, response rates and non-response.
In the most recent redesign, PA worked with other government stakeholders (National Safety Transportation Board, FAA’s Aviation Accident Investigation Team and the General Services Administration) to redesign the survey to collect more precise estimates for certain types of aircraft and aircraft use. PA continues to coordinate these design changes with other stakeholders, including general aviation industry groups, pilot associations and manufacturer associations.
Under PA’s direction, improved data collection and statistical estimation procedures have improved the validity and reliability of annual estimates of general aviation activity. The FAA uses the data to monitor the number of active aircraft, flight hours, primary use and activities for the general aviation and air taxi fleet. The study also helps them anticipate demand for National Airspace System facilities and services, assess the impact of regulatory changes on the general aviation fleet and implement measures to ensure the safe operation of all aircraft.
The FAA publishes the estimates and data tables prepared by PA in the annual report. More than two-dozen stakeholders use specific parts of the final report for strategic planning, evaluation of marketing and educational programs and to recommend new regulations and procedures for general aviation aircraft.
