International Air Transport

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Air transportation is used to transport air cargo by plane and is a crucial component of international logistics networks. Air cargo is especially useful for companies shipping time-sensitive goods or goods over large distances. Air cargo is usually transported using dedicated cargo aircraft (freighters) or passenger aircraft.

The Importance of Air Cargo

Plane is often the fastest way to transport goods, especially in an international context. Although perhaps more costly, it is more cost-effective for light and high-value items (e.g., live animals, medications, high-fashion apparel). To illustrate this fact, Air Cargo – How It Works states, “Air cargo represents less than 0.5 percent of the weight of all international cargo, while at the same time this segment represents around 30 percent of the total worldwide shipment value.”
Modes of Transportation

As mentioned above, air cargo is transported by freighters or passenger aircraft. Freighters make up about 60% of global air cargo traffic. However, cargo capacity in passenger planes is increasing, as airlines are adding to their fleet newer jetliners with larger cargo capacity (Boeing).

If passenger aircraft is used, the cargo can be placed in the hold or transported by an on-board courier (OBC). The cargo hold of a plane is usually in the “belly” of the plane, underneath the passengers. An on-board courier is someone who is flying as a passenger and takes the cargo as a carry-on. As an expensive service, this is typically used for very urgent or valuable small goods. Some examples of cargo-carrying passenger planes are the Airbus A320, Boeing 737 NG, and the Airbus A380 (Air Cargo – How it works). Since passenger aircraft do not want to focus on ground operations, usually indirect carriers (“forwarders”) handle the pickup and delivery of packages. Some forwarders also have their own aircraft.

When most travelers think of flying, it is the passenger jet that comes to mind. Companies like Delta Air Lines and United Airlines are known for their fleets of Boeing 737s and the even larger Boeing 747s, able to log 8,357 miles between fill-ups. Seating is divided into first-class and coach. On some of the larger planes, like the 747, first-class is on the upper deck. Other jets offer a business class section between the first-class and coach seats. Not all commercial aircraft are jets. Island Air, based in Hawaii, uses turboprops. These are propeller-driven planes that have more power because of the way the engine uses the exhaust to help turn the blades. These planes fly lower and slower than jets but can land on shorter runways. Island air uses the Dash 8, both the 100 and 200 versions.
Private Planes

Private planes range from the smallest Cessna to luxury jets such as the Citation CJ1, which carries up to five people in leather-seated comfort. There is a certain feeling of freedom when flying your own aircraft, whether for business or pleasure. Learning to fly means going to ground school as well as putting in a set number of hours in the air. Private pilots start out learning on single-engine planes, and once they have a bit of experience can get rated on larger craft. Most private jets have the advantage of being able to land at smaller airports.
Amphibious Aircraft

Seaplanes are ideal means of transport air water and land in coastal areas. Pontoons, or floats, are a long, wedge-shaped type of landing gear that is light and hollow. These are attached to the bottom of the plane, allowing it to land on water. Some seaplanes also have landing wheels on the bottom of the pontoons. In places like Alaska, where lakes and streams tend to freeze in the winter, sometimes skis are used for landing instead. Harbour Air Seaplanes based in Victoria, British Columbia, operates regularly scheduled service to various locations on Vancouver Island and the lower mainland.
Seeing the Sights in Helicopters

With the ability to descend and lift horizontally and to hover in mid-air, helicopters are ideal for landing in tight spots. Police services, news stations, and the military use helicopters for transport, surveillance as well as for search and rescue. In the travel industry, companies like Blue Hawaiian Helicopters and Papillon offer tours of hard-to-reach places in this versatile craft. One of Blue Hawaiian’s most memorable trips is a flight over the lava flows of Kilauea in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
Lighter Than Air Craft

Airships are no longer used for point to point transportation, but they do play a role in the tourism industry. In the San Francisco Bay Area, Airship Ventures offers sightseeing tours over the city, the Golden Gate Bridge and the East Bay. Hot-air balloons are another type of lighter-than-air craft and likewise, offer a chance to explore an area from a different perspective. Tour operators like Up & Away offer flights over the Sonoma wine country. Albuquerque, New Mexico, is known for its annual International Balloon Fiesta each October.