The Air Transport Association Safety Council includes senior safety leaders, representing 15 of the largest airlines in the U.S. The Commercial Aviation Safety Team is a consortium of airlines, employee associations, government, academic institutions and manufacturers. The safety council provides leadership to the Commercial Aviation Safety Team and the team implements voluntary safety improvements in an effort to prevent airline fatalities. These safety improvements involve reducing the risk of approach and landing accidents, fires and explosions, runway collisions, mid-air collisions, loss of control both on the ground and during flight, crew incapacitation and engine failures. In addition, the Air Transportation Oversight System of the Federal Aviation Administration implements the policies of the FAA with regard to safety.
Air traffic management is an on-going area of concern for air transportation. The mission of the International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers' Association is "to protect and safeguard the interests of the air traffic control profession." The organization, which is not political, works closely with national and international aviation authorities, sponsors legislation that promotes air navigation safety and assists and advises in regard to new air traffic control systems and procedures. A major concern of the association is that new technological advances must be evaluated and validated for safety prior to implementing them to replace old control systems.
Commercial air transportation has a significant impact on the economy of the U.S. The FAA Air Traffic Organization reports it represented 5.6% of the gross domestic product in 2007, equating to a total contribution of $785.5 billion. By the same token, the nation's economy has an impact on air transportation. The rising cost of fuel is a serious challenge for airlines. The Bureau of Labor Statistics notes that four network carriers went bankrupt since 2000. However, the growth of air travel continues to increase by about 4 percent every year. Commercial air travel also provided 11.5 million jobs in 2007.
The job opportunities in air transportation vary widely. The Bureau of Labor Statistics notes while it is pilots and flight attendants most often associated with the industry almost half of air transportation employees are in the areas of installation, maintenance, repair, office and administrative support. Some examples include service technicians, aircraft mechanics, reservation agents, ticket agents, gate agents and baggage handlers. The skills and training required for each type of occupation also varies greatly.
