Aviators are people who fly aircraft either for pleasure or for a job. The term is normally applied to pilots but it can be applied more broadly, for example to include people such as wing-walkers who regularly take part in an aerobatic display sequence. The term aviatrix is sometimes used of women flyers, reflecting the word's Latin root.
The term was more commonly used in the early days of aviation and has connotations of bravery and adventure. As Steve Fossett has shown with his 2002 solo flight around the globe in a helium balloon, there are still challenges to be flown and records to be broken.
Anyone can fly an aircraft, with or without a certificate. However, at all times the aircraft must be under the operational control of a properly certified and current pilot, who is responsible for the safe and legal completion of the flight. The absolute authority given to the Pilot in Command is derived from that of a ship’s captain.
Although President Wilson proposed a licensing scheme in 1919, it was not until 1926, under the Air Commerce Act, that the Federal Government instituted pilot testing and certification. Today, every country had a national authority governing pilot licensing (see the article for information on license requirements). The Federal Aviation Administration controls the issuance of pilot certificates in the U.S.
Well_known aviators
People largely known for their contributions to the story of aviation:
She said that when the plane had come to a stop surrounded by fire engines, the pilot walked into the cabin, and all the passengers cheered.
The CivilAviation Authority's executive manager for air safety investigations, Gilbert Thwala, said investigators were on their way from Johannesburg to Cape Town to investigate the incident, according to SAPA.
This week in aviation history features the first person to land a plane at the South Pole and the first animal in space.
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