Commercial aviation helps drive more than 10M American jobs and 5 cents of every dollar of U.S. GDP
Commercial aviation drives more than $1 trillion per year in economic activity
In 2012, U.S. airlines moved more than 48,000 tons of cargo per day
In 2012, the value of a kilogram of U.S. merchandise exported by air averaged 121 times the value exported by sea
For every 100 airline jobs, some 360 are supported outside of the airline industry
Federal taxes constitute $61 – or 20% – of the price of a typical $300 domestic round-trip ticket
In 2011, U.S. airlines carried 16 percent more passengers and cargo using 10 percent less fuel than in 2000
Domestically, airlines drive 5% of economic activity but account for 2% of man-made GHG emissions
From 2000-2011, airlines reduced GHG emissions by 11% while transporting 16% more passengers and cargo
From 1975-2011, U.S. airlines and their partners reduced significant noise exposure by 99%
Commercial air travel is the safest form of intercity transportation in the United States
In the most recent decade, scheduled air service on U.S. airlines was seven times safer than in the 1970s
From 2000-2012, U.S. airlines improved the on-time arrival rate from 72.6% to 81.9%
From 2000-2012, U.S. airlines reduced the flight cancellation rate sharply from 3.30% to 1.29%
Airfares are a bargain: From 2000-2012, U.S. CPI rose 33% while average domestic fare rose just 13%
Adjusted for inflation, the average round-trip domestic airfare fell 15% from 2000
2007 domestic flight delays cost the United States approximately $31 billion
In 2012, the value of U.S. merchandise exported by air reached an all-time high of $427B
In 2012, U.S. exports of air-travel services reached an all-time high of $39.5B, driving a $5.1B trade surplus
In 2012, U.S. passenger and cargo airlines spent more than $50B on fuel, averaging 36% of operating expenses
In 2012, U.S. airlines posted the lowest annual rate of mishandled baggage ever recorded
FAA projects U.S. air travel demand to top 1 billion passengers in 2027
In 2012, US airlines flew 83.4 million passengers in scheduled international service - a record high
In 2012, the total value of merchandise exported from or imported to the United States by air exceeded $927 billion
In 2012, 7.15 teragrams of merchandise was exported from or imported to the United States by air

Glossary

Events section: man under wing refueling a plane

The ATA glossary includes a list of commonly used aviation terms/acronyms and definitions.

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Part 121 - A section of the FAA Federal Air Regulations that prescribes safety rules governing the operation of air carriers and commercial operators of large aircraft.
Part 135 - A section of the FAA Federal Air Regulations that prescribes safety rules governing the operation of commuter air carriers (scheduled) and on-demand (for-hire) air taxi and charter providers.
Part 91 - A section of the FAA Federal Air Regulations that refers principally to general aviation. Part 91 operations are generally noncommercial. Corporate aviation operations, for instance, usually fall under Part 91.
passenger - The total number of revenue passengers boarding aircraft in scheduled service.
passenger facility charge (PFC) - A tax authorized by Congress, approved by FAA, assessed by airports and collected by airlines (on behalf of airports) as an add-on to the passenger airfare. PFCs are used by airports to fund FAA-approved projects that enhance safety, security or capacity; reduce noise; or increase air-carrier competition. The PFC program authorizes the collection of fees up to $4.50 for every enplaned passenger at commercial airports controlled by public agencies.
passenger revenue - As defined by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, revenue from the air transportation of passengers only; does not include so-called ancillary fees.
performance-based navigation (PBN) - Performance-based navigation specifies RNAV system  performance requirements for aircraft operating along an ATS  route, on an instrument approach procedure, or in airspace. Performance requirements are defined in terms of accuracy, integrity, continuity, availability and functionality needed for the  proposed operation in the context of a particular airspace concept. Performance requirements are identified in navigation specifications that also identify the navigation sensors and equipment that may be used to meet the performance requirement.
performance-based operations - Use of performance capability definition versus an “equipment” basis to define the regulatory/procedural requirements to perform a given operation in a given airspace.
personal aviation - The activity of pilots who fly for recreation, and generally do not use the IFR air traffic control system.
personal earnings - Total direct wages, salaries and employer-based benefits associated with both commercial aviation and supporting economic activity that results from any purchases made by its firms and employees.
petroleum - A generic term applied to oil and oil products in all forms, such as crude oil, lease condensate, unfinished oils, petroleum products, natural gas plant liquids, and nonhydrocarbon compounds blended into finished petroleum products.
pitch - A description of the movement of the nose of an aircraft up or down, in relation to its previous altitude.
Post-1977 Agreement - Beginning in 1978, the United States negotiated a series of agreements that departed from previous Bermuda-style agreements. These new agreements are characterized by increased operational flexibility for airlines and less governmental regulation of services. Like the Bermuda-type agreements, a Post-1977 agreement includes multiple designations, but it explicitly provides that each party may designate as many airlines as it wishes. A standard Post-1977 agreement includes: Capacity Principles - In general, Post-1977 capacity principles say that each party’s airlines shall have a fair and equal opportunity to operate the specified air services. Neither party may unilaterally limit the service - volume of traffic, frequency, or aircraft type - of an airline of the other party except for technical reasons. Pricing Articles - Two general types of pricing articles have been included in Post- 1977 agreements. Under each, intervention by the parties is limited to: (1) Prevention of predatory or discriminatory prices or practices; (2) Protection of consumers from prices that are unduly high or restrictive due to abuse of monopoly power; and (3) Protection of airlines from prices that are artificially low because of direct or indirect governmental subsidy or support.
Precision Runway Monitor - A system that allows simultaneous, independent IFR approaches. During inclement weather, airports with parallel runways spaced less than 4,300 feet apart experience decreased capacity because they cannot conduct independent simultaneous operations due to existing equipment limitations.
pressurized aircraft - An aircraft that has a cabin that is kept at a designated atmospheric pressure that is lower than the altitude it is flying, so that passengers and crew can breathe normally.
privatization - A process of transferring property from public ownership to private ownership and/or transferring the management of a service or activity from the government to the private sector.
propfan - One of several terms used to describe new generations of jet engines which typically turn very large, multi-bladed propeller-like fans to produce the thrust needed for flight.
provisional application - Governments have agreed that the terms of an agreement or amendment shall be applied, pending definitive entry into force.
pylon - The part of an aircraft’s structure that connects an engine to either a wing or the fuselage.