Extraordinary Care: A History of Flight Operations Rules for Common Carriers

摘要

In this work, we cover how the legal concept of the "Common Carrier" applies to commercial aircraft design and operations. We trace the history of this concept from antiquity to the present, specifically detailing the change history regarding Federal Regulation of Aircraft. We note that the Civil Aeronautics Act of 1938 was a milestone event; since these laws were amended, scheduled commercial aircraft (both design and operation) regulations became more stringent than those used in "general aviation." We also document how the focus of litigation and additional regulation has shifted from fundamental - performance and safety (fuel reserves, runway requirements, and obstacle avoidance) to protecting the passenger from incidental injury (trips, slips and falls).