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A utility aircraft is a general-purpose
A utility aircraft is a general-purpose light
Light or visible light is electromagnetic radiation that can be perceived by the human eye. Visible light is usually defined as having wavelengths in the range of 400–700 nanometres (nm), corresponding to frequencies of 750–420 t ...
airplane
An airplane or aeroplane (informally plane) is a fixed-wing aircraft that is propelled forward by thrust from a jet engine, propeller, or rocket engine. Airplanes come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and wing configurations. The broad ...
or helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by horizontally spinning rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forward, backward and laterally. These attribu ...
, usually used for transporting people, freight or other supplies, but is also used for other duties when more specialized aircraft are not required or available.
The term can also refer to an aircraft type certificate
A type certificate signifies the airworthiness of a particular category of aircraft, according to its manufacturing design (''type design''). It confirms that the aircraft of a new type intended for serial production, is in compliance with applic ...
d under American, Canadian, European or Australian regulations as a ''Utility Category Aircraft'', which indicates that it is permitted to conduct limited aerobatics
Aerobatics is the practice of flying maneuvers involving aircraft attitudes that are not used in conventional passenger-carrying flights. The term is a portmanteau of "aerial" and "acrobatics". Aerobatics are performed in aeroplanes and glide ...
. The approved maneuvers include chandelles, lazy eights, spins
The spins (as in having "the spins")Diane Marie Leiva. ''The Florida State University College of Education''Women's Voices on College Drinking: The First-Year College Experience"/ref> is an adverse reaction of intoxication that causes a state of v ...
and steep turns over 60° of bank.Crane, Dale: ''Dictionary of Aeronautical Terms, third edition'', page 535. Aviation Supplies & Academics, 1997.
In the United States, military utility aircraft are given the prefix U in their designations.
See also
*FAR Part 23
The Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs) are rules prescribed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) governing all aviation activities in the United States. The FARs comprise Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). A wide variety o ...
(refers to "utility category" in United States aviation regulations)
* Utility helicopter
* Angel Flight
Angel Flight is the name used by a number of groups whose members provide free air transportation for passengers in need of medical treatment far from home and perform other missions of community service. Such a non-profit organization may be l ...
References
Aircraft by type {{aero-stub