Selection of an aircraft type to service the flexible air transportation system of The Tennessee Valley Aerospace Region Air Transportation Market Area

Due to the increasing use of air transportation by our highly mobile society, air transportation access for small rural communities is becoming more important because of their need to attract industry and facilitate growth. Since there exists no intrinsic demand for commuter air service, its viability is dependent on how the consumer perceives the service in terms of competitive variables.

Choosing the correct type of airplane for the commuter airline is therefore a key consideration in its success. The selection process can be accomplished in a variety of ways. Here we view the problem first as an airplane design question, generating parameters specific to our market area. The resultant parameters are used as an index against which presently available airplanes are compared in order to arrive at a ranking which serves as an aid in the selection process.