Light aircraft in the context of "STOL"

General aviation (GA) is defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) as all civil aviation aircraft operations except for commercial air transport or aerial work, which is defined as specialized aviation services for other purposes. However, for statistical purposes, ICAO uses a definition of general aviation which includes aerial work.

General aviation includes "private transport" and recreational components of aviation, most of which is accomplished with light aircraft.

A motor fuel is a fuel that is used to provide power to the engine (motor) of vehicles — typically a heat engine that produces thermal energy via oxidative combustion of liquid or gaseous fuel and then converts the heat into mechanical energy through reciprocating pistons or gas turbines.

Currently, the majority of motor vehicles, powerboats and light aircraft worldwide are propelled by internal combustion engines powered by petroleum-based hydrocarbon fossil fuels such as gasoline, diesel or autogas, while larger ships and aircraft use marine diesel oil and kerosene to power gas/steam turbine, turboprop and jet engines. Other fuel types include ethanol, biodiesel, biogasoline, propane, compressed natural gas (CNG) and hydrogen (either using fuel cells or hydrogen combustion). There are also cars that use a hybrid drivetrain of different power sources. The use of synthetic alternative fuels (especially renewable biofuels) is increasing, especially in Europe, as well as increasing mass adoption of battery electric vehicles (which are powered by battery-stored electricity instead of fuels).

An aircraft catapult is an acceleration device used to help fixed-wing aircraft reach liftoff speed (V_LOF) faster during takeoff, typically when trying to take off from a very short runway, as otherwise the aircraft engines alone cannot get the aircraft to sufficient airspeed quickly enough for the wings to generate the lift needed to sustain flight. Launching via catapults enables aircraft that typically are only capable of conventional takeoffs, especially heavier aircraft with significant payloads, to perform short takeoffs from the roll distances of light aircraft. Catapults are usually used on the deck of a ship — such as the flight deck of an aircraft carrier — as a form of assisted takeoff for navalised aircraft, but can also be installed on land-based runways, although this is rare.

Historically it was most common for seaplanes (which have pontoons instead of wheeled landing gears and thus cannot utilize runways) to be catapulted from ships onto nearby water for takeoff, allowing them to conduct aerial reconnaissance missions and be crane-hoisted back on board during retrieval, although by the late First World War their roles are largely supplanted by the more versatile biplanes that can take off and land on carrier decks unassisted. During the Second World War before the advent of escort carriers, monoplane fighter aircraft (notably the Hawker Hurricane) would sometimes be catapulted from "catapult-equipped merchant" (CAM) vessels for one-way sorties to repel enemy aircraft harassing shipping lanes, forcing the returning pilot to either divert to a land-based airstrip, jump out by parachute, or ditch in the water near the convoy and wait for rescue. By the time fleet carriers became the norm in WW2, catapult launches have become largely unnecessary and carrier-based fighter-bombers would routinely perform self-powered takeoffs and landings off and onto carrier decks, especially during the naval aviation-dominated Pacific War between the United States and the Empire of Japan. However, escalating arms races during the Cold War accelerated the adoption of the heavier jet aircraft for naval operations, thus motivating the development of new catapult systems, especially after the popularization of angled flight decks further limited the practical distance available as takeoff runways. Nowadays, jet aircraft can launch from aircraft carriers via either catapults or ski-jump deck, and perform optics-assisted landing onto the same ship with help from decelerative arresting gears.

The Partenavia P.68, now Vulcanair P68, is a light aircraft designed by Luigi Pascale and initially built by Italian company Partenavia.It made its first flight on 25 May 1970, its type certification was granted on 17 November 1971 and was transferred to Vulcanair in 1998.The original six-seat high-wing monoplane is powered by twin piston engines and is used for light transport and training. The P.68 Observer is an observation aircraft variant, and it was developed in a stretched, 10/11-seat twin turboprop derivative.

Army aviation is military aviation that is organized as a sub-branch under the command of an army, separate from a nation's dedicated air force. Army aviation units, sometimes described as air corps, are typically attached as a part of to a ground force and tasked to tactically assist its land warfare by providing close air support, rapid insertion, reconnaissance and logistics for front line ground operations. They usually comprise VTOL aircraft such as military helicopters, as well as gyrocopters, light fixed-wing attack aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles (drones), and historically also aerostats such as military balloons and airships.

Prior to the establishment of separate national air forces, many armies had aviation units, which as the importance of aviation increased, were spun off into independent branches of the military. As the separation between a nation's ground and air forces led to a divergence of priorities, many armies sought to re-establish their own aviation branches to best serve their own organic tactical needs.

An amphibious assault ship is a type of amphibious warfare ship designed for spearheading amphibious incursions of marines into enemy territories during an armed conflict, via launching either naval landings or air assaults and also by providing shipborne close air support and logistics for landed friendly forces. Such a ship is typically the capital ship of a dedicated fleet known as the amphibious ready group or expeditionary strike group.

Amphibious assault ships evolved from aircraft carriers converted for specific use as helicopter carriers, which, as a result, are often mistaken for conventional fixed-wing aircraft carriers. Like the aircraft carriers they were developed from, some amphibious assault ships also support V/STOL fixed-wing aircraft, and some latest models (e.g. China's Type 076) have catapult systems for assisted takeoff of fixed-wing light aircraft such as UCAVs and have a secondary role as drone carriers. Most modern AAS designs also carry landing craft with most including a well deck, usually at the stern, to support large LCACs (hovercraft) and LCUs, which can insert both infantry and combat vehicles directly onto land.

A trainer is a class of aircraft designed specifically to facilitate flight training of pilots and aircrews. The use of a dedicated trainer aircraft with additional safety features—such as tandem flight controls, forgiving flight characteristics and a simplified cockpit arrangement—allows pilots-in-training to safely advance their skills in a more forgiving aircraft.

Civilian pilots are normally trained in a light aircraft, with two or more seats to allow for a student and instructor.

The Imperial Japanese Army Air Service (IJAAS) or Imperial Japanese Army Air Force (IJAAF; Japanese: 大日本帝國陸軍航空部隊, romanized: Dainippon Teikoku Rikugun Kōkūbutai, lit. 'Greater Japan Empire Army Air Corps') was the aviation force of the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA). Its primary mission was to provide tactical close air support for ground forces, as well as a limited air interdiction capability. The IJAAS also provided aerial reconnaissance to other branches of the IJA. While the IJAAS engaged in strategic bombing of cities such as Shanghai, Nanjing, Canton, Chongqing, Rangoon, and Mandalay, this was not the primary mission of the IJAAS, and it lacked a heavy bomber force.

It did not usually control artillery spotter/observer aircraft; artillery battalions controlled the light aircraft and balloons that operated in these roles.

Elevators are flight control surfaces, usually at the rear of an aircraft, which control the aircraft's pitch, and therefore the angle of attack and the lift of the wing. The elevators are usually hinged to the tailplane or horizontal stabilizer. They may be the only pitch control surface present, and are sometimes located at the front of the aircraft (early airplanes and canards) or integrated into a rear "all-moving tailplane", also called a slab elevator or stabilator.