2002 NAICS Definitions
481 Air Transportation

481 Air Transportation

Industries in the Air Transportation subsector provide air transportation of passengers and/or cargo using aircraft, such as airplanes and helicopters. The subsector distinguishes scheduled from nonscheduled air transportation. Scheduled air carriers fly regular routes on regular schedules and operate even if flights are only partially loaded. Nonscheduled carriers often operate during nonpeak time slots at busy airports. These establishments have more flexibility with respect to choice of airport, hours of operation, load factors, and similar operational characteristics. Nonscheduled carriers provide chartered air transportation of passengers, cargo, or specialty flying services. Specialty flying services establishments use general-purpose aircraft to provide a variety of specialized flying services.

Scenic and sightseeing air transportation and air courier services are not included in this subsector but are included in Subsector 487, Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation and in Subsector 492, Couriers and Messengers. Although these activities may use aircraft, they are different from the activities included in air transportation. Air sightseeing does not usually involve place-to-place transportation; the passenger's flight (e.g., balloon ride, aerial sightseeing) typically starts and ends at the same location. Courier services (individual package or cargo delivery) include more than air transportation; road transportation is usually required to deliver the cargo to the intended recipient.

4811 Scheduled Air Transportation

48111 Scheduled Air Transportation

This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in providing air transportation of passengers and/or cargo over regular routes and on regular schedules. Establishments in this industry operate flights even if partially loaded. Establishments primarily engaged in providing scheduled air transportation of mail on a contract basis are included in this industry.

Cross-References. Establishments primarily engaged in--

• Providing air courier services--are classified in Industry 492110, Couriers;
• Providing air transportation of passengers, cargo, or specialty flying services with no regular routes and regular schedules--are classified in Industry 48121, Nonscheduled Air Transportation; and
• Providing helicopter rides for scenic and sightseeing transportation--are classified in Industry 487990, Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Other.

481111 Scheduled Passenger Air Transportation

This U.S. industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in providing air transportation of passengers or passengers and freight over regular routes and on regular schedules. Establishments in this industry operate flights even if partially loaded. Scheduled air passenger carriers including commuter and helicopter carriers (except scenic and sightseeing) are included in this industry.

Cross-References. Establishments primarily engaged in--

• Providing air transportation of passengers or passengers and cargo with no regular routes and regular schedules--are classified in U.S. Industry 481211, Nonscheduled Chartered Passenger Air Transportation;
• Providing helicopter rides for scenic and sightseeing transportation--are classified in Industry 487990, Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Other; and
• Providing air transportation of cargo (without transporting passengers) over regular routes and on regular schedules--are classified in U.S. Industry 481112, Scheduled Freight Air Transportation.

Go to:

No change 1997 to 2002

2002 NAICS to 1987 SIC

1997 Economic Census

Bridge Between 1997 NAICS and SIC

2002 NAICS	1997 NAICS	1987 SIC	Corresponding Index Entries
481111	481111	4512	Air commuter carriers, scheduled
481111	481111	4512	Air passenger carriers, scheduled
481111	481111	4512	Commuter air carriers, scheduled
481111	481111	4512	Helicopter passenger carriers, scheduled
481111	481111	4512	Passenger air transportation, scheduled
481111	481111	4512	Passenger carriers, air, scheduled
481111	481111	4512	Scheduled air passenger carriers
481111	481111	4512	Scheduled air passenger transportation

481112 Scheduled Freight Air Transportation

This U.S. industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in providing air transportation of cargo without transporting passengers over regular routes and on regular schedules. Establishments in this industry operate flights even if partially loaded. Establishments primarily engaged in providing scheduled air transportation of mail on a contract basis are included in this industry.

Cross-References. Establishments primarily engaged in--

• Providing air courier services--are classified in Industry 492110, Couriers;
• Providing air transportation of cargo with no regular routes and regular schedules--are classified in U.S. Industry 481212, Nonscheduled Chartered Freight Air Transportation; and
• Providing air transportation of passengers or passengers and cargo over regular routes and on regular schedules--are classified in U.S. Industry 481111, Scheduled Passenger Air Transportation.

Go to:

No change 1997 to 2002

2002 NAICS to 1987 SIC

1997 Economic Census

Bridge Between 1997 NAICS and SIC

2002 NAICS	1997 NAICS	1987 SIC	Corresponding Index Entries
481112	481112	4512	Air cargo carriers (except air couriers), scheduled
481112	481112	4512	Airmail carriers, scheduled
481112	481112	4512	Cargo carriers, air, scheduled
481112	481112	4512	Freight carriers (except air couriers), air, scheduled
481112	481112	4512	Helicopter freight carriers, scheduled
481112	481112	4512	Scheduled air freight carriers
481112	481112	4512	Scheduled air freight transportation

4812 Nonscheduled Air Transportation

48121 Nonscheduled Air Transportation

This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in (1) providing air transportation of passengers and/or cargo with no regular routes and regular schedules or (2) providing specialty flying services with no regular routes and regular schedules using general purpose aircraft. These establishments have more flexibility with respect to choice of airports, hours of operation, load factors, and similar operational characteristics.

Cross-References. Establishments primarily engaged in--

• Crop dusting using specialized aircraft--are classified in Industry 11511, Support Activities for Crop Production;
• Fighting forest fires using specialized water bombers--are classified in Industry 115310, Support Activities for Forestry;
• Providing air transportation of passengers and/or cargo over regular routes and on regular schedules--are classified in Industry 48111, Scheduled Air Transportation;
• Providing specialized air sightseeing services--are classified in Industry 487990, Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Other;
• Aerial gathering of geophysical data--are classified in Industry 541360, Geophysical Surveying and Mapping Services;
• Providing aerial and/or other surveying and mapping services--are classified in Industry 541370, Surveying and Mapping (except Geophysical) Services;
• Providing air ambulance services using specialized equipment--are classified in Industry 621910, Ambulance Services;
• Operating specialized flying schools, including all training for commercial pilots--are classified in Industry 61151, Technical and Trade Schools;
• Operating recreation aviation clubs--are classified in Industry 713990, All Other Amusement and Recreation Industries;
• Operating advocacy aviation clubs--are classified in U.S. Industry 81331, Social Advocacy Organizations; and
• Providing air courier services--are classified in Industry 492110, Couriers.

481211 Nonscheduled Chartered Passenger Air Transportation

This U.S. industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in providing air transportation of passengers or passengers and cargo with no regular routes and regular schedules.

Cross-References. Establishments primarily engaged in--

• Providing specialty air transportation or flying services with no regular routes and regular schedules using general purpose aircraft--are classified in U.S. Industry 481219, Other Nonscheduled Air Transportation;
• Providing specialized air sightseeing services--are classified in Industry 487990, Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Other;
• Providing air transportation of passengers or passengers and cargo over regular routes and on regular schedules--are classified in U.S. Industry 481111, Scheduled Passenger Air Transportation; and
• Providing air transportation of cargo (without transporting passengers) with no regular routes and schedules--are classified in U.S. Industry 481212, Nonscheduled Chartered Freight Air Transportation.

Go to:

No change 1997 to 2002

2002 NAICS to 1987 SIC

1997 Economic Census

Bridge Between 1997 NAICS and SIC

2002 NAICS	1997 NAICS	1987 SIC	Corresponding Index Entries
481211	481211	4522	Air passenger carriers, nonscheduled
481211	481211	4522	Air taxi services
481211	481211	4522	Aircraft charter services, passenger
481211	481211	4522	Charter air passenger services
481211	481211	4522	Helicopter passenger carriers (except scenic, sightseeing), nonscheduled
481211	481211	4522	Nonscheduled air passenger transportation
481211	481211	4522	Passenger air transportation, nonscheduled
481211	481211	4522	Passenger carriers, air, nonscheduled

481212 Nonscheduled Chartered Freight Air Transportation

This U.S. industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in providing air transportation of cargo without transporting passengers with no regular routes and regular schedules.

Cross-References. Establishments primarily engaged in--

• Providing specialty air transportation or flying services with no regular routes and regular schedules using general purpose aircraft--are classified in U.S. Industry 481219, Other Nonscheduled Air Transportation;
• Providing air courier services--are classified in Industry 492110, Couriers;
• Providing air transportation of cargo without transporting passengers over regular routes and on regular schedules--are classified in U.S. Industry 481112, Scheduled Freight Air Transportation; and
• Providing air transportation of cargo and passengers with no regular routes and schedules--are classified in U.S. Industry 481211, Nonscheduled Chartered Passenger Air Transportation.

Go to:

No change 1997 to 2002

2002 NAICS to 1987 SIC

1997 Economic Census

Bridge Between 1997 NAICS and SIC

2002 NAICS	1997 NAICS	1987 SIC	Corresponding Index Entries
481212	481212	4522	Air cargo carriers (except air couriers), nonscheduled
481212	481212	4522	Charter air freight services
481212	481212	4522	Freight charter services, air
481212	481212	4522	Freight transportation, air, charter services
481212	481212	4522	Freight transportation, air, nonscheduled
481212	481212	4522	Helicopter carriers, freight, nonscheduled
481212	481212	4522	Nonscheduled air freight transportation
481212	481212	4522	Space transportation, freight, nonscheduled
481212	481212	4522	Transportation by spacecraft, freight

481219 Other Nonscheduled Air Transportation

This U.S. industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in providing air transportation with no regular routes and regular schedules (except nonscheduled chartered passenger and/or cargo air transportation). These establishments provide a variety of specialty air transportation or flying services based on individual customer needs using general purpose aircraft.

Cross-References. Establishments primarily engaged in--

• Providing air transportation of passengers or passengers and cargo with no regular routes and regular schedules--are classified in U.S. Industry 481211, Nonscheduled Chartered Passenger Air Transportation;
• Providing air transportation of cargo without transporting passengers with no regular routes and regular schedules--are classified in U.S. Industry 481212, Nonscheduled Chartered Freight Air Transportation;
• Crop dusting using specialized aircraft--are classified in U.S. Industry 115112, Soil Preparation, Planting, and Cultivating;
• Fighting forest fires using specialized water bombers--are classified in Industry 115310, Support Activities for Forestry;
• Providing specialized air sightseeing services--are classified in Industry 487990, Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Other;
• Operating specialized flying schools, including all training for commercial pilots--are classified in U.S. Industry 611512, Flight Training;
• Providing specialized air ambulance services using specialized equipment--are classified in U.S. Industry 621999, All Other Miscellaneous Ambulatory Health Care Services;
• Operating recreation aviation clubs--are classified in Industry 713990, All Other Amusement and Recreation Industries;
• Operating advocacy aviation clubs--are classified in U.S. Industry 813319, Other Social Advocacy Organizations;
• Aerial gathering of geophysical data for surveying and mapping--are classified in Industry 541360, Geophysical Surveying and Mapping Services; and
• Providing aerial and/or other surveying and mapping services--are classified in Industry 541370, Surveying and Mapping (except Geophysical) Services.

Go to:

No change 1997 to 2002

2002 NAICS to 1987 SIC

1997 Economic Census

Bridge Between 1997 NAICS and SIC

2002 NAICS	1997 NAICS	1987 SIC	Corresponding Index Entries
481219	481219	4522	Aircraft charter services (i.e., general purpose aircraft used for a variety of s
481219	481219	7997	Aviation clubs providing a variety of air transportation activities to the genera

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