 According to aviation analysts, there are approximately 24,000 passenger and cargo aircraft in service around the world today. The International Air Transport Association estimates that commercial aircraft will carry nearly 4 billion passengers in 2017, resulting in worldwide peak air traffic of more than 16,000 flights in the air at the same time. Of those, more than 5,000 will be in the skies over the United States. Considering the complexity of the aviation domain and devolving aviation-related threats and vulnerabilities, how can we ensure that the interests of the United States are protected? To begin, we must understand the aviation ecosystem itself, including the components and entities from which it's formed. The Global Aviation Ecosystem is a term that refers to the extensive multi-layered network of intersecting elements with integral roles in the aviation domain. This network of elements is associated with six major groups, referred to as the six A's, and includes airports, airlines, aircraft, airlift, actors, and aviation management. Let's take a look. Airways represent many factors associated with the safety and security of the ecosystem. Considerations include ground handling, mail, retail, brokers, freight forwarders, agents, commercial cargo, passenger baggage, and security. Airlines represent the set of activities and transactions mostly centered on fleet planning, labor unions, insurance, travel agencies, national and regional operations, cargo, and suppliers. Aircraft refers to considerations such as manufacturers and their supply chains, military, civil or state use, aircraft performance characteristics, flight management systems, and flight crews. Airlift involves the activities and transactions surrounding cargo facilities and freight forwarder procedures. It's performed at thousands of airports all over the world by hundreds of companies, big and small. Actors refers to the people involved in all aspects of the aviation domain, such as passengers, emergency responders, baggage handlers, dispatchers, technicians, instructors, inspectors, and security personnel. And finally, aviation management refers to the activities and transactions associated with ports of entry, flight operations, flight services, shipping operations, air traffic control, science and technology, and flight training schools. Operating within the global aviation ecosystem are four primary stakeholders that facilitate the safety and security of the aviation domain. The stakeholders are known as the global aviation community of interest and are identified as federal interagency, intelligence community, private sector and industry, and international partners. The private sector and industry stakeholders are focused on airlines, research, technology, innovation, and supply chain management. While the federal interagency, intelligence community, and the international partners are focused on regulatory, tactical, operational, and strategic initiatives. Together, these four primary stakeholders maintain the safety and security of the aviation domain by focusing on the activities and transactions between the six major components of the ecosystem. Knowing the entities and components of the aviation ecosystem is only the beginning. Understanding the exchanges that occur in the ecosystem can be accomplished by developing expertise in governance, operations, business and security. Governance refers to the regulations, security standards, and recommended practices as defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization. It also includes the standards for defining and enforcing procedures for aircraft, airmen, personnel, airports, and air navigation systems as defined by the Civil Aviation Authority. Governance also refers to the air traffic control structure and the role it plays in the aviation domain. This includes unique elements such as general aviation, government, public, military, and air traffic service providers. Operations refers to the commercial scheduled and unscheduled air carrier services. It also includes the processes, components, and procedures unique to cargo operations and facilities. Other categories such as transport, small, unmanned, fixed wing, and rotary wing are also associated with operations. The business aspect of aviation involves aircraft acquisition, sales, and insurance as well as aircraft leasing firms and brokers. Finally, security refers to the security processes for passengers, crew, and cargo and involves customs and immigration. The more you understand the activities, exchanges, and interconnectedness of the ecosystem, the better prepared you are to operate within it. In summary, the Global Aviation Ecosystem is a term that refers to the components, entities, and transactions that exist within the aviation domain. The components are referred to as the 6As, and the four primary entities are known as the Global Aviation Community of Interest. Your understanding of the interconnected transactions within the aviation ecosystem as well as the purpose for the transactions is critical to ensuring the safety and security of the aviation domain.