airfield/aerodrome/airport?

[vancouv]

Does anyone have a definitive definition of airfield, aerodrome and airport?

Are they technically different, and if so by what criteria - length of runway, ATC service etc.

I guess you wouldn't call Gatwick an airfield, but I'm not sure why!

[Kolibear]

Can't provide a definitive answer, but how about-

'Airport' - somewhere you fly from when you are going on holiday
'Aerodrome' - has a hard runway but little or no commercial operation.
'Airfield' - a field with a strip that you can fly from.

[RomeoTangoFoxtrotMike]

I think that aerodromes are licensed, but airfields are not.

However, I'm fairly certain that the difference between aerodromes and airports is that airports have customs services, whereas aerodromes do not.

[FlyingForFun]

So why is it than when I'm making a visual approach to Smallesville International (and I'm not talking about Wolverhampton International Spaceport here, I mean a "real" international airport), I tell ATC that I "have the field in sight"?

FFF
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[rustle]

FFF [Why do] I tell ATC that I "have the field in sight"?

Be fairly exciting if, inbound to EGHI, you said you had the port in sight :rolleyes:

Or inbound to LCY with the d(r)ome in sight :O

[big.al]

Inbound to "Birmingham Wolverhampton" as they want to call it, wouldn't you have to declare "I have the interstellar spacedock in sight.."...?:p

[Evo]

'Aerodrome' - has a hard runway but little or no commercial operation.

Not sure the hard runway matters - Goodwood and Redhill are both grass (I don't think the taxiway at Redhill counts!) and both call themselves aerodromes. I'm sure there are others - those are the closest two I could think of

[flyingwysiwyg]

According to Chambers:-

Air'field: an open expanse where aircraft may land and take off

a'erodrome: an area, with its bulidings etc used for the take off and landing of aircraft

Air'port: an aerodrome, usu with a custom-house, used as a station for transport of passengers and cargo; an opening for the passage of air.

Hope this helps.

(god I must be bored :ugh: )

FWyg

[Spitoon]

UK legislation generally refers to aerodromes, whether a grass strip or Heathrow - see ANO Article 103 and a few others. In aviation legal terms, an airfield doesn't really exist. The term airport is used in relation to an aerodrome that has Customs and Excise presence - see ANO Article 111.

[Keef]

Airfield is American for aerodrome.

Airport is an aerodrome with Customs.

Easy!

[MLS-12D]

According to section 3 of our Aeronautics Act, R.S.C. 1985, c.A-2

"aerodrome" means any area of land, water (including the frozen surface thereof) or other supporting surface used, designed, prepared, equipped or set apart for use either in whole or in part for the arrival, departure, movement or servicing of aircraft and includes any buildings, installations and equipment situated thereon or associated therewith ...

"airport" means an aerodrome in respect of which a Canadian aviation document is in force. In other words, virtually anything (including a farmer's field, etc.) can be an "aerodrome", so long as it is used by aircraft; whereas an "airport" is essentially a licensed aerodrome, and as such has to meet certain guidelines under Part III of the Canadian Aviation Regulations. I imagine that roughly similar provisions apply in the UK (see the definition of "aerodrome" in CAP 168 (http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/CAP168.pdf)); but don't take my word for it, ask Aerodrome Standards ([email protected]).

[Rattus]

When I last asked this question, at the age of about 10, I was told that an airfield is the manoeuvring area of an aerodrome, and that an airport is an aerodrome with scheduled services.

However that was in the days when Halfpenny Green was Halfpenny Green.:rolleyes:

[flower]

My Rating for providing Air traffic services from a Visual Control Room is an Aerodrome Rating not an airfield or airport one.

:)

[Spitoon]

Further to my last - straight from the UK legisation (Air Navigation Order)‘Aerodrome’ means any area of land or water designed, equipped, set apart or commonly used for affording facilities for the landing and departure of aircraft and includes any area or space, whether on the ground, on the roof of a building or elsewhere, which is designed, equipped or set apart for affording facilities for the landing and departure of aircraft capable of descending or climbing vertically, but shall not include any area the use of which for affording facilities for the landing and departure of aircraft has been abandoned and has not been resumed;