An aerodrome is a flat land intended for take-off, landing and movement of aircraft, which is equipped with runways and facilities suitable for that purpose.
The word aerodrome is composed with the roots aero- , prefix that means ‘ air ‘, and with the Greek word δρόμος (drómos), which can be translated as ‘race track’.
Differences between airfield and airport
The difference between aerodrome and airport is that an aerodrome is not necessarily public or has a traffic intensity that justifies its permanent use. Hence, both terms, although similar and close, not necessarily in all cases can be used as equivalent synonyms.
All airports are airfields, but not all airfields are airports. In this sense, an airport is a public airfield that, due to the intensity of its movement, has permanent facilities and infrastructure, intended to offer commercial air transport services, whether for merchandise, or for passengers.
Types of aerodromes
There are different kinds of aerodromes depending on the type of use made of them.
- Public airfield: it is the one reserved for civil use, which can be used by any user and that is provided with services for the commercial transport of passengers, merchandise or correspondence, among other uses, such as serving as a base for aviation schools or for tourist flights.
- Restricted use aerodrome: is one that has a permanent infrastructure for aircraft operation.
- Eventual aerodrome: it is one that has a surface suitable for the use of aircraft and, however, does not have a permanent infrastructure and only works sporadically.
