Section 1 EO C360.01 – IDENTIFY TYPES OF AERODROMES

An aerodrome is defined by the Aeronautics Act (1985) as:

“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.”

Any area designated or set aside for aircraft to use can be considered an aerodrome.

An airport is an aerodrome for which a certificate has been issued under Subsection 302 of the Canadian Aviation Regulations (CARs). This is done by ensuring the site is inspected periodically for compliance with Transport Canada standards. Certified aerodromes must also maintain an Airport Operations Manual and conduct operations in accordance with the manual.

An aerodrome that has been certified by Transport Canada is considered an airport.

There are three situations in which an aerodrome must be certified. They include:

The only exemptions are:

A public aerodrome is open to the general public for use and does not require prior permission from the aerodrome operator. Most airports operated by any level of government (municipal, provincial, or federal), are open for public use.

A private aerodrome may have restrictions on its use, depending on the aerodrome operator. Examples of restrictions include:

Prior Notice Required (PNR)

If an aerodrome is listed as PNR, then the aircraft operator must notify (contact) the aerodrome operator before using the aerodrome. This allows the aerodrome operator to provide the most current information on the aerodrome to the aircraft operator.

Prior Permission Required (PPR)

If an aerodrome is listed as PPR, then the aircraft operator must receive permission from the aerodrome operator before using the aerodrome. All military aerodromes are listed as PPR for civilian aircraft.

If an aircraft is in distress (experiencing an emergency), any aerodrome may be used for a safe landing – public or private.

All Canadian military aerodromes require PPR for civilian aircraft, except in the case of an emergency. PPRs may be obtained on an “as needed” basis, or for recurring use by way of a written agreement. Authority to grant the PPR rests with the base/wing commander, although that authority is often delegated further to the base/wing operations officer. Before approving a PPR, the base/wing commander will take into account such factors as:

For further details on authorization for civil aircraft to use Canadian military aerodromes, refer to CFAO 55-6 Authorization for Civil Aircraft to use DND Aerodromes.

As the operational tempo increases at most Canadian military aerodromes, it is growing more difficult for civilian operators to get permission to land or operate.

As a result of Canada’s participation in the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP) during WWII, many air bases were built across the country, all with a very similar design (three runways, arranged in a triangle). As the military began disposing of these air bases after the war, many municipalities took over their operations and have kept them operational. In other cases, the air bases were simply abandoned, and in a few cases, private operators took them over.

The most common type of aerodrome in Canada is a private aerodrome (often called a farmer’s field). Usually consisting of just a single grass runway, these aerodromes can be found in almost every part of the country, often just miles apart. They are primarily used by the owners of light single-engine aircraft. Usually, the owner lives at the aerodrome, making it very convenient to go flying.

These aerodromes generally offer little to no service to visiting aircraft, and are usually listed as PPR or PNR. They are not certified.

Many municipalities in Canada (large towns and small cities) are involved in the operation of an aerodrome located in (or just outside) the city limits. These aerodromes usually have a hard-surface runway and provide year-round operations. Generally, a municipal aerodrome is for public use.

A municipal aerodrome typically provides the following types of services:

Small aviation businesses may operate from a municipal aerodrome. They may include any of the following:

An aerodrome can be considered to be a regional airport if:

Regional airports often serve as the starting/ending point in a passenger’s air travel. Passengers prefer to fly from the closest regional airport to their home, especially for domestic flights.

International airports form the backbone of a country’s air transportation system. Many flights that originate from a regional airport terminate at an international airport, where passengers can make connections to other regional airports domestically or to international destinations.

At most international airports, cargo flights are more frequent than at a regional airport.

International airports serve 94 percent of the total annual passenger/cargo traffic in Canada.