There are rules in place for certified aerodromes. These must meet different safety standards than landing areas, heliports and, in the future, vertiports.
If you operate a certified aerodrome there are legislative and regulatory requirements operators must meet. This includes having an operating manual, safety procedures, and emergency arrangements. Aerodromes which have a large number of passenger or aircraft movements must also have a safety management system or risk management plan.
It is the responsibility of a pilot and/or operator landing at an uncertified aerodrome to determine if the landing area is suitable for their use.
Understanding the terminology
An aerodrome is a location where aircraft operate. The international aviation community defines aerodromes as an area (including any buildings and equipment) intended to be used for the arrival, departure, and movement of aircraft.
This includes the runways, aprons, hangars, and aircraft parking areas. An aerodrome can include small airfields as well as large airports.
An 'apron' is an area at an airport where pilots and operators can park, unload or load, refuel, board or maintain their aircraft.
We sometimes use the terms 'aerodromes' and 'airports' interchangeably. However, an airport usually refers to a larger facility, with buildings such as hangars and a terminal for passengers. Not all aerodromes have these types of facilities.
The industry sometimes refers to a helicopter landing site as a helipad or heliport. You can sometimes find these on an aerodrome. Helicopter landing sites on an aerodrome must meet certain standards..
What types of rules exist
There are lots of rules in place that certified aerodrome operators need to follow.
Aerodromes must meet these standards to be a regulated airport. This means that they hold a certificate from CASA and must meet the applicable standards.
A regulated aerodrome comes with certain permissions. For example, only certified aerodromes can install certain technologies and have 'procedures' to allow pilots to land using instruments.
Some rules include how long and how wide a runway must be. The standards used to work this out depend on the type, size and performance of the aircraft that will land on the runway. Larger and higher performance aircraft typically require longer and wider runways.
Smaller aerodromes, such as aeroplane landing areas (ALAs) which are for visual flying only, do not need our approval and do not hold a certificate. Private pilots or operators like the Royal Flying Doctors Service may use these types of airfields.
Under the rules, we require the pilot-in-command and the operator of an aircraft to consider all circumstances associated with safely taking off or landing at a place prior to doing so.
There are also rules in place that determine when an airport must have either an:
- air traffic control service
- aviation rescue and firefighting service.
These services must meet their own set of rules. This includes:
- how quickly to respond to an aviation incident
- location of towers and buildings so controllers and fire fighters can see aircraft and vehicles moving around the aerodrome.
Runway safety buffers
When a pilot or operator is calculating if they can land at an aerodrome, they consider things like runway length and surface and environmental conditions. The aircraft manufacturer will usually say how much runway an aircraft needs to land safely.
They then add on a runway safety buffer. This is an extra margin of error to account for issues like:
- unexpected weather conditions
- poor runway surfaces
- aircraft performance
- pilot skill.
Manufacturers determine safety buffers by adjusting the actual runway distance by using a factoring multiplier. This factoring increases the minimum runway length required based on the type of operation and the aircraft.
The rules for helicopter landing sites
Helicopter operations and landing sites work differently to airstrips and aerodromes (airports) used by fixed wing aircraft.
This is because of the operational capability and flexibility of helicopters. This leads to helicopters having different performance standards. This includes things like:
- how much space they need
- the visibility they need
- their speed
- how well the helicopter itself can manoeuvre and avoid obstacles.
We do not regulate helicopter landing sites located off a certified aerodrome. The property owner isn't obligated to meet any regulations or standards under aviation safety regulations.
To support safety, we provide guidance for planning, designing and operation of helicopter landing sites.
There are also rules in place that set out the requirements the pilot-in-command and operator must follow when using a helicopter landing site.
This includes what the requirements are for a helicopter to safely land or continue a flight in the event of a critical engine failure.
Pilots also must be aware of downwash from the helicopter rotors while landing or taking off at a helicopter landing site. Downwash can present a risk to people walking nearby to the landing site.
Our oversight and surveillance of aerodromes
We routinely conduct audits and surveillance of certified aerodromes. This monitors the aerodrome operator's compliance with safety regulations.
Activities include:
- operational checks
- testing systems
- gathering evidence and data.
We also conduct unscheduled surveillance when information comes to our attention.
Find out more about our surveillance program.