AIM - AGA 2. 1 - Aerodromes and Airports / General

General

An aerodrome is defined by the Aeronautics Act 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.

This has a very broad application for Canada where there are no general restrictions
preventing landings or takeoffs. There are defined exceptions, but, for the most part,
all of Canada can be an aerodrome.

Rules for operating an aerodrome are provided in Part III of the Canadian Aviation
Regulations (CARs) under Subsection 301. The focus is to define the minimum safety
standards that must be offered as well as making provision for inspection by the
Minister. The operators of aerodromes are encouraged, in the interest of aviation
safety, efficiency and convenience to improve their aerodromes beyond the basic
regulatory requirements using, as guidelines, the standards and recommended
practices applicable for the certification of aerodromes as airports. The users of
aerodromes are, however, reminded that the improvement of aerodrome physical
characteristics, visual aids, lighting and markings beyond the basic regulatory
requirements for aerodromes is a matter of individual aerodrome operator initiative.
Such improvements do not require regulatory compliance, nor are those improvements
inspected or certified in accordance with the standards and recommended practices
applicable for the certification of aerodromes as airports.

Subsection 301 also puts into regulation the “Registration” process, which is used to
publish and maintain information on an aerodrome in the Canada Flight Supplement
(CFS) or the Water Aerodrome Supplement (WAS). This specifies that an aerodrome
operator can expect:

(a) their aerodrome will be registered in the appropriate publication when the
operator provides the necessary information respecting location, markings,
lighting, use and operation of the aerodrome;

(b) their aerodrome will not be registered in the appropriate publication if the
operator of the aerodrome does not meet the aerodrome regulatory
requirements for markers and markings, warning notices, wind direction
indicator and lighting;

(c) to assume responsibility to immediately notify the Minister of any changes in
the aerodrome’s published information regarding location, markings, lighting,
use or operation of the aerodrome; and

(d) their aerodrome will be classed as a registered aerodrome when it is published
in the CFS or WAS.

NOTE:     No aerodrome operator is obliged by these regulations to have information
                published in the CFS or WAS and the Minister may choose not to publish
                information for a site that is considered to be hazardous to aviation safety.

In addition to the initial application inspection, registered aerodromes are inspected on
a required basis to verify compliance with CARs and the accuracy of information
published in the CFS and WAS. Such information, however, is only published for the
convenience of the pilot and should be confirmed through contact with the aerodrome
operator before using a site.

Besides the “Aerodrome” and “Registered Aerodrome” terminology, there is also the
term “Airport.” This is an aerodrome for which a certificate has been issued under
Subsection 302 of CARs. The objective is to protect those that do not have the
knowledge or ability to protect themselves – the fare paying public and the resident in
the vicinity of an airport that could be affected by unsafe operations. This is done by
ensuring the site is inspected periodically for compliance with Transport Canada
Standards for obstruction surfaces, physical characteristics, marking and lighting,
which have been recorded in an Airport Operations Manual, and Airside Operating
Procedures. The current status is to be advertised to all interested aircraft operators
through the CFS, Canada Air Pilot (CAP), NOTAM and voice advisory as applicable.

CARs 101.01

"airport" - means an aerodrome in respect of which an airport certificate issued under Subpart 2 of Part III is in force; (aéroport)

 CARs 302.03