Aviation Vocabulary: Airport-in Pictures

Airports are designed for the arrival, take-off, and servicing of aircraft, including runways, terminals, hangars, control towers, and passenger services. They vary in size from small regional airports to larger international hubs.  Airport means the place where international flight arrive or depart.  
 

Airport terminal of  Innsbruck Airport, Austria

Photo:  Ralf Roletschek|wikimedia commons 

 An airport terminal is a building where passengers check in, clear security, and board or disembark flights. It includes ticket counters, waiting areas, baggage claim, restrooms, shops, and restaurants, serving as the main hub for airport operations.

Airport hangars are large structures where aircraft are stored, repaired, and maintained. They protect planes from bad weather and ensure their readiness for flight, playing a key role in airport operations. 

The control tower is a tall structure where air traffic controllers manage aircraft movement on the ground and in surrounding airspace, ensuring safe take-offs, landings, and taxiing. It maintains communication with pilots to direct flights and prevent collisions.

A word that’s closely related to airport is “aerodrome”, which is the area of an airport used by aircraft, encompassing its design, safety equipment, and operations. This includes aerodrome management, apron services, and ground handling, all aimed at ensuring the safety of aircraft, vehicles, and personnel. According to the Aviation and Space Dictionary by Ernest J. Gentle, there’s virtually no difference between an airport and an aerodrome “The term airport is normally used to describe a U.S. civil facility whereas airfield is a U.S. military facility. Aerodrome is an international term,”

Airstrip is a place for aircraft to take -off and land that has no facility and is often temporary.  It contains only one runway and is less developed as compared to other airports. The Mingbo Airport, which is a now-forgotten and non-functional, is one such airstrip. 

STOL is a tiny airport or field that is mainly used for taking off and landing of aircraft short distances. It generally caters to small planes and some specialized aircraft that need only a runway. This above picture is of the Lukla’s short runway. This airport is also considered as the world’s most dangerous airport.

An ALTIport is a type of aerodrome designed for small airplanes and helicopters, located in mountainous areas. ALTI ports typically feature runways with unusual slopes that conform to the surrounding terrain. This sloped design aids in decelerating aircraft during landing and helps with acceleration during takeoff.

A green airport is designed with sustainability in mind, focusing on reducing environmental impact through energy efficiency, water conservation, waste management, and eco-friendly infrastructure. It incorporates green practices to minimize carbon emissions and promote environmental stewardship in air travel.

Changi Airport in Singapore is considered a “green airport” due to its focus on sustainability. It features eco-friendly architecture, including energy-efficient designs and green spaces like the Jewel complex’s indoor rainforest. The airport invests in renewable energy, such as solar panels, and uses energy-efficient technologies to reduce its carbon footprint. Changi also prioritizes waste reduction, water conservation through rainwater harvesting, and promotes eco-friendly transport options like electric vehicles. These efforts have earned the airport numerous environmental awards.

Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport, Sri Lanka’s second-largest airport, is often referred to as the emptiest due to its low passenger traffic and underutilization. Built in 2013 with a $209 million budget, it was expected to attract tourists and become an economic hub. While it has the capacity to serve 1 million passengers annually, political and geographical factors have prevented it from meeting expectations.

Established in 1909, College Park Airport (KCGS) is the world’s oldest continuously operated airport. Known as the “Field of Firsts,” it was where Wilbur Wright trained the U.S. military’s first pilots. Today, it remains an active airport and a historic site for aviation enthusiasts.

First Flight Airport (FFA) in Kill Devil Hills, NC, is a public-use airport honoring the Wright Brothers’ first powered flight on December 17, 1903. Established in 1928, it commemorates their pioneering achievements in aviation. The First Flight Airport is a living monument to the birth of modern aviation.

This is the ice runway which is in Antarctica. The concept was initially proposed in the late 1950s as part of a United States Army engineering program known as “Operation Deep Freeze.” It wasn’t until the 1970s that areas nearer to the South Pole were surveyed for runways to accommodate wheeled aircraft coming from New Zealand and Chile.