The simplest definition of an aerodrome: a place where aeroplanes, helicopters and other aircraft land and take off. But an aerodrome needs more than just a runway to function safely. Thus there is a movement area, called an apron, on which an aircraft is parked and where ground handling can take place. Taxiways are also required for aircraft access to the runway.
Various partners are active in the operation of an aerodrome. This includes ground handling companies. They are responsible for delivering baggage and cargo, loading aircraft and boarding and disembarking passengers.
Aerodromes often have extensive green areas where wild animals such as birds, badgers and deer are to be found. To ensure that flight operations run safely, the wildlife living on the aerodrome must be controlled.
In brief: The larger the aerodrome, the more complex the management.
Examples of incidents on aerodromes include: During ground handling, the passenger boarding bridge collides with the aircraft and damages it. An aircraft travels on the incorrect taxiway. Another suffers engine damage due to a duck strike. A tractor rolls in the wrong direction on push-back. An incorrectly loaded cargo space. These are all incidents that can occur at Swiss airports. What is most important in these cases is not where or when the incidents occur, but rather that they reach the correct reporting point in order for the correct lessons to be learned. The objective: to continuously improve aviation safety, both on the ground and in the air.
Incidents during aerodrome operations: overview
Last modification 07.05.2025
