Relationships with Airfield Operators

Some airfields acknowledge spotting as a legitimate activity and realise that a proportion of the general public is fascinated by moving aircraft and the many supporting activities on the ground that air travellers take for granted. Their operators may create visitor centres, parking areas or picnic sites in safe places around or within an airport. Some airfields accommodate aircraft museums or recognise their historic interest or associations with important aircraft. Some feature on tourist trails for these reasons. Airfields have an interest in maintaining good relations with nearby communities whose members may have legitimate anxieties about noise, safety, air quality, surface water contamination, and congestion in relation to aircraft operations. By recognising the local interest in their activities and through the arranging of open days or sharing of certain on-site facilities such theatres, sports halls, and restaurants, airfield operators in both the civil and military sectors have dispelled some anxieties and misunderstandings. At the other extreme, some airfields have suffered from vandalism and trespassing to a serious extent and for obvious reasons must turn away spotters and more casual visitors. The need for airfields receiving international flights to maintain secure areas for border control and customs purposes must also be recognised by spotters and anyone else in the vicinity of heliports or airfield property. Military airfields also need to maintain a secure boundary and the authorities of many countries prohibit photography in or around such establishments. Listening in to air traffic communications or relaying information heard from that source is also illegal in some countries.