Vliegveld

Vliegveld is a Dutch term for a defined area of land or water that is used for the take-off, landing and movement of aircraft. In Dutch aviation terminology, vliegvelden are usually smaller and less busy than luchthavens (airports), which handle regular commercial air services. The word combines vlieg (flight) and veld (field).

Most vliegvelden have one or more runways or landing strips, an apron and buildings such as hangars, plus a control or information facility. They may also host navigation aids, runway lighting, weather information and emergency services. Many vliegvelden are devoted to general aviation, flight training, gliding or helicopter operations, while some also accommodate maintenance, aircraft storage or cargo functions.

Types include civilian general-aviation airfields, military airfields, glider aerodromes and heliports. Some are public and accessible to visiting pilots; others are private. Facilities and services vary: some fields offer basic services for hobbyist flying, others provide more extensive air traffic management and infrastructure.

Regulation and safety are provided by national aviation authorities and international standards set by organizations such as ICAO and, in Europe, EASA. Operations on vliegvvelden often rely on visual flight rules (VFR), with instrument rules (IFR) available at larger or more equipped fields. Common safety considerations include runway and surface maintenance, lighting, weather reporting, and appropriate procedures for communications and air traffic.

Historically, airfields began as grass strips in the early days of aviation and expanded in the postwar era to serve civil, military and recreational aviation. Today, the term vliegveld remains a general designation for many smaller and regional airfields alongside larger luchthavens.