Forest Field Aerodrome facts for kids

Forest Field Aerodrome (IATA: N/A, ICAO: NZFF) is a small airport located in New Zealand. It's about 18.5 kilometers (10 nautical miles) northwest of Christchurch International Airport. This aerodrome is special because it's privately owned and operated. This means it's not a big public airport like the ones you might fly from for holidays.

What is an Aerodrome?

An aerodrome is basically a place where aircraft can take off and land. It's similar to an airport but often smaller. Aerodromes like Forest Field usually handle smaller planes. They might be used for things like flight training or private flights.

How Planes Use Forest Field

Even though it's a small airport, Forest Field Aerodrome has specific rules for planes.

Runway Information

Forest Field has three runways, all made of grass.

• Runway 05/23 is 730 meters long.
• Runway 10/28 is 750 meters long.
• Runway 18/36 is 1,000 meters long.

These runways are designed for lighter aircraft.

Flying Rules

• No Lights: This aerodrome does not have lights on its runways. This means planes can only use it during the daytime. They cannot land or take off at night.
• Flight Path: When planes are getting ready to land or after they take off, they fly in a specific pattern called a "circuit." At Forest Field, all planes must fly a "left-hand circuit." This means they turn left after taking off and before landing.
• Circuit Height: Planes flying in the circuit around Forest Field must stay at a height of 1,500 feet. This height is measured "Above Mean Sea Level" (AMSL). Mean sea level is the average height of the ocean.

Forest Field Aerodrome is an important part of local aviation. It helps smaller planes and pilots in the Canterbury area.