Definition
That part of a movement area intended for the landing or takeoff of aircraft. Under the ICAO definition, the landing area is the surface set aside for aircraft to touch down on arrival or lift off on departure, and it forms a subset of the larger movement area at an aerodrome.
Plain English
The portion of the airport surface that is specifically used for aircraft to land on or take off from.
Context Anchor
Seen in the Pilot/Controller Glossary when an ICAO meaning is being distinguished from a general FAA meaning.
Derivation
The [ICAO] tag indicates this is the International Civil Aviation Organization's standard definition. ICAO definitions are used internationally and may differ slightly from FAA usage, so the tag flags it as the international standard wording.
Why Pilots Care
Pilots must identify the exact prepared surfaces to avoid runway incursions, off-airport landings, or violations of aerodrome rules.
Intuition Check
Do not assume “landing area” means only the spot where an aircraft touches down. In this ICAO use, it also includes surfaces intended for takeoff.
Example Sentence 1
The crew was cleared onto the landing area only after the preceding aircraft had cleared the runway.
Example Sentence 2
ICAO standards require the landing area to meet specific surface and obstacle-free requirements.