[Tagging] airport vs. aerodrome

[M∡rtin Koppenhoefer]

I know that this has been discussed various times, but as there was no
outcome besides generic ideas (number of flights, international
flights, number, length and surface of the runway and other intense
preprocessing or external (=currently not available) detail requiring
stuff) I raise again the question: why don't we map "bigger" airports
with aeroway=airport?

The reason why I came to this issue is in the mapnik stylesheet (I
know, don't tag for the renderers, but a rule already in the "main"
stylesheet definitely would help in this transition). The thing is
that the current mapnik stylesheet does indeed already include a
different icon and would render aeroway=airport on lower zooms (Z9 if
I recall right). Usually it is quite simple for every mapper to name
the more important airports of his city (e.g. in Rome it would be
either Fiumicino or Ciampino, I never heard of someone leaving or
arriving at another airport, in London it would be Heathrow, Luton,
Stansted, Gatwick, City, and maybe some other, but at least those
would be clearly standing out before all those other airfields and
airports).

Have a look here:
http://www.openstreetmap.org/?lat=42.16&lon=-88.536&zoom=10&layers=M
could you tell which are the more important ones? Not at first glance I guess.

A finer and more granular/elaborate distinction could still be applied
(later or in custom renderings), but this would at least help to
identify the well known and most important ones (in which people are
usually interested when flying with an airline instead with their own
private jet).

Comments?

Cheers,
Martin