Note to All, especially Art Wesley…
“Aerodromes” STILL exist in the world. A few of them anyway. In the old Soviet system, DOSAAF (training) airfields were all large grass fields. They were not paved, only grass. The tires used on small training aircraft such as the Yak-52 were rather intolerant of paving. Not only could you take off in any direction, but your tires lasted much longer. Yak-52’s that were not converted to Cleveland wheels flying in the USA would average about 200 landings before their tires had to be replaced. A few of these airfields are still in use for training; I think Chaika, the former DOSAAF airfield on the west side of Kiev is still in operation. I have landed a helicopter at some DOSAAF airfields in Belarus in the mid 1990’s, but don’t know if they are still operational. BTW, my login name means “Colonel of aviation” in Russian… Lots of personal experience in that part of the world…