We often hear these three terms used interchangeably to refer to that part of the airport where planes park for handling services to be performed. But do they actually mean the same thing or refer to the same facility? We intend to unravel this in today’s discussion.
Tarmac #
The use of Tarmac to refer to where planes are park in the airport is quite common, but it is actually not a place or facility in the airport. Rather, it is a type of pavement surface material used in construction of roads, runways, taxiways, aprons etc. It is possible for paved surfaces in the airfield to be made with asphalt, concrete or tarmac.
Tarmac is also the trademark of a British company that produces this material.
Apron #
This is the official and most up to date ICAO and FAA term that designates the area of the airport where planes park for handling. It is the area in an airport where planes are parked, fuelled, loaded, unloaded and boarded or deboarded.
Ramp #
As used in reference to aircraft parking area, the origin of the term can be traced to airports that served seaplanes, in which it referred to the surface that lead planes from the water onto the airfield or terminal parking area. It became popularly used in reference to aircraft parking area. Ramp is the archaic or older version of the term Apron. It is still being used interchangeably.
It can be deduced from the foregoing that while Ramp and Apron can be used interchangeably to refer to the facility in the airfield that holds aircraft for handling services, Tarmac is completely inappropriate as it is not a facility but just a material that can be used for construction of the facility.
