Airport apron
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The airport apron is part of an airport. It is usually the area where aircraft are parked, unloaded or loaded, refueled, or boarded. Although the use of the apron is covered by regulations, such as lighting on vehicles, it is typically more accessible to users than the runway or taxiway. However, the apron is not usually open to the general public and a license may be required to gain access.
The use of the apron may be controlled by the apron management service (apron control or apron advisory) to provide coordination between the users.
The apron is designated by the ICAO as not being part of the maneuvering area. All vehicles, aircraft and people using the apron are referred to as apron traffic.
ramp
In the USA, the word ramp is an older synonym for apron where pre-flight activities were done; areas for parking and maintenance were called aprons. Passenger gates are the main feature of a terminal ramp. The word apron is the ICAO and FAA terminology (the word ramp is not), so the word ramp is not used with this meaning outside the USA.
Many people in the general public and media refer to the apron at airports as "the tarmac" despite the fact that these areas are most often paved with concrete not tarmac.
See also
External links
- FAA Advisory Circular 120-57A - See page 2 for definition of Apron (Ramp)
- Challenges to airport ramp and runway debris control