What is the difference between tarmac and plot

How do terms apron, ramp, tarmac, taxiway, parking area, gate, hardstand relate to each other?

The terms apron, ramp, tarmac, taxiway, parking area, gate, hardstand are used in a way that I cannot understand.

Boeing Everett Factory. Photo by Andrew Hunt at Airliners.net (url unknown). Cropped image from this page

I can’t figure out if one is generic and another a part of this set, or if they are well defined by their use (taxiway), or anything else.

Questions I can’t answer:

In addition I guess this may varies between countries and/or aeronautical jurisdiction.

Can someone provide an accurate view of the lingo and explain whether some are related or synonymous? (filling the blanks if some important term is missing).

2 Answers 2

Apron and ramp (in US) mean the same, though the official term is apron. FAA Advisory Circular Number 120-57A Surface Movement and Guidance Control System defines it as:

Apron (Ramp). A defined area on an airport intended to accommodate aircraft for purposes of loading or unloading passengers or cargo, refueling, parking, or maintenance.

Now, the apron includes parking, maintenance and service areas, including taxi lanes.

The apron area includes the following components:

(1) Aircraft Parking Positions. Intended for parking aircraft to enplane/deplane passengers, load or unload cargo.

(2) Aircraft Service Areas. in or adjacent to an aircraft parking position.Intended for use by personnel/equipment for servicing aircraft and staging of equipment to facilitate loading and unloading of aircraft.

(3) Taxilanes. Apron areas which provide taxiing aircraft access to and from parking positions.

(4) Vehicle Roadways Markings. Identified rights of way on the apron area designated for service and Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) vehicles.

Is this a binary split: Runways vs tarmac?

Kinda. Basically, the areas in airport where aircraft are involved are divided (by the FAA atleast) into runway, taxiway and apron.

i. Movement Area. Refers to the runways, taxiways, and other areas of an airport which are used for taxiing or hover taxiing, air taxiing, takeoff, and landing of aircraft,exclusive of loading ramps and aircraft parking areas.

j. Non-movement Area. Refers to taxiways and apron areas that are not under ATC

Is the gate stand part of the tarmac?

Its part of ramp, so yea.

Is a parking area different from a ramp?

It is part of the ramp/apron

Is a taxiway considered part of the apron?

Nope. As already noted.

Runway (RW). A defined rectangular surface on an airport prepared or suitable for the landing or takeoff of aircraft.

Taxiway (TW). A defined path established for the taxiing of aircraft from one part of an airport to another.

Are aprons made of Tarmac?

Tarmac is a trademark of Tarmac limited, which supplies construction materials for a a number of airports (among others), though most of the aprons are actually made of concrete.

Is a de-icing area part of the ramp?

As de-icing is part of servicing, it should be part of apron/ramp.

However, it should be noted that though this is the ‘official’ version, differing local usage means that tarmac is used interchangeably with apron/ramp.

Quite a bit of these can be found in the Pilot-Controller Glossary:

APRON− A defined area on an airport or heliport intended to accommodate aircraft for purposes of loading or unloading passengers or cargo, refueling, parking, or maintenance. With regard to seaplanes, a ramp is used for access to the apron from the water.

Ramp and Apron are synonymns:

TARMAC is not, by itself, defined, however there are a number of terms related to operations on tarmac, for example:

TARMAC DELAY− The holding of an aircraft on the ground either before departure or after landing with no opportunity for its passengers to deplane

Leading me to believe that any place can be considered «Tarmac» except movement areas.

Taxiway is also not explicitly defined (oddly, I’m sure it is well defined in the airport construction guide), but high-speed taxiway is. I assume a taxiway is the same thing except a more reasonable speed:

HIGH SPEED TAXIWAY− A long radius taxiway designed and provided with lighting or marking to define the path of aircraft, traveling at high speed (up to 60 knots), from the runway center to a point on the center of a taxiway. Also referred to as long radius exit or turn-off taxiway. The high speed taxiway is designed to expedite aircraft turning off the runway after landing, thus reducing runway occupancy time.

Although I don’t believe all taxiways are required to be lit. So I would say Taxiway is:

Taxiway: A defined path for an aircraft leading from runways to parking areas, hangers, gates, cargo terminals, or other operations area’s.

Parking Area and Gate are not defined in the PCG, these terms should be pretty easy so I’ll give a go at it:

Parking Area: Specified location(s) on the airfield where aircraft may be parked for extended periods of time. Gate: Designated passenger loading/disembarking area for access to terminals, other gates, and airport entrance/exits.

Hardstand is also not defined by the PCG, but Wikipedia gives it a good go:

Hardstand: A hardstand is a paved area for parking heavy vehicles.

So to answer your questions directly:

Is this a binary split: Runways vs tarmac?

Yes, since you can have a «Tarmac Hold» but not typically hold on the runway, I would say that airports do not consider the runway a part of the tarmac.

Is the gate stand part of the tarmac?

Is a parking area different from a ramp?

A parking area can be different from a ramp, but is not always. For example at an FBO, the parking area and the ramp are usually the same. The parking area for airliners is probably not on the ramp though.

Is a taxiway considered part of the apron?

No, since the apron is defined and intended to accommodate aircraft for the purpose of loading/unloading, etc. These are not operations you would perform on a taxiway.

They can be in the sense that they can also be made of concrete, asphalt, etc.

Is a de-icing area part of the ramp?

Raleigh-Durham International Airport

What is the name of the part of the airport where planes park and are serviced at the airport? Some people will say ramp. Many call it the tarmac. To others, it’s the apron. Who’s right? Let’s take a look.

Trucks and a plane on the ramp, er, apron at RDU.

Tarmac

Let’s knock one term out of the running right away. Though commonly used to describe the area where planes park, tarmac isn’t officially a place. That word is the name of a product produced by a British company that produces a surface coating that is applied to roads and airfields.

In fact, using tarmac to describe where planes park is like calling the area outside a building where cars park “the concrete” or “the asphalt” instead of calling it the parking lot. And, did you know, Tarmac® with a capital “T” is a registered trademark?

Ramp

This is a term we use quite frequently at RDU. It’s a common unofficial term that is very much in use at airports throughout the U.S. and Canada. However, it’s not the official designation.

The use of ramp has its roots in airports that serve both seaplanes and traditional airplanes as a literal ramp from the water to the airfield. Outside the U.S. and Canada, it’s a term that virtually no one uses.

Apron

If tarmac and ramp aren’t the official terms, then it’s got to be the apron. This is in fact the official term used by both the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), which advises on aviation practices worldwide, and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which regulates aviation in the U.S., to designate the area at the airport where parked and serviced at airports.

More On The Apron

The apron is a busy place. It’s the part of the airport where vehicles and airplanes share the same space. The many movements on the apron are not generally controlled by the air traffic control tower. At large airports, aprons are governed by their own towers while at small ones it could be left to each pilot.

At RDU, we have a mix. Aircraft movement on the Terminal 1 apron is up to the airline ramp workers and pilots. At Terminal 2, our Ramp Tower oversees movement. (See, we use the term ramp quite a bit at RDU).

A series of pavement markings separate the apron from the taxiway. Vehicles and persons are required to get permission from the air traffic control tower before crossing those markings and entering what’s called the movement area of the airfield.

There’s also an apron or ramp (but not tarmac) at the General Aviation Terminal. And, you’ll also find a ramp, or apron, at each of our cargo buildings.

There you have it. Next time you‘re sitting at the gate waiting for your flight you can educate your fellow travelers on the difference between apron, ramp and tarmac.

Do you have an aviation term that you’d like to know more about? Tell me in the comments below!

Difference Between Tarmac Asphalt and Bitumen

April 28, 2014 Posted by Admin

Tarmac Asphalt vs Bitumen

Three extremely popular construction materials used worldwide, asphalt, bitumen and tarmac are indeed quite hard to differentiate from one another to the untrained eye. However, the nature of these three materials vary drastically, thereby making it very necessary to discern them from one another.

What is Asphalt?

Asphalt or asphalt concrete, a composite material that is used for construction purposes, is mainly used for the paving of road surfaces. Asphalt is also now increasingly being used as the core of embankment dams. Asphalt concrete, consisting of bitumen, a liquid or a semi solid form of black, sticky and viscous material, which acts as a binder for mineral aggregates such as sand and rocks, is sometimes also referred to as blacktop, or pavement.

What is Bitumen?

Bitumen, also sometimes referred to as asphalt, is a semi solid or a liquid form of petroleum that is sticky black and highly viscous in nature. Found in natural deposits, bitumen is used as a glue that binds the aggregate particles together to create a solid base. While the main use of asphalt is in road construction, it is also used for bituminous waterproofing products, production of roofing felt and for sealing flat roofs.

Naturally occurring asphalt/bitumen is more of less specified as “crude bitumen” and most of the commercially used bitumen is obtained from petroleum. However, deposits of bitumen also occur in the remains of ancient, microscopic algae and places which had once contained life, usually deposited in the mud at the bottom of lakes or the ocean where the organisms had once lived. Under the pressure of deep burial and a temperature above 50 °C, the remains are usually transformed into bitumen, petroleum or kerogene. One good example of this is La Brea Tar Pits.

The largest use for bitumen in modern times is in asphalt concrete which in turn is used for paving road surfaces. Bitumen is also used to produce Japan black, a lacquer that is known especially for its use on iron and steel.

What is Tarmac?

Short for tarmacadam, tarmac is a road surface paving material that was patented in 1901 by Edgar Purnell Hooley. The history of tarmac dates back to 8th century AD when it has been found that the streets of Baghdad had been paved with tarmac. However, it was more than 1000 years later that a road construction method called macadamisation was introduced by John Loudon McAdam which allowed horses and carriages or coaches to travel on the roads quite conveniently. Yet these roads were seen to be quite dusty and were easily subjected to erosion with heavy rain and later on, did not support the transportation of heavy motor vehicles. It was in 1834 that John Henry Cassell patented a method to stabilise macadam roads with tar which was named “Pitch Macadam, In this method one is required to spread tar upon the surface, placing a typical macadam layer on top followed by the sealing of the macadam with a mixture of sand and tar. However the 1901 patent for tarmac which came afterwards required the tar, modified with small amounts of Portland cement, pitch and resin and the aggregate to be mixed mechanically before laying it down and then compacting the mixture with a steamroller.

What is the difference between Asphalt and Bitumen and Tarmac?

• Asphalt and bitumen both refer to the same black, sticky semi solid or a liquid substance derived from crude oil.

• However, in regular use, asphalt can also be used as a shortened term for asphalt concrete which is a popular construction composite made up of bitumen and mineral aggregates.

• Although in UK, tarmac is a word commonly used for asphalt concrete, tarmac is a separate method in itself which involved stabilise macadam roads with tar.

What is the difference between drawing plots using plot, axes or figure in matplotlib?

I’m kind of confused what is going at the backend when I draw plots in matplotlib, tbh, I’m not clear with the hierarchy of plot, axes and figure. I read the documentation and it was helpful but I’m still confused.

What is the difference between all the three, I mean what is going under the hood when any of the 3 methods are called?

Which method should be used when and what are the pros and cons of using any on those?

2 Answers 2

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The names of objects

Matplotlib is strongly object oriented and its principal objects are the figure and the axes (I find the name axes a bit misleading, but probably it’s just me).

The plt interface

I’d like to add that the plt namespace contains also a number of convenience methods to instantiate, in different ways, figure and axes.

Your examples

Here you use only the plt interface, you can only use a single axes in each figure, but this is what you want when you are doing an exploration of your data, a quick recipe that gets the work done.

Here you use a convenience method in the plt namespace to give a name (and a handle) to your axes object, but btw there is also an hidden figure. You can later use the axes object to plot, to make an histogram etc, all things that you can do with the plt interface, but you can also access all its attributes and modify them with greater freedom.

Here you start instantiating a figure using a convenience method in the plt namespace and later you use only the object oriented interface.

It is possible to bypass the plt convenience method ( matplotlib.figure.Figure ) but you then have to tweak the figure for a better interactive experience (after all, it’s a convenience method).

Personal recommendations

On the other hand the object oriented approach, plus a few plt convenience methods, is the way to go

There is a large gray area between these extremes and if you ask me what to do I’d just say «It depends».

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What Is the Plot of a Story? The 5 Parts of the Narrative

When we talk about stories, we tend to use the word «plot.» But what is plot exactly? How does it differ from a story, and what are the primary features that make up a well-written plot? We answer these questions here and show you real plot examples from literature. But first, let’s take a look at the basic plot definition.

What Is Plot? Definition and Overview

What is the plot of a story? The answer is pretty simple, actually.

Plot is the way an author creates and organizes a chain of events in a narrative. In short, plot is the foundation of a story. Some describe it as the «what» of a text (whereas the characters are the «who» and the theme is the «why»).

This is the basic plot definition. But what does plot do?

The plot must follow a logical, enticing format that draws the reader in. Plot differs from «story» in that it highlights a specific and purposeful cause-and-effect relationship between a sequence of major events in the narrative.

In Aspects of the Novel, famed British novelist E. M. Forster argues that instead of merely revealing random events that occur within a text (as «story» does), plot emphasizes causality between these events:

«We have defined a story as a narrative of events arranged in their time-sequence. A plot is also a narrative of events, the emphasis falling on causality. ‘The king died and then the queen died,’ is a story. ‘The king died, and then the queen died of grief’ is a plot. The time-sequence is preserved, but the sense of causality overshadows it.»

Authors typically develop their plots in ways that are most likely to pique the reader’s interest and keep them invested in the story. This is why many plots follow the same basic structure. So what is this structure exactly?

What Is Plot Structure?

All plots follow a logical organization with a beginning, middle, and end—but there’s a lot more to the basic plot structure than just this. Generally speaking, every plot has these five elements in this order:

#1: Exposition/Introduction

The first part of the plot establishes the main characters/protagonists and setting. We get to know who’s who, as well as when and where the story takes place. At this point, the reader is just getting to know the world of the story and what it’s going to be all about.

Here, we’re shown what normal looks like for the characters.

The primary conflict or tension around which the plot revolves is also usually introduced here in order to set up the course of events for the rest of the narrative. This tension could be the first meeting between two main characters (think Pride and Prejudice) or the start of a murder mystery, for example.

#2: Rising Action

In this part of the plot, the primary conflict is introduced (if it hasn’t been already) and is built upon to create tension both within the story and the reader, who should ideally be feeling more and more drawn to the text. The conflict may affect one character or multiple characters.

The author should have clearly communicated to the reader the stakes of this central conflict. In other words, what are the possible consequences? The benefits?

This is the part of the plot that sets the rest of the plot in motion. Excitement grows as tensions get higher and higher, ultimately leading to the climax of the story (see below).

For example, in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, the rising action would be when we learn who Voldemort is and lots of bad things start happening, which the characters eventually realize are all connected to Voldemort.

This little guy says his cousin was part of the plot in the Harry Potter books.

#3: Climax/Turning Point

Arguably the most important part of a story, the climax is the biggest plot point, which puts our characters in a situation wherein a choice must be made that will affect the rest of the story.

This is the critical moment that all the rising action has been building up to, and the point at which the overarching conflict is finally addressed. What will the character(s) do, and what will happen as a result? Tensions are highest here, instilling in the reader a sense of excitement, dread, and urgency.

In classic tales of heroes, the climax would be when the hero finally faces the big monster, and the reader is left to wonder who will win and what this outcome could mean for the other characters and the world as a whole within the story.

#4: Falling Action

This is when the tension has been released and the story begins to wind down. We start to see the results of the climax and the main characters’ actions and get a sense of what this means for them and the world they inhabit. How did their choices affect themselves and those around them?

At this point, the author also ties up loose ends in the main plot and any subplots.

In To Kill a Mockingbird, we see the consequences of the trial and Atticus Finch’s involvement in it: Tom goes to jail and is shot and killed, and Scout and Jem are attacked by accuser Bob Ewell who blames their father for making a fool out of him during the trial.

#5: Resolution/Denouement

This final plot point is when everything has been wrapped up and the new world—and the new sense of normalcy for the characters—has been established. The conflict from the climax has been resolved, and all loose ends have been neatly tied up (unless the author is purposely setting up the story for a sequel!).

There is a sense of finality and closure here, making the reader feel that there is nothing more they can learn or gain from the narrative.

The resolution can be pretty short—sometimes just a paragraph or so—and might even take the form of an epilogue, which generally takes place a while after the main action and plot of the story.

Be careful not to conflate «resolution» with «happy ending»—resolutions can be tragic and entirely unexpected, too!

In Romeo and Juliet, the resolution is the point at which the family feud between the Capulets and Montagues is at last put to an end following the deaths of the titular lovers.

What Is a Plot Diagram?

Many people use a plot diagram to help them visualize the plot definition and structure. Here’s what a basic plot diagram looks like:

The triangular part of the diagram indicates changing tensions in the plot. The diagram begins with a flat, horizontal line for the exposition, showing a lack of tension as well as what is normal for the characters in the story.

This elevation changes, however, with the rising action, or immediately after the conflict has been introduced. The rising action is an increasing line (indicating the building of tension), all the way up until it reaches the climax—the peak or turning point of the story, and when everything changes.

The falling action is a decreasing line, indicating a decline in tension and the wrapping up of the plot and any subplots. After, the line flatlines once more into a resolution—a new sense of normal for the characters in the story.

You can use the plot diagram as a reference when writing a story and to ensure you have all major plot points.

4 Plot Examples From Literature

While most plots follow the same basic structure, the details of stories can vary quite a bit! Here are four plot examples from literature to give you an idea of how you can use the fundamental plot structure while still making your story entirely your own.

#1: Hamlet by William Shakespeare

Exposition: The ghost of Hamlet’s father—the former king—appears one night instructing his son to avenge his death by killing Claudius, Hamlet’s uncle and the current king.

Rising Action: Hamlet struggles to commit to avenging his father’s death. He pretends to go crazy (and possibly becomes truly mad) to confuse Claudius. Later, he passes up the opportunity to kill his uncle while he prays.

Climax: Hamlet stabs and kills Polonius, believing it to be his uncle. This is an important turning point at which Hamlet has committed himself to both violence and revenge. (Another climax can be said to be when Hamlet duels Laertes.)

Falling Action: Hamlet is sent to England but manages to avoid execution and instead returns to Denmark. Ophelia goes mad and dies. Hamlet duels Laertes, ultimately resulting in the deaths of the entire royal family.

Resolution: As he lay dying, Hamlet tells Horatio to make Fortinbras the king of Denmark and to share his story. Fortinbras arrives and speaks hopefully about the future of Denmark.

Artist’s rendition of Hamlet’s murder of King Claudius

#2: Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë

Exposition: Lockwood arrives at Wuthering Heights to meet with Heathcliff, a wealthy landlord, about renting Thrushcross Grange, another manor just a few miles away. While staying overnight, he sees the ghost of a woman named Catherine. After settling in at the Grange, Lockwood asks the housekeeper, Nelly Dean, to relay to him the story of Heathcliff and the Heights.

Rising Action: Most of the rising action takes place in the past when Catherine and Heathcliff were young. We learn that the two children were very close. One day, a dog bite forces Catherine to stay for several weeks at the Grange where the Lintons live, leading her to become infatuated with the young Edgar Linton. Feeling hurt and betrayed, Heathcliff runs away for three years, and Catherine and Edgar get married. Heathcliff then inherits the Heights and marries Edgar’s sister, Isabella, in the hopes of inheriting the Grange as well.

Climax: Catherine becomes sick, gives birth to a daughter named Cathy, and dies. Heathcliff begs Catherine to never leave him, to haunt him—even if it drives him mad.

Falling Action: Many years pass in Nelly’s story. A chain of events allows Heathcliff to gain control of both the Heights and the Grange. He then forces the young Cathy to live with him at the Heights and act as a servant. Lockwood leaves the Grange to return to London.

Resolution: Six months later, Lockwood goes back to see Nelly and learns that Heathcliff, still heartbroken and now tired of seeking revenge, has died. Cathy and Hareton fall in love and plan to get married; they inherit the Grange and the Heights. Lockwood visits the graves of Catherine and Heathcliff, noting that both are finally at peace.

#3: Carrie by Stephen King

Exposition: Teenager Carrie is an outcast and lives with her controlling, fiercely religious mother. One day, she starts her period in the showers at school after P.E. Not knowing what menstruation is, Carrie becomes frantic; this causes other students to make fun of her and pelt her with sanitary products. Around this time, Carrie discovers that she has telekinetic powers.

Rising Action: Carrie practices her telekinesis, which grows stronger. The students who previously tormented Carrie in the locker room are punished by their teacher. One girl, Sue, feels remorseful and asks her boyfriend, Tommy, to take Carrie to the prom. But another girl, Chris, wants revenge against Carrie and plans to rig the prom queen election so that Carrie wins. Carrie attends the prom with Tommy and things go well—at first.

Climax: After being named prom queen, Carrie gets onstage in front of the entire school only to be immediately drenched with a bucket of pig’s blood, a plot carried out by Chris and her boyfriend, Billy. Everybody laughs at Carrie, who goes mad and begins using her telekinesis to start fires and kill everyone in sight.

Falling Action: Carrie returns home and is attacked by her mother. She kills her mother and then goes outside again, this time killing Chris and Billy. As Carrie lay dying, Sue comes over to her and Carrie realizes that Sue never intended to hurt her. She dies.

Resolution: The survivors in the town must come to terms with the havoc Carrie wrought. Some feel guilty for not having helped Carrie sooner; Sue goes to a psychiatric hospital. It’s announced that there are no others like Carrie, but we are then shown a letter from a mother discussing her young daughter’s telekinetic abilities.

#4: Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

Exposition: Bella Swan is a high school junior who moves to live with her father in a remote town in Washington State. She meets a strange boy named Edward, and after an initially awkward meeting, the two start to become friends. One day, Edward successfully uses his bare hands to stop a car from crushing Bella, making her realize that something is very different about this boy.

Rising Action: Bella discovers that Edward is a vampire after doing some research and asking him questions. The two develop strong romantic feelings and quickly fall in love. Bella meets Edward’s family of vampires, who happily accept her. When playing baseball together, however, they end up attracting a gang of non-vegetarian vampires. One of these vampires, James, notices that Bella is a human and decides to kill her. Edward and his family work hard to protect Bella, but James lures her to him by making her believe he has kidnapped her mother.

Climax: Tricked by James, Bella is attacked and fed on. At this moment, Edward and his family arrive and kill James. Bella nearly dies from the vampire venom in her blood, but Edward sucks it out, saving her life.

Falling Action: Bella wakes up in the hospital, heavily injured but alive. She still wants to be in a relationship with Edward, despite the risks involved, and the two agree to stay together.

Resolution: Months later, Edward takes Bella to the prom. The two have a good time. Bella tells Edward that she wants him to turn her into a vampire right then and there, but he refuses and pretends to bite her neck instead.

Despite what some critics might claim,Twilight does, in fact, have a plot.

Conclusion: So What Is the Plot of a Story?

What is plot? Basically, it’s the chain of events in a story. These events must be purposeful and organized in a logical manner that entices the reader, builds tension, and provides a resolution.

All plots have a beginning, middle, and end, and usually contain the following five points in this order:

#1: Exposition/introduction
#2: Rising action
#3: Climax/turning point
#4: Falling action
#5: Resolution/denouement

Sketching out a plot diagram can help you visualize your story and get a clearer sense for where the climax is, what tensions you’ll need to have in order to build up to this turning point, and how you can offer a tight conclusion to your story.

What’s Next?

What is plot? A key literary element as it turns out. Learn about other important elements of literature in our guide. We’ve also got a list of top literary devices you should know.

Interested in writing poetry? Then check out our picks for the 20 most critical poetic devices.

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Hannah received her MA in Japanese Studies from the University of Michigan and holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Southern California. From 2013 to 2015, she taught English in Japan via the JET Program. She is passionate about education, writing, and travel.

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