In a message to Jim Sanders  Vince Coen wrote:
 VC>  JS> Then it would be pretty well agreed that Runway, taxiway, Ramp,
 VC>  JS> Parking area would be a bit better descriptive words than
 VC> tarmac. :)
I've been reading the numerous messages on the word tarmac and I'm sorry, but 
I just have to insert an experience.
When I was in the early stage of flight school I was on the taxiway when my 
flight instructor called on the radio.  He asked where I was and I told him I 
was still "on the ramp."  He told me to stay there and he was going to land 
and fly dual with me.  I tried to taxi to the ramp but the taxiway was packed 
with students who were being released at two minute intervals.  As a result, 
it was a long time before I could get the airplane back to the ramp.
When I arrived, my flight instructor was standing there with his hands on his 
hips.  I shut the airplane down and walked over to him.  He began stomping 
his foot on the ground yelling "what is this, what is this!"  I said 
"concrete."  He turned red in the face and yelled some more asking me exactly 
what it was.  I couldn't begin to think of anything except to explain the 
base elements of concrete and how it is formed.  He went ballistic.  "It's 
the RAMP!  The RAMP Lieutenant, not the taxiway!"  "Well sir, you see, I, I, 
......." there wasn't any way to reduce the wrath.
"Never mind, get in the plane and get ready to fly" he told me and away we 
went.  About 300 feet AGL he turned around, looked out the rear window, and 
said "you're pink Lieutenant, you're definitely pink today."
He had me land from the traffic pattern.  The whole lesson was a period of 
0.2 dual.  At the end when he handed me my pink slip he said he wanted me to 
know that the reason for the pink slip was that I had drifted off the 
centerline and didn't have a thing to do with the fact I left him standing on 
the hot Georgia "ramp" waiting for me.  I assured him I was certain it didn't 
because I knew he was an eminently fair flight instructor and that I would 
try to do better in the future.
I ran into him 12 years later and we had a few beers together.  After a while 
I thought I'd bring up the "ramp" vrs "taxiway" pink slip story thinking that 
after all those years it would be good fodder for a laugh.  He eyes narrowed 
and his jaw tightened and I decided I had better retreat to a different 
subject.
Sorry to bend your ears but you guys just kept talking about tarmac and you 
brought it out of me.
.
... A ramp check is *not* something performed by a General Contractor :-)
--- QuickBBS 2.81 Ovr
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