Choosing a Fixed Base Operator (FBO) Services Provider
An FBO services provider allows pilots to visit distant airports and access a wide range of services from aircraft preparation and repairs to accommodations and services for the people aboard while on the ground. Having a reliable, knowledgeable, and established FBO company on call is a critical component of long-distance aviation journey.
Choosing the right provider can ensure that your aircraft is in top shape and ready to fly when you are, allowing you to get some valuable downtime or focus on other tasks while you’re in town. What services can you expect when you’re dealing with a local FBO provider? Here’s a closer look at what pilots need to know.
Routine aircraft preparation and maintenance
The most important services that an FBO services provider offers are those that prepare your aircraft to get back in the air when needed. The availability of fuel – including Jet A and AvGas – is absolutely critical to a pilot’s ability to refuel and take off on schedule. If your plane has an onboard oxygen system, your FBO will be able to refill both oxygen and nitrogen as required.
If you have mechanical needs, a highly trained on-staff mechanic will be available to complete a walk-through of your plane, evaluate the situation, and if needed make repairs. When an FBO doesn’t have necessary parts on hand, they’ll usually manage the process of ordering and expediting the part to their location to solve the problem.
From getting your systems online and working when you’re experiencing trouble to simply handling the details of turning over your aircraft, these experts take care of all the elements of navigating the local airport.
Lavatory and potable water services
Whether you’re flying a small commercial plane or you’re enjoying the comfort of a private jet, small touches make your experience more comfortable. In-flight lavatories and the availability of drinking water are key to the in-flight experience.
A good FBO company will offer a range of services including lavatory pumping and the availability of aircraft safe cleaning chemicals. In addition, they’ll be able to measure the potable water onboard and refill as needed. Often the capacity on smaller planes requires that these systems receive attention each time a flight stops to refuel.
Generalized ground support
FBOs provide a wide variety of ground support services. These include the use of air stairs to exit and enter the plane, cargo loading and unloading services, the use of GPU units to power your plane, and more. If you need your food restocked or your plane professionally cleaned before take-off, an FBO can provide that support. Tie-downs and 24/7 security and monitoring of your aircraft are also part of the standard menu while you’re parked at the airport.
Meeting space and catering
When you’re flying into town for a meeting, your aircraft may not offer the ambience that you’re seeking. Sometimes you simply want the opportunity to stretch your legs. But leaving the airport and traveling to a nearby city can be an unwanted hassle. An FBO can handle the logistics of your meetings, from providing onsite conference rooms to taking care of details such as catering your event.
Partnering with the right FBO makes long distance flights easier. By hiring the most reputable FBO services provider in any destination, you’ll ensure both the quality of your stay and your peace of mind that your plane will be ready to go the moment you need to leave.
Quick Guide to the Basic Services Offered By Fixed-Based Operators
Like any other industry, the aviation services sector is propelled by a number of specific functions. In North America and parts of Europe, the concept of Fixed-Based Operator (FBO) services is understood to consist of certain components. So what’s a FBO? What kind of services do they offer? In this post, we will discuss these attributes and more.
What are Fixed-Based Operator (FBO) services?
To understand the services provided by FBOs, it is important to understand the process of entering an airport and using general aviation. FBOs provide a welcoming, private general aviation terminal for those passengers flying in general aviation aircraft. Unlike their commercial counterparts, there are no security lines or lengthy check in procedures.
Instead, the FBO staff assists the flight crew for the general aviation airplane to prepare the plane for departure. This can consist of handling (moving) the airplane from the hangar or ramp standing area to the terminal for departure, as well as fueling the airplane and provisioning the airplane with sundries and other specific requests of the passengers (such as catering, other cabin supplies, etc.
Since the passengers are known to the flight crews and the flight crews and the passengers are known to the FBOs, the boarding process is very fast and efficient. FBO personnel assist the flight crews in expeditiously helping the passengers board the aircraft, assisting with baggage stowage and ensuring any other pre-flight requirements are met.
What additional services do FBOs provide?
Pretty much everything needed by the flight crew or passengers. They are responsible for the facilities through which general aviation flights take place. These include hangar facilities at most airports and general aviation passenger terminals and other facilities.
Within the definition of general aviation facilities, the FBO ensures that the flight crew can do their flight planning, check the weather and do all of the necessary preparation for the aircraft and passengers.
The FBO also provides areas for the flight crew to rest and relax when they not actively preparing for a flight. Depending upon the airport and local regulations, passengers themselves may use the facilities for staging before a flight or they may be driven or escorted out directly to the aircraft by the FBO staff.
What other services do FBOs provide?
The short answer is whatever the passengers and flight crews need for a successful trip. Often this includes arranging or providing ground transportation for the passengers and crew, whether this using a ride hailing service or rental cars or taxis.
It can also entail helping passengers with other concierge arrangements, such as booking hotels, finding restaurants, etc. FBOs usually have conference rooms for private meetings and may offer additional facilities for passengers and flight crews as well.
If you would like to learn more about Fixed-Based Operator (FBO) services and FBO management, you can search online to find service providers and management companies. You should diligence their experience and service offerings and ensure that they have the capabilities and capacity to meet your needs.
Complete Guide to Nottingham East Midlands Airport
Nottingham East Midlands Airport is located in a central position near to Castle Donington in Leicestershire. The cities of Derby, Leicester and Nottingham are all within a 30 mile radius of the airfield: from the M1 motorway take junction 23 or 24, and if you are travelling on the M42, continue on this road until it eventually turns into the A42 and then follow the airport signs.
Nottingham East Midlands Airport has become a hub for the “no frills” airlines EasyJet, bmibaby and Ryanair, and operates a range of domestic and European short haul destinations. You can catch both scheduled and charter flights from East Midlands Airport and we provide details on all the airlines and holiday companies, and where they fly to.
You can get to and from East Midlands Airport by a variety of methods including Private Transfers where you would be met in the arrivals hall by a driver who will then take you on to your chosen destination. The airport taxi service is run by a company called Checker Cars who have a desk in the arrivals hall.
You can either pre-book a taxi or hop into a taxi when you arrive, although the queues can be rather lengthy during peak times.
There are no trains from the airport but you can take a bus to the main railway stations of Derby, Nottingham, Loughborough and Long Eaton.
The buses leave from outside the arrivals area and include National Express Coaches which travel to Bradford, Leeds, Sheffield, Chesterfield, Luton, Heathrow and Gatwick Airports. We provide full details of routes and timetables in our airport guide.
If you want to hire a car when you arrive then you have the choice of four companies who are based in the terminal building. It is advisable to pre-book your rent a car as this ensures that you will get the make and model you require, and also cuts down on time filling in paperwork when you arrive.
We provide full contact details of all the car hire firms at the airport and others in the area as well as local chauffeur and limousine hire companies.
The arrivals hall at the airport is fairly small. As you walk through into arrivals, you will see the car hire companies and the taxi desk as well as a coffee bar and newsagents.
Airport shuttle buses (to the car parks) are situated to the right outside arrivals where the Easyjet building is. We also provide information on live flight arrivals at East Midlands Airport
The airport departures hall is on the ground floor and is relatively small with only one row of check in desks. To the left is the Easyjet check-in hall which is adjacent to the main check-in area.
We provide information on live flight departures at East Midlands Airport as well as details of the shops at East Midlands Airport which include a duty free outlet and a newsagents for you to purchase something to read on your journey. Our guide to bars and restaurants provides full details on where you can get something to eat and drink in the arrivals and departures areas.
If you want to leave your car at East Midlands Airport there are over 4,000 car parking spaces offering short, medium and long stay parking. For further details visit our guide to parking at East Midlands Airport.
We have written a general information section on the airport with details on disabled facilities, internet access, VIP/executive lounges and where you can change your money at East Midlands Airport as well as local weather conditions and a forecast for the next 5 or 10 days.
Guide for Selecting an Aircraft Charter And Management Specialist
Aircraft Charter and Management is a highly regulated, highly specialized business. The relationship between an aircraft owner and their management company is unique; it is closer to a partnership then a traditional supplier/customer relationship.
When it comes to selecting a company for aircraft management, most owners like to hire a company with deep experience, top safety ratings and one which understands and is aligned with the owner’s air travel requirements. In this post, we will discuss key areas that are differentiators when choosing and ACM company.
– Experience is one of the most important factors. When you are looking for an aircraft charter and management specialist, you have to consider their experience. This is extremely vital because it largely determines the kind of services you can expect from them. If required, ask the prospective company to offer references of past customers with similar aircraft and mission profiles.
– Consider their safety ratings. There are well known and respected organizations such as Argus, Wyvern, IS-BAO and the Air Charter Safety Foundation which rate ACM companies based upon their safety record. Ask potential management company for its ratings from these organizations.
– Who are their clients? While many organizations and individual aircraft owners prefer confidentiality, some may be available for use as reference. At a minimum an ACM operator should be able to provide a profile of their clients on a “blind” basis for review.
– What’s their expertise? A prospective management company should be able to provide you a summary of their Operations Specifications, or OPSPECS, so you can better understand their capabilities. This is especially important for owners who plan to travel outside of the U.S.
– How do they measure success? Another way of saying this is what type of reporting will you receive? Most owners of managed aircraft receive a monthly summary detailing every flight, every maintenance transaction, etc. As an owner, you have every right to receive whatever information you want, in whatever format you want it.
If you are used to reviewing performance reports a certain way, you should be able to tailor your aircraft activity reporting this way as well. If desired, you can even have an automated data interface set up to electronically transfer this information to you as well.
Finally, you have to understand the value proposition. Not all companies can deal with management requirements efficiently, and it can only add to your overall costs. The whole purpose of hiring an aviation management company is to keep a tight control on the operations and increase efficiency and transparency.
Unless the management company can meet your expectations in these areas, it is unlikely that you can expect good returns as far as customer service and delivery of execution are concerned.
Please consider these areas as your diligence aircraft charter and management companies for your potential use. If you would rather use a third part consultant, that can also provide the comfort you are seeking that the potential ACM companies have been properly vetted to meet your needs.
