Pilot Proficiency

Maintaining Airport Access for General Aviation

Thursday, March 15, 2018 at 06:00 PM ET

Verified

FBOs are the wonderful legacy of the roving barnstormers who settled down for a more stable life and became “fixed base operators.” Martha King

Key Takeaways:

General aviation (GA) in the US faces a critical threat from the decline of FBOs in Middle America (due to business jet range) and prohibitive costs/mandatory FBO use at prime destination airports, which limits airport access.
This situation contrasts with countries like Australia, where the lack of FBOs makes GA impractical, underscoring the vital role of FBOs in the US for GA viability.
To preserve GA access and support FBOs, airports should be required to provide transient parking independent of FBO services, with technological solutions like biometric security to enhance convenience and accessibility.

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There was nobody to marshal us in as we wheeled into the parking spot.

Martha King and John King take turns writing Sky Kings. They have shared flying and teaching aviation for more than 50 years.