Pilot Proficiency

Maintaining Airport Access for General Aviation

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

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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:

Fixed Base Operators (FBOs) are crucial for general aviation (GA) in the U.S., providing essential services, a stark contrast to the lack of such facilities in places like Australia.
The viability of many "mom-and-pop" FBOs in Middle America is threatened by longer-range business jets, which reduce the need for fuel stops, leading to a decline in their numbers.
At prime destination airports, GA pilots often face prohibitive costs due to high fuel prices and mandatory ramp fees, as transient parking typically requires using an FBO.
The article advocates for airports, especially those with government funding, to offer independent transient parking options that do not mandate FBO use, thereby improving accessibility for GA pilots.

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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.