Best type of airport for business

[Aaron Stranathan]

I thought i'd post this to a pilot forum so that I could have opinions from the pilots who would be receiving the service. Aviation has always been my passion and for that 2 years ago I started school for a degree in aviation management with my A&P. After I finish school I want to open up an aircraft detailing business and gradually add on a maintenance shop side to it. My question is, as pilots what kind of airport do you think would be best for such a business? A larger airport in class B, an untowered field, or a regional airport in between? Are you willing to fly to the business if the price/quality is right? Please leave your opinion, Thanks!

 

[ircphoenix]

I thought i'd post this to a pilot forum so that I could have opinions from the pilots who would be receiving the service. Aviation has always been my passion and for that 2 years ago I started school for a degree in aviation management with my A&P. After I finish school I want to open up an aircraft detailing business and gradually add on a maintenance shop side to it. My question is, as pilots what kind of airport do you think would be best for such a business? A larger airport in class B, an untowered field, or a regional airport in between? Are you willing to fly to the business if the price/quality is right? Please leave your opinion, Thanks!

A busy class delta or uncontrolled field with lots of other airfields within flying distance. Charlie or Bravo airports are going to cost you beaucoup bucks in startup fees. Deltas are going to be painful enough as it is.

 

[EdFred]

It won't be a class B, because the costs will drive everyone away. Best bet would probably be an uncontrolled field with good approaches near a decent metro area. I have flown my plane to a place that will wash it for me on the cheap.

Where are you located or thinking about this?

 

[James331]

If you can find one of those quiet ex military fields, slightly outside of a large city that would rock, otherwise a small field with a GPS approach and a low cost of doing business, ideally 5k strip or better.

 

[Everskyward]

I thought i'd post this to a pilot forum so that I could have opinions from the pilots who would be receiving the service. Aviation has always been my passion and for that 2 years ago I started school for a degree in aviation management with my A&P. After I finish school I want to open up an aircraft detailing business and gradually add on a maintenance shop side to it. My question is, as pilots what kind of airport do you think would be best for such a business? A larger airport in class B, an untowered field, or a regional airport in between? Are you willing to fly to the business if the price/quality is right? Please leave your opinion, Thanks!

For an aircraft detailing business, you would do best at an airport where many corporate airplanes are based, like a satellite airport in a major metropolitan area. However, in that case you clientele might carry over to your one-person startup maintenance shop.

 

[NJP_MAN]

For an aircraft detailing business, you would do best at an airport where many corporate airplanes are based, like a satellite airport in a major metropolitan area. However, in that case you clientele might carry over to your one-person startup maintenance shop.

These fields tend to be run by cities that hammer businesses with permits and regulations. They know there are big bucks to be made on the corporate stuff so the city is very involved.

 

[Everskyward]

These fields tend to be run by cities that hammer businesses with permits and regulations. They know there are big bucks to be made on the corporate stuff so the city is very involved.

Then the question would be how much someone is willing to put up with permits and regulations in order to make more money by detailing bigger corporate airplanes compared to small personal ones. Maybe a good question to ask is how much people here would be willing to pay for a detail of their personal airplane, and how often. I have the feeling most small airplane owners do it themselves.

 

[weilke]

Fresh out of A&P school, you are not going to have the work experience to run an independent maintenance shop. I sure would be quite apprehensive to give my business to someone with no independent experience. Consider working for a GA shop for a couple of years and possibly get your IA before you shove off on your own.

A couple of years ago, a guy at KHEF Manassas, VA did what you propose. He started a mobile detailing business, provided some mobile maintenance and eventually provided maintenance as a sub-tenant of one of the FBOs. Unfortunately, he started cutting into the business of one of the other maintenance shops on the field and they bought his sublease out from the FBO effectively kicking him off the field.

The bigger the airport, the more paperwork and politics are involved to get started. Many airports have a 'uniform commercial standards' policy which is often slanted to protect the existing service providers. So dont be suprised if you go to the airport commission to get your business permit for a mobile aircraft detailing business and they require you to rent at least 5000sqft of space and provide a handicapped accessible toilet. The way to get around that is to work as sub-tenant of an existing airport business. So if there is an FBO that doesn't have maintenance, they may be interested in renting a little cubicle to you. They would get someone to call to change a customers tire or some sparkplugs and you would have a base of operations and a venue to advertise your services.

Otoh, if you go to a small place that doesn't have maintenance at this time, they may provide you with an office and a hangar in hopes of brining some traffic and fuel flowage.

 

[mondtster]

Fresh out of A&P school, you are not going to have the work experience to run an independent maintenance shop. I sure would be quite apprehensive to give my business to someone with no independent experience. Consider working for a GA shop for a couple of years and possibly get your IA before you shove off on your own.

A couple of years ago, a guy at KHEF Manassas, VA did what you propose. He started a mobile detailing business, provided some mobile maintenance and eventually provided maintenance as a sub-tenant of one of the FBOs. Unfortunately, he started cutting into the business of one of the other maintenance shops on the field and they bought his sublease out from the FBO effectively kicking him off the field.

The bigger the airport, the more paperwork and politics are involved to get started. Many airports have a 'uniform commercial standards' policy which is often slanted to protect the existing service providers. So dont be suprised if you go to the airport commission to get your business permit for a mobile aircraft detailing business and they require you to rent at least 5000sqft of space and provide a handicapped accessible toilet. The way to get around that is to work as sub-tenant of an existing airport business. So if there is an FBO that doesn't have maintenance, they may be interested in renting a little cubicle to you. They would get someone to call to change a customers tire or some sparkplugs and you would have a base of operations and a venue to advertise your services.

Otoh, if you go to a small place that doesn't have maintenance at this time, they may provide you with an office and a hangar in hopes of brining some traffic and fuel flowage.

This is the sad truth about the aviation industry. In my experience, if the airport is worth opening a business at, there will be cutthroat competition and often rules are established to protect an existing tenant (regardless of whether it is legal or not).

If I were going to try to establish a business detailing airplanes and doing a little maintenance, I'd target a metro area, preferably in a warmer climate. I'd approach the current FBO(s) and see if you could work independently out of their facility. This would at least get you started so you could build a customer base and possibly find a permanent home.

 

[whereisrandall]

@Aaron Stranathan , welcome to PoA. Where in the world are you now?

Let me recommend Brunswick Maine, KBXM - former military, 8,000 ft strip with ILS, rental space is going cheeeeap, and a really good shop you could work for while you set up your detailing business (cleaning aircraft they're servicing) on the side. You have direct access to Portland (MAC Air, a fleet of Hawkers) and Bar Harbor (huge private jet/prop business in the summer, wash planes while the owners are in Acadia for the week) and a number of small GA airports nearby with BIG A&P needs. PM me with your number if you'd like to talk more.

Randall with a dirty plane.

 

[denverpilot]

I thought i'd post this to a pilot forum so that I could have opinions from the pilots who would be receiving the service. Aviation has always been my passion and for that 2 years ago I started school for a degree in aviation management with my A&P. After I finish school I want to open up an aircraft detailing business and gradually add on a maintenance shop side to it. My question is, as pilots what kind of airport do you think would be best for such a business? A larger airport in class B, an untowered field, or a regional airport in between? Are you willing to fly to the business if the price/quality is right? Please leave your opinion, Thanks!

Any airport with a strip club, something by Disney (for the more family oriented, but without their usual TFRs bought from Congress), an outlet mall, and BBQ joint on the field.

Maybe a roller coaster if you can figure out how to pass TERPS for the ILS with it standing there.

And if you're going for the hipster crowd, maybe something that serves kale and PBRs for their passengers.

And a hotel onsite with no bed bugs.

....

Okay honest answer...

I might fly somewhere interesting and if your detail place happened to be there, let ya wash the airplane. I probably wouldn't go too far out of my way for it. Base yourself wherever there are TONS of airplanes. Most only need a bath once a year or so.

Maintenance, we already have a mechanic we like and he's not on our airport. We fly across town. But we can't always, of course... Either the failure is grounding, or it's just inconvenient. So the shop on the field gets the business then.