Crappiest FBO's in the Country

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For me I'm thinking APF. The city owns the only FBO that sells gas and they will not allow any other FBO on the field to sell gas. I have no idea why in America, the land of the free and home of capitalism we allow a city government to choke competition on the field and not allow business to operate.

I'd say KVGT gets an honorable mention in the 'crappiest FBO' category as they too are city (county I think actually) run and the attitude shows.

What crappy FBO's do you think make the list?
 
Signature at EWR. $300 landing fee for a Navajo with crappy facilities (although the staff is nice).
 
In today's GA climate, I am desperately happy and thankful when I find ANY open and operating FBO.

Most of them have shut down, replaced by AWOS and pay-at-the-pump gas... :nonod:
 
Davenport, IA, DVN

I stopped 2 hours to have lunch with a buddy and was told I would need to pay $25 tie down fee. They did not even come out, I tied down my own plane. When I called the manager to complain she said that was the charge for turbo twin. I was flying a single engine piston. :eek:

Seems the lines people were pocketing a little extra cash, :nono:or I do not want them refueling the plane. Either way I will never be back. :no:
 
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Captain said:
For me I'm thinking APF. The city owns the only FBO that sells gas and they will not allow any other FBO on the field to sell gas. I have no idea why in America, the land of the free and home of capitalism we allow a city government to choke competition on the field and not allow business to operate.

I'd say KVGT gets an honorable mention in the 'crappiest FBO' category as they too are city (county I think actually) run and the attitude shows.

What crappy FBO's do you think make the list?
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I would counter your APF with JQF run by the City of Concord. We always get first class service there.
 
Jay Honeck said:
In today's GA climate, I am desperately happy and thankful when I find ANY open and operating FBO.

Most of them have shut down, replaced by AWOS and pay-at-the-pump gas... :nonod:
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What does AWOS have to do with an FBO?
 
Captain said:
For me I'm thinking APF. The city owns the only FBO that sells gas and they will not allow any other FBO on the field to sell gas. I have no idea why in America, the land of the free and home of capitalism we allow a city government to choke competition on the field and not allow business to operate.

I'd say KVGT gets an honorable mention in the 'crappiest FBO' category as they too are city (county I think actually) run and the attitude shows.

What crappy FBO's do you think make the list?
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Because capitalism is about corruptive competition and unbridled greed, that's why.
 
Review "His Girl Friday" (1939) Cary Grant, Rosalind Russell, for a refresher on corruption.
 
While there is always a risk of complacency and poor service at an FBO run by the sponsoring governmental agency (city, county, whatever), I hold up Global Select, the FBO at SGR as proof that it need not be that way. I have always received service there which precisely mirrored the service given the (usually numerous) jets on the ramp, which is to say, universally excellent.

Plus, their fuel prices are not bad for a full-service place with palatial and pleasant facilities.
 
Id agree about Vgt... Id add harrison aviation at gky. Theyre so arrogant with their monopoly, they are rude about it.
 
Northway Alaska, You have to pump your own fuel and then you have to find the diner cook to pay for it, and some times they are out of fuel and you have to get one of the pilot hotel rooms and wait for delivery.
 
After the collapse of Platinum Jet (mondo arrogant) at BMI, the proprietor of the other, long held family FBO bought out the hangar for about 10 cents on the dollar :)

They were the worst of the worst, and deserved to go under. There is justice.
 
OKH,, basically there are no services at all, no mechanics, no restaurant, no bus services.
 
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I realize that this is about the crappiest FBO but I am going to mention a good one:
The FBO in Pecos, TX. KPEQ
 
Oh, I just remembered one. KMTN...city (or county, not sure) run and do they ever suck.

I returned a rental car to those lazy ass g'bmemt employees with the instructions to hold for another crew. I told them if no one picked it up in a day then to please call the number I wrote on the envelope with the keys inside.

Well, the crew never picked them up and my company was charged over $1,000 for a one day rental. Yup, they blow and that's just my most recent story. The rest arn't much better.
 
I wish I could contribute something here, but to the extent the FBO staff aren't actively tying to kill me or making love to my woman behind my back while I use the restroom, I'm perfectly happy.

I'm not real picky.
 
I'm going to put in a plug for the FBOs at OLM. They are both good, but the one we buy our gas from (for the club planes) is great. Went flying today and the fuel truck was waiting for me at the hangar when I taxied in. Without me calling them. Not the first time they've heard me tell the tower "full stop" and rolled the truck. It doesn't get any better than that. Jorgensen gets my vote.

Oh, this thread was about the other end of the spectrum. Sorry, I've had great service wherever I've gone. Sheltered life?
 
Ted DuPuis said:
The FBO. The Port Authority sends a separate bill.
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Then you didn't buy enough 8 or 9 dollar a gallon gas. For operating biz jets I like EWR much more than TEB. The departure delays are shorter most of time and there are lot less aircraft on the ramp.

I would much rather use MMU or SWF when on the west side of the city and ISP or FRG when on the east side. The prices there seem much more reasonable.
 
Yeah, it would take a bit for me to go in EWR instead of FRG, like someone else paying the bills.
 
I used to hate...and I mean HATE Signatures, any and all of them. Nothing but getting raped every place I went with them and I had to pull my own chalks half the time.

But then my company got a national deal with them and the raping stopped that day. Gas is now competitive and the crazy handeling fees all but left. The people seem way nicer now too. It's funny what a contract does for you. I do miss my savings bonds, but we'll see how 'TailWins' works out. Basically it's a 1% kickback on the gas.
 
LearDriver said:
Who gets the $300? The port authority or the FBO?
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The landing and parking fee to the PANYNJ isn't that high. $25 landing fee for the small fry and $45/8 hour.

Looks like the Signature lack of competition fee.
 
Captain said:
I used to hate...and I mean HATE Signatures, any and all of them. Nothing but getting raped every place I went with them and I had to pull my own chalks half the time.

But then my company got a national deal with them and the raping stopped that day. Gas is now competitive and the crazy handeling fees all but left. The people seem way nicer now too. It's funny what a contract does for you. I do miss my savings bonds, but we'll see how 'TailWins' works out. Basically it's a 1% kickback on the gas.
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Tailwins is a loser. More than half my fuel purchases don't show up. Altlantic awards are way better.
 
kkoran said:
What does AWOS have to do with an FBO?
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Wow, I guess I *am* old.

In the "olden days" if you wanted to know the weather, you called the FBO on Unicom when you were 10 miles out and asked for an "airport advisory".

They would tell you the winds, the cloud conditions, any notable on-airport activity, and if the courtesy car was available. If you flew there a lot, they knew the sound of your voice, and it was a very welcoming experience.

I'm sorry to say that I don't know any airports in Texas that still do that. In fact, I can name only one that was doing it as recently as 2 years ago -- Prairie du Chien, WI (PDC)

And, actually, AWOS is much handier and more accurate -- but the young lady on UNICOM was always a welcome voice to hear at the end of a long flight.
 
I never thought I'd be the "old guy" in the group, but maybe my experience with FBOs pre-dates a bunch of y'all. So let me tell you about the way things used to be....

When we bought our first plane in 1998, the FBO was still owned and operated by the family who had purchased it in 1959. They were in their late 70s by then, but they ran the airport with the same gusto and dedication that they had displayed throughout their tenure.

It's hard to believe now, but when we needed fuel for our plane, the procedure was effortless. Put the plane in the hangar, and -- upon leaving -- flip a little metal red flap up on the "people door".

Each day, once in the morning, once in the afternoon, the FBO's fuel truck(s) would make the rounds of the 100 or so hangars, checking for flaps. If they were up, the line guy would stop, unlock the hangar, open the door, and fuel the plane.

They would leave a receipt on your wing, close the door -- and that, was that.

And we actually bitched about paying $2/gallon.

So, by comparison, ALL FBOs suck today. On the other hand, there are now so many "walking dead" airports with no functioning FBO at all that I am simply ecstatic if someone comes out to park me.
 
Jay Honeck said:
Wow, I guess I *am* old.

In the "olden days" if you wanted to know the weather, you called the FBO on Unicom when you were 10 miles out and asked for an "airport advisory".

They would tell you the winds, the cloud conditions, any notable on-airport activity, and if the courtesy car was available. If you flew there a lot, they knew the sound of your voice, and it was a very welcoming experience.

I'm sorry to say that I don't know any airports in Texas that still do that. In fact, I can name only one that was doing it as recently as 2 years ago -- Prairie du Chien, WI (PDC)

And, actually, AWOS is much handier and more accurate -- but the young lady on UNICOM was always a welcome voice to hear at the end of a long flight.
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6S5 in Hamilton MT does it.
 
Last I was at Clinton county Ohio they did, problem is they always managed to step on someone when they did it as they share 123.00 with a lot of fields. I can recall some annoyed pilots coming back that they'd listened to the awos.
 
2A5 will give you the weather if you ask.

Worst FBO has got to be KMRH. Beaufort, NC. $15 overnight fees ASEL and 6.50 / gal gas. Its a GA public airport, not much traffic. They advertise that the overnight fees can be waived with a fuel purchase. But then you find the minimum purchase for one night is 14 gallons. My 152 would only take 12 gallons. Sorry boss, gotta pay the fee. In the words of my girlfriend "that guy was a douche". They also must have your card on file if you are staying there. I landed after hours, called the next day to let them know I tied down, and the guy insisted I have a card on file, so I had to leave the beach, walk in the house, dig out wallet.... Seriously?

There was an incident last year where a King Air was departing KMRH without paying some ridiculous charge, and they pulled a FUEL truck in front of the RUNNING PLANE to keep it from leaving the ramp. If you'll check airnav, their comments have been limited to the last 5 months per request by the FBO. This is because they had some really really bad reviews.

Another one is KSOP, southern pines. Expensive, and they want $75 per hour to come open the gates if you are a transient and want to arrive/depart after they close at 8pm. This means that if you want to depart at, say 10pm, its going to cost you $150. Like they can't pay some kid $15 to drive over and unlock the gate. Also, the attendant will come over the unicom EVERY TIME you land and ask how long you are staying. Even with a busy pattern. Its so annoying.
 
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Jay Honeck said:
Wow, I guess I *am* old.

In the "olden days" if you wanted to know the weather, you called the FBO on Unicom when you were 10 miles out and asked for an "airport advisory".

They would tell you the winds, the cloud conditions, any notable on-airport activity, and if the courtesy car was available. If you flew there a lot, they knew the sound of your voice, and it was a very welcoming experience.

I'm sorry to say that I don't know any airports in Texas that still do that. In fact, I can name only one that was doing it as recently as 2 years ago -- Prairie du Chien, WI (PDC)

And, actually, AWOS is much handier and more accurate -- but the young lady on UNICOM was always a welcome voice to hear at the end of a long flight.
Click to expand...
Many in Nebraska do that.
 
Jay Honeck said:
Wow, I guess I *am* old.

In the "olden days" if you wanted to know the weather, you called the FBO on Unicom when you were 10 miles out and asked for an "airport advisory".

They would tell you the winds, the cloud conditions, any notable on-airport activity, and if the courtesy car was available. If you flew there a lot, they knew the sound of your voice, and it was a very welcoming experience.

I'm sorry to say that I don't know any airports in Texas that still do that. In fact, I can name only one that was doing it as recently as 2 years ago -- Prairie du Chien, WI (PDC)

And, actually, AWOS is much handier and more accurate -- but the young lady on UNICOM was always a welcome voice to hear at the end of a long flight.
Click to expand...

BGD (Borger, TX) still gives advisories...
 
Honestly, I prefer the AWOS / ASOS. I don't trust the human as much as I do the machine.
 
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