Looking for input on terminal building design features

Sam D

Sam D

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Sam D
I'm looking for feedback on what folks here think makes for a great terminal building. Let's assume this is a smaller airport (3500' runway, no tower, no FBOs - city-run fuel operation) with some, and hopefully more, turboprop/jet service.

Also, any examples of great facilities are appreciated. For example, I really like Michigan City's newer building when I stopped by this summer.

Thanks!
 
Clean bathrooms a must.

Free coffee (and really good coffee) and bottled water is a big plus.

Comfy chairs and pilot lounge.

Computer connected to internet and printer (for obtaining briefing)

Fast WiFi connection for your guests. Signage posted on how to connect.

Information on how to obtain use of a courtesy car (if one is provided).

Ability to enter public area after staff has gone home. Typically there is a combo lock with the combo set to the CTAF frequency.
 
Mike nailed it. Pretty much in that order too, though being a "millennial" I'd place WiFI and internet access higher. :)
 
I have no idea where you're located but if you're anywhere near SEMO, then visit Farmongton (FAM) or Fredericktown (H88) for two fine examples of small town terminal buildings. Seeing a few in person will help you out far more than any words typed here.

Both of those towns are in missouri BTW.
 
Expanding on Tim's visit idea...

Go check out one of the Millionair FBO's and replicate that
 
The ones Ive seen that are the best, the lounge is a 2nd story (1 1/2 stories will work also) with a deck to view the runway and lots of glass from the FBO lounge. You want to be up a bit so you can see the runways. Ground level is disappointing in comparison.
 
I second Farmington as a good example for General Aviation. It's not over done, but large enough. It also helps to have a good manager like they do. The building is clean and handy. It seems like Texas has put in a series of similar FBO buildings.
 
I was really impressed at the building at KMCX when I was there. Their scenario was basically the same as yours.
 
Vending machines

Unlike some cheap asses, I'm willing to pay for drinks and snacks.
 
AggieMike88 said:
Clean bathrooms a must.

Free coffee (and really good coffee) and bottled water is a big plus.

Comfy chairs and pilot lounge.

Computer connected to internet and printer (for obtaining briefing)

Fast WiFi connection for your guests. Signage posted on how to connect.

Information on how to obtain use of a courtesy car (if one is provided).

Ability to enter public area after staff has gone home. Typically there is a combo lock with the combo set to the CTAF frequency.
Click to expand...

1) MUST have a way to get in after hours and at least use the aforementioned (clean) bathrooms. Much better if you can access the whole building except behind the front desk and the manager's office.
2) Ground transportation, preferably in the form of a courtesy car, and preferably usable after hours.
3) Information on local attractions - restaurants, hotels, golf courses, ski hills, and anything else people might want to see or do in your area. This should be on your web site as well. When you gather the info from the business owners, see if they're willing to run a shuttle service from the airport to their business. This is incredibly valuable to both the pilots and the business owners.
4) Cheap self-serve 100LL so that you actually have people using the terminal.
5) Vending machines or fridge with a money can for snacks and beverages.
6) A comfy place to sit.
7) Showers - Good both for visiting charter/corporate pilots and those who take advantage of #8 or 9:
8) Camping facilities. This doesn't need to be much, just a designated spot of grass that's out of the way off the edge of the ramp. Bonus points if there's a fire pit located an appropriate distance away from where the planes will be.
9) Other sleeping arrangements - Some airports have a couple of small rooms with a bed or two. Others have a trailer that has some food in its kitchen or a small cabin-type structure. However, if you're building a terminal, a room to sleep in for someone who's fatigued or waiting out weather is awesome. This should NOT be a full-on hotel room style thing as you should have ground transportation available to hotels for those who desire that sort of thing, and you don't want to spend a ton of time cleaning it. This is simply a place to crash for someone who didn't expect to be there, or won't be there long. A plain carpeted room with a twin bed is fine.

Where are you?
 
A HUGE self-serve cookie counter. With at least 10 varieties of cookies. Fresh, hot cookies. A counter that dwarfs the fbo counter. A counter that is the centerpiece of the fbo building. Unlimited, free cookies. Sacs to carry cookies, in bulk, to the airplane.
burp.
 
Phone number of someone who is willing to get out of a warm bed on a very cold bad weather night and provide assistance to the stranded pilot.

Rolodex of local mechanics who are capable of repairing the aircraft types that will use this airport.
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
A HUGE self-serve cookie counter. With at least 10 varieties of cookies. Fresh, hot cookies. A counter that dwarfs the fbo counter. A counter that is the centerpiece of the fbo building. Unlimited, free cookies. Sacs to carry cookies, in bulk, to the airplane.
burp.
Click to expand...
Is growing blue fur and having your eyes turn into googly orbs reportable on your next medical?
 
flyingcheesehead said:
1) MUST have a way to get in after hours and at least use the aforementioned (clean) bathrooms. Much better if you can access the whole building except behind the front desk and the manager's office.
Click to expand...

I have been to one place that had a small pilots lounge with a phone, a weather computer and access to a set of bathrooms that was open 24hrs. The rest of the building was locked up.
 
weilke said:
I have been to one place that had a small pilots lounge with a phone, a weather computer and access to a set of bathrooms that was open 24hrs. The rest of the building was locked up.
Click to expand...

I've been to more than one that you could *only* get to the bathrooms. I've also been to more than one where you couldn't get in at all. But the ones that give most or all of what was in my list, I go back to repeatedly.
 
Most important question is: Do we NEED a 'Terminal' in the first place. I can point you to a couple of ginormous white elephants in Maryland and Virginia where airport authorities spent millions on 'Terminals' that now see very little aviation use. In most cases, this is because FBO operations didn't move into the terminal and aircraft arrive and depart at separate FBO facilities. Builidng a terminal only makes sense if your city owned FBO operations move into the building. What size FBO operation do you have ? Is there a CSR at the front-desk or do you just have staff floating on the airport doing line/fuel/maintenance ?

A common pattern is a central atrium with a front-desk, access to the main bathrooms, an office for on-airport businesses such as flight-schools or charter. One end of the building with a door to the apron, the other side to the parking lot or vehicle curb. It works best if the CSR is on the air-side because that's where you customers are coming from.
 
A urinal, discretely located next to the 100LL pump. With a divider, to shield you from the road. For those quickturns.
 
weilke said:
Most important question is: Do we NEED a 'Terminal' in the first place. I can point you to a couple of ginormous white elephants in Maryland and Virginia where airport authorities spent millions on 'Terminals' that now see very little aviation use. In most cases, this is because FBO operations didn't move into the terminal and aircraft arrive and depart at separate FBO facilities. Builidng a terminal only makes sense if your city owned FBO operations move into the building. What size FBO operation do you have ? Is there a CSR at the front-desk or do you just have staff floating on the airport doing line/fuel/maintenance ?

A common pattern is a central atrium with a front-desk, access to the main bathrooms, an office for on-airport businesses such as flight-schools or charter. One end of the building with a door to the apron, the other side to the parking lot or vehicle curb. It works best if the CSR is on the air-side because that's where you customers are coming from.
Click to expand...
:)
St Mary's. College Park (under construction now) . . .

If City (gov't) run, have a schedule where someone is working the weekends. And make sure the *@%^$^ receipt printer at the self-serve pump has paper in it, if no one is working Sunday, etc.

The "County" runs FME; can't keep the pump (one) working, or the printer loaded. Or lighting replaced.
 
weilke said:
Most important question is: Do we NEED a 'Terminal' in the first place. I can point you to a couple of ginormous white elephants in Maryland and Virginia where airport authorities spent millions on 'Terminals' that now see very little aviation use. In most cases, this is because FBO operations didn't move into the terminal and aircraft arrive and depart at separate FBO facilities. Builidng a terminal only makes sense if your city owned FBO operations move into the building. What size FBO operation do you have ? Is there a CSR at the front-desk or do you just have staff floating on the airport doing line/fuel/maintenance ?

A common pattern is a central atrium with a front-desk, access to the main bathrooms, an office for on-airport businesses such as flight-schools or charter. One end of the building with a door to the apron, the other side to the parking lot or vehicle curb. It works best if the CSR is on the air-side because that's where you customers are coming from.
Click to expand...

Yup. Keep it smaller, so our fees are less.
 
My personal wish list:

- A kitchen area with the following feature: sink (to wash dishes), stove/microwave, refrigerator, and a tile floor (a lot of terminals have carpet in their kitchens...wtf).
- A water cooler -- more cost effective and environmentally friendly than bottled water.
- Paper coffee cups instead of or in addition to styrofoam.
- A flight planning area with a computer that actually works properly and a printer. Many airports have printers but they are always out of ink. A laser printer is cheaper to operate and more reliable.
- A public sitting/waiting area, with clean furniture.
- A quiet relaxation room, with clean furniture.
- A conference room of decent size.
- At least one (preferably two) small meeting rooms for one-on-one meetings or cell phone calls and such.
- Sales of such items as charts and engine oil. Don't run out of stock. Self-service sales would be ideal so an employee doesn't have to be hunted down to buy something.
- Large windows.
- Obvious indications of where transient aircraft should park.
 
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