Nicest FBO you've been to

Kritchlow said:
Haha!!! Oh my.... I find that as one of the weakest, considering what they charge.
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Sorry you had a bad experience....

Living in paradise costs ALOT....

Starter houses will run 1 mil so housing for the help is DAMN expensive,, And the fuel is trucked in from Newcastle Wy... 9 hours away...

It all adds up sir..
 
N801BH said:
Sorry you had a bad experience....

Living in paradise costs ALOT....

Starter houses will run 1 mil so housing for the help is DAMN expensive,, And the fuel is trucked in from Newcastle Wy... 9 hours away...

It all adds up sir..
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Oh my yes... I'm very familiar with Jackson Hole. My point is that it is NOT a good FBO compared to many that are waaayyyy cheaper. Anything I vote for as tops regularly has food (free), drink, movie rooms, snooze rooms, cars, vans, coffee, snacks, PLUSH surroundings away from the customers...

Jackson Hole Aviation has coffee and lemon aid. No room to get away from people and no way to get to the hotel. They charge, on average, a $500 parking fee. If they had competition you can bet that would improve.
 
CRAFT said:
I'll second the Sky Harbor Cutter recommendation. They were great in everyway imaginable. Not unexpectedly exorbitant on costs for a Bravo facility. G5 treatment for a bugmasher arrival.
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They do have really good service. Facilities are above average, but I'd say Cutter PHX is #3 for me.

XJET at KAPA is amazing. Didn't find it overly pricey. Great service.

Westjet in KRAP just built a new facility, really, really nice. Great service too, and they almost always have hangar space.
 
Sundance KHSD, also my home field...
 
I really liked Clay Lacy at KBFI. I've never been there as a pilot but I picked up the crew of an Army C-12 the had to divert from Gray Army (KGRF) because of fog. The were inbound to pick up a couple of Soldiers that was attending a class that I was putting on and called me while inbound asking for a suggested alternate that would be easy for me to get to.

The staff from the front desk to the line crew that I spoke with were just great. The only issue I had was that they gave the crew the car and a list of sights to see. I enjoyed my 2 hours waiting though.
 
The nicest FBO is the one that allowed me to pull my iced over plane into their hangar to thaw off the icicles.
 
I was surprised that when I was ready to post an FBO, when I opened the thread my choice was the first one listed: Flagstaff. Everything that was referenced is true. I haven't been there since 2005 but when I arrived the red carpet had been rolled out to the plane.
Well, it wasn't for me; my pilot from Phoenix was making a blood run for the Red Cross and he had experienced the same welcoming on prior blood delivery flights. Beautiful facility.
When I signed the guest book the name above mine was of the A&P who had done all maintenance on my plane for nearly 20 years before I bought it. He had ferried a sold plane there from 3B5 Turner, Maine. Small world; but he had departed 30 minutes before we arrived. My host's plane was loaded with avionics. I was quite new to the process and upon liftoff I was watching the gauges. "Wow! It didn't take long to get to 8000 feet."
"No, it doesn't; especially when rotation is at 7000 feet." Duh! I was used to 70 msl.

HR
 
Million Air Lake Charles & Alexandria - can't beat a free lunch and all the snacks you can eat!
 
timwinters said:
Well, then...that makes two at KIND. Signature is the nicest I've been to. Maybe not the nicest FBO but by far the nicest people. I've been there twice on PnP trips and they stumble all over themselves to help in any way they can. They love both PnP pilots and dogs. A really wonderful group of people.
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Maybe, but since I was suing them, I couldn't really do business with them.
 
Kritchlow said:
Oh my yes... I'm very familiar with Jackson Hole. My point is that it is NOT a good FBO compared to many that are waaayyyy cheaper. Anything I vote for as tops regularly has food (free), drink, movie rooms, snooze rooms, cars, vans, coffee, snacks, PLUSH surroundings away from the customers...

Jackson Hole Aviation has coffee and lemon aid. No room to get away from people and no way to get to the hotel. They charge, on average, a $500 parking fee. If they had competition you can bet that would improve.
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You left out the FREE coffee, FREE newspapers, FREE GPU's, FREE crew cars, FREE popcorn, FREE brushing off your plane of snow and ice to reduce your De icing fee, FREE WiFi, etc , etc.....

98% of the hotels CAN and WILL pick up crews, there is a large lobby, A FREE media room with a flat screen TV, A FREE lunch room, a FREE quiet room for resting or sleeping....

If you really have a beef with the costs, My I suggest you contact the Jackson Hole Airport Board who sets the rates, since Jackson Hole Aviation pays over ONE million dollars a year to the Board just to keep the doors open.. Plus the Board gets landing fees, curfew fines, adds a 40-60 dollar a day fee to EVERY rental car....In fact the Board just forced the Taxi drivers to double their rates...... Free market my ass...:mad2::mad:



Come back soon sir...:wink2:
 
Fearless Tower said:
I've never heard anyone speak positively about the Teterboro experience regardless of the FBO.
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My view is that that is due to the volume of traffic and congestion on the ramps, not the fault of the FBOs per se.
 
JCranford said:
Galaxy at KCXO (North Houston Regional). Very nice, great cafe on the roof overlooking the ramp. We fly down for brunch occasionally.

http://galaxyfbo.com/
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I certainly don't care about their fees... I'm not the one paying them. I'm just passing along the info to those who may not be aware.

Free newspapers and coffee really is a given. Certainly not advertisement material. The lobby is smaller than most. Yes, hotels will usually come get you... As long as you don't mind waiting 30 minutes.

I have no beef with the FBO, but to say it's one of the best there is..???
 
Kritchlow said:
I certainly don't care about their fees... I'm not the one paying them. I'm just passing along the info to those who may not be aware.

Free newspapers and coffee really is a given. Certainly not advertisement material. The lobby is smaller than most. Yes, hotels will usually come get you... As long as you don't mind waiting 30 minutes.

I have no beef with the FBO, but to say it's one of the best there is..???
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Yeah, but the thread title is "Nicest FBO you've been to", and I havnt ben to a lot. :wink2:
 
JCranford said:
Yeah, but the thread title is "Nicest FBO you've been to"
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And there are those who would put something like this (Minam Ranch, Oregon 7OR0) in that category, and would rather go here than to some big-city Jet-something-or-other. :)

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N801BH said:
You left out the FREE coffee, FREE newspapers, FREE GPU's, FREE crew cars, FREE popcorn, FREE brushing off your plane of snow and ice to reduce your De icing fee, FREE WiFi, etc , etc.....

98% of the hotels CAN and WILL pick up crews, there is a large lobby, A FREE media room with a flat screen TV, A FREE lunch room, a FREE quiet room for resting or sleeping....

If you really have a beef with the costs, My I suggest you contact the Jackson Hole Airport Board who sets the rates, since Jackson Hole Aviation pays over ONE million dollars a year to the Board just to keep the doors open.. Plus the Board gets landing fees, curfew fines, adds a 40-60 dollar a day fee to EVERY rental car....In fact the Board just forced the Taxi drivers to double their rates...... Free market my ass...:mad2::mad:



Come back soon sir...:wink2:
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Don't you sometimes feel like you should just build your own airport and...
Oh wait. You did! :D
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
Million air KADS
Very nice. And get your checkbook out.
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This is probably the nicest I've actually used while traveling. HDTV, HD fuel, HD oxygen, HD parking, you name it. It's High Dollar. But the water is "free". :D

The FBO at West Houston Airport (KIWS) is pretty good too.

Signature, Tac Air, and Denver Jet Center at KAPA are very nice too but I'm on the field so I don't really use all their services.

But by far the truly nicest FBO, as in nice people, nice services and nice prices, that I've used is Rocket Aviation at Hale County Airport (KPVW) in Plainview, TX. We stop there on the way from Denver to Houston and they have always been great. Not fancy. Just a good old-skool FBO with great prices.
 
FORANE said:
Flightline First KNEW
Greeted at the plane on the tarmac with 2 cold bud lights before I even got out of the plane.
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Thanks for the tip!
I'm planning a xcountry trip to Houston and KNEW is one of my overnight stops....a cold one right on the tarmac???? Sign me up!!!
 
Fearless Tower said:
Cutter PHX is my personal favorite. Very nice facility and great service from the CSRs and line guys.
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I'll second and third that!
When I flew my little Bonanza in there late on a Friday evening with a gear problem (wouldn't retract), the manager and assistant manager jumped right on the problem, lined up a Bonanza specialist and spent most of the weekend chasing parts and keeping me posted. They got me out of there on Sunday AM. The CSRs, the rental car lady and all the line guys were top notch.

Even the tower guys were very helpful.

The funniest part was when we called for a briefing before departure and we told them we were departing PHX Bravo in a single engine Bonanza, he chuckled and said "you're kidding".
 
Fearless Tower said:
I agree. Just thinking it would take one heck of an FBO to make up for all that!
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A pilot area that includes a gym, mini cubicles, and a billiard lounge comes close. On top of that, they are always willing to pump 20 gal of 100LL with the same energy and efficiency as 1000 gal of Jet A.

In a place dominated by jet traffic, I always feel taken care of at KTEB Merridian.

That makes it the nicest to me.
 
Duncan Aviation, Battle Creek
http://www.duncanaviation.aero/

Amazing reception for two Canadian pilots heading home from Oshkosh in a DA40!! They treated us like we were their best customers flying a Gulfstream.
 
Marc CYBW said:
Duncan Aviation, Battle Creek
http://www.duncanaviation.aero/

Amazing reception for two Canadian pilots heading home from Oshkosh in a DA40!! They treated us like we were their best customers flying a Gulfstream.
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There's a very nice Duncan at Kalamazoo too. I used them all the time when I flew there, and would strongly recommend them to anyone.
 
I can't really name a single nicest FBO that I've visited. I've experienced quite a few very nice ones, including Duncan at Kalamazoo, Lane at Columbus, OH and Infinity at Nashua. The nicest airports though, in my experience, are the small uncontrolled fields without an FBO, just a terminal building where pilots gather. Ray Community (57D) and Clare Municipal (48D) in MI, and Parlin Field (2B3) in NH are the nicest of the nice that I've been to, and I'm sure there are similar little gems in every corner of the country.
 
azure said:
I can't really name a single nicest FBO that I've visited. I've experienced quite a few very nice ones, including Duncan at Kalamazoo, Lane at Columbus, OH and Infinity at Nashua. The nicest airports though, in my experience, are the small uncontrolled fields without an FBO, just a terminal building where pilots gather. Ray Community (57D) and Clare Municipal (48D) in MI, and Parlin Field (2B3) in NH are the nicest of the nice that I've been to, and I'm sure there are similar little gems in every corner of the country.
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Last year, flew into 2B3 with some friends. Were going to take the bikes at the FBO into town to get some dinner. Airport manager heard us on ctaf, drove over to pick us up. Brought us to town and back. Really nice guy.

Heard that ruger jackass was selling his place. :lol:
 
UngaWunga said:
Heard that ruger jackass was selling his place. :lol:
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Now THAT would be great news! Any confirmation on that?

For those that don't know, Ruger (of gun company fame) has a house in the hills west of Newport. The departure course on 30 at 2B3 takes you right over his house and he has been known to complain about the noise from departing aircraft. He was active (if not the prime mover) in the - fortunately - failed campaign to have the airport shut down. The locals warn transient pilots to turn ASAP if departing on 30.
 
Epic Jet Center at BFL takes the cake. I'm jaded because I'm based there, but it's a beautiful facility that treats even their GA transients like GV drivers.

The other two heritage FBO's (Atlantic/Bakersfield Jet) could give two craps about GA and make it known via their ramp fees, fuel cost, and attitude.

Pacific Jet at LGB... Was running late for a meeting and needed a rental car. They didn't want to bother with the paperwork and tossed me the keys to the owner's old navigator...for two days....

Capital Jet @ SMF. any time I have to use the Human Mailing Tubes to go east, I use them. Cheaper than parking a car at the airport and a seamless experience.

Million Air at NYL... $1 lunches for pilots from their cafeteria and some cool military transient iron on the ramp always.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
timwinters said:
Well, then...that makes two at KIND.
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Did they have tie-downs?

I once needed an overnight for weather, and phoned FBOs in Indy, and I was told no tiedowns. Just chocks.

So I went to South Bend, which worked well for an overnight.
 
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