So how do I get this cheeseburger everyone talks about?...

I guess eman has never paid a ramp fee that could be avoided by parking in the right place, or parked in a residents spot that’s paying for the tie down.

asking where to park is a good idea. Often nobody cares. Sometimes they care.
 
asicer said:
Feature creep for @Mahneuvers ?
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Consistent with the Keep It Simple design of the General Aviation Restaurants site, Comments enable pilots to note anything that another pilot might need to know. There already are plenty of comments about transient parking. The only possible deficiency I see is Comments are associated to Restaurants and not Airports so for Airports w/ >1 accessible Restaurant, unless transient parking is noted as a Comment for every Restaurant, a pilot might not see it. Maybe as a future enhancement, Comments can have a checkbox about "relative to airport, not just this restaurant" in which case that Comment is displayed for every Airport Restaurant.
 
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eman1200 said:
stop "calling FBOs". leave those poor people alone.

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That's moronic advice. They're in business to provide a service and answering questions is part of the job. Calling them and asking a simple question, particularly for a new pilot, isn't putting them out in any way.
 
tsts4 said:
That's moronic advice. They're in business to provide a service and answering questions is part of the job. Calling them and asking a simple question, particularly for a new pilot, isn't putting them out in any way.
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Moronic is not being able to answer basic questions on your own (not talking about the OP’s situation). I can’t imagine how many GA pilots call FBO’s asking the same stupid questions over and over……yeah, um, are you going to charge me to park there because I prefer free parking over a $10 fee that I could have found out of I just looked in FF or PP but that’s what you’re there for….. also, do you have a free car you can give me so I can drive around for a little while because I’m a pilot and I’d like for you to give me a free car, you know, because I’m a pilot….. also do you have free coffee and cookies because as a pilot I like free coffee and cookies. for free….also while I have you on the telly phone, I see you have a full serve fuel price and a self serve price…can I get the self serve price using full service because I’m a pilot and it’s pretty difficult to start the plane and taxi it over to the self serve pumps, you know, having too hot start my io360 and all…..
 
eman1200 said:
Moronic is not being able to answer basic questions on your own (not talking about the OP’s situation). I can’t imagine how many GA pilots call FBO’s asking the same stupid questions over and over……yeah, um, are you going to charge me to park there because I prefer free parking over a $10 fee that I could have found out of I just looked in FF or PP but that’s what you’re there for….. also, do you have a free car you can give me so I can drive around for a little while because I’m a pilot and I’d like for you to give me a free car, you know, because I’m a pilot….. also do you have free coffee and cookies because as a pilot I like free coffee and cookies. for free….also while I have you on the telly phone, I see you have a full serve fuel price and a self serve price…can I get the self serve price using full service because I’m a pilot and it’s pretty difficult to start the plane and taxi it over to the self serve pumps, you know, having too hot start my io360 and all…..
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Sounds like you've got a burr under your saddle. Somehow I doubt FBOs are inundated with these kinds of questions, but do acknowledge they must happen, just not to the degree you imply. I'm all about teaching a guy to fish so to speak, but your approach just seems a little severe to me. YMMV.....
 
tsts4 said:
Sounds like you've got a burr under your saddle. Somehow I doubt FBOs are inundated with these kinds of questions, but do acknowledge they must happen, just not to the degree you imply. I'm all about teaching a guy to fish so to speak, but your approach just seems a little severe to me. YMMV.....
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“Looking something up” or asking a question here is severe? I guess I do have a burr.
 
Don't forget those 'pancake fly-in' breakfast events. They can be good fun, but in my experience the air gets kinda busy around 'em at an uncontrolled airport. Keep your head on a swivel, have your passenger look for planes, fly a proper pattern, make your radio calls, and be ready to adjust 'for the other guy' if too close.
 
eman1200 said:
“Looking something up” or asking a question here is severe? I guess I do have a burr.
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I'm not putting a lot of faith in what SGOTI posted on a comment 3 months to a year ago about an airport. In my experience that information is wrong at least as often as it is correct.
 
eman1200 said:
“Looking something up” or asking a question here is severe? I guess I do have a burr.
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No -- suggesting a new pilot lacking experience should never call anyone, as an option, because they might ask a stupid question is severe.
 
Salty said:
I'm not putting a lot of faith in what SGOTI posted on a comment 3 months to a year ago about an airport. In my experience that information is wrong at least as often as it is correct.
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True, because airplane parking areas move around so often….
 
tsts4 said:
No -- suggesting a new pilot lacking experience should never call anyone, as an option, because they might ask a stupid question is severe.
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I guess you missed the part where I specifically said “I’m not talking about the OP”…..
 
I call fbos all the time. Always get a friendly informative response. Especially if it's an event and I think parking may be limited.
 
eman1200 said:
I guess you missed the part where I specifically said “I’m not talking about the OP”…..
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Didn't miss it. You gave general advice, which I disagree with, and I made it specific to him since he started the thread as it does apply to him whether you were "talking" about him or not.
 
tsts4 said:
Didn't miss it. You gave general advice, which I disagree with, and I made it specific to him since he started the thread as it does apply to him.
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I think I’ll be the judge of whether something I said applies to the OP or not. Which according to me saying it doesn’t, then it doesn’t.
 
I use Foreflight and you're usually able to figure out fees, cost of fuel, etc. The general practice is to waive some/most/all of the landing fees if you buy 10g or so of fuel in a single piston. Foreflight will also tell you if the FBO has a crew car. They usually let you borrow one for a couple hours complimentary to grab lunch. They usually don't reserve them so if they have them available great, if not Uber/Lyft is easy enough. Foreflight is also good for letting you know where cheaper fuel is. Contrary to some beliefs, calling ahead is never a bad idea especially if you need/want fuel - you can ask if their truck or pump is working. It's a real bummer when you land and plan to pick up some fuel and their system is down. Generally, my approach has been - if I'm just going for a stop or lunch or something (for a couple/few hours) I just fly and show up... if I'm planning to be there over night or for a few nights I call ahead. They've always appreciated knowing about what time we might show up etc. As for tie downs and such. It's never a bad idea to have some in the plane just in case but usually there'll be chocks/ropes around.
 
eman1200 said:
I think I’ll be the judge of whether something I said applies to the OP or not. Which according to me saying it doesn’t, then it doesn’t.
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Nice try--You can say that all day long, doesn't make it true. If you give general advice, you don't get to pick and choose who it applies to, that's up to the recipient, but you keep doing you.
 
tsts4 said:
Nice try--You can say that all day long, doesn't make it true. If you give general advice, you don't get to pick and choose who it applies to, that's up to the recipient, but you keep doing you.
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LOl thanks for the good laugh.
 
Every time someone doesn't call the FBO, an eman get's his wings.
 
Having worked at FBO's in the past, no one cares if you call and ask reasonable questions.
"What's the fuel price"
"where do I park"
"do you have courtesy cars"
"any good restaurants nearby"

All perfectly reasonable questions and it's not a bother to answer them at all. Most of the time you're just sitting there doing nothing anyway, no one minds answering a phone call from a friendly pilot.

Call in and make demands or act holier-than-thou and you'll **** people off but no one minds good questions IMO.

I've had several people call in with something like
"I'll be there at 1:35 and I expect someone on the ramp waiting to marshal me to the closest spot to the FBO and carry my wifes bags. I'll reserve the courtesy car and expect your guys to pull my plane into a hangar and get it covered and I'll be back at 2:15 to pick it up and I'll need it fueled up ready to go and the AC cold, chop chop my good man"

Unless you're tossing around 100's that's a good way to **** off the FBO employees lol
 
Justin Brady said:
I've had several people call in with something like
"I'll be there at 1:35 and I expect someone on the ramp waiting to marshal me to the closest spot to the FBO and carry my wifes bags. I'll reserve the courtesy car and expect your guys to pull my plane into a hangar and get it covered and I'll be back at 2:15 to pick it up and I'll need it fueled up ready to go and the AC cold, chop chop my good man"
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...but you still did it didn't ya? :D I don't know why we tolerated the douchecanoes but we did.
 
Pixieelf said:
Hello!
I recently passed my ppl checkride and I'm now looking to start venturing out for a quick lunch somewhere. I've obviously done cross country runs as part of training, and a couple since then, but never stopped at a remote airfield. So the question is... how do I do it?
I fly out of KRNT, and I'm thinking of renting a 172 for a quick flight down to KCLS for lunch at the golf course across the street. But do I just call the FBO and let them know I'm coming, and they will provide tiedowns and chocks? Or do I take my own?
I've seen other airfields that have restaurants on the field, and it looks like you just park out front, so I have similar questions for that sort of setup as well. Do I take my own stuff and just park it? Or arrange it in advance with 'someone' ?

Sorry if they are stupid questions, I figured I'd ask on a forum before cold-calling FBO's!
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If you have a Facebook account, I recommend joining the Flights Above the Pacific Northwest group, since you're located there. It's a really great bunch, and looks like a good place to ask questions about local places and practices.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/FATPNW
 
I guess you could use the air nav site. That will give you info and the phone number for the FBO
 
I’m still a noob at all this but it’s great advice to just do it. I use ForeFlight and check the comments and remarks for the airport. Check satellite photos of the airport to figure out the likely place to park. Then if I have any questions or if it’s a larger airport with a tower, I might make a call. Smaller airports I just wing it. I got yelled at once by a guy at Hummel Field for parking in the wrong spot. The guys at the self serve pumps told me to park there. Maybe I got set up and they were laughing their asses off as they watched. I killed him with kindness, and it made for a good story.

I just cracked 200hrs and about 25 different airports, most in the last hundred hours. The more you do it the more comfortable it becomes. I landed at KCBE with my family for the first time recently to get breakfast. I hear the guy who landed ahead got asked on CTAF if he needed fuel, and he said he was just going to park near the terminal and walk to the restaurant. So I get asked the same question after clearing the runway, and I said I was just gonna do the same as the last guy. Fella on CTAF says I can taxi right down to the restaurant. So I said I really didn’t know where to go. He gave me directions on CTAF. Really nothing formal about it. If you don’t know say you don’t know.

Unless hot starts are an issue for you, somebody fusses at you for parking in the wrong spot, say you’re sorry, and move. Park your plane, walk into the nearest building, and ask, “am I good right there?” Don’t sweat the small stuff and have fun.
 
If FBOs would put that information clearly on their website, they could avoid a lot of phone calls.
 
bflynn said:
If FBOs would put that information clearly on their website, they could avoid a lot of phone calls.
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not everyone needs to call to get this info, and quite often the info is readily available thru multiple sources.
 
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