What do you do once you land at your destination? Rent a car?

J

jconway2002

Pre-takeoff checklist
Joined
Jan 13, 2012
Messages
140
Location
Encinitas, CA
Display Name
Display name:
jconway2002
Now that I am close to getting my ticket, I am beginning to wonder how I will use it. My biggest question is what I am suppose to do once I land at a destination airport an hour or two from home? If I want to go explore the city I am in, do I need to rent a car? I have heard FBOs have a car that they will lend you...how true is that?

What do you guys do?
 
Some FBO's will have a crew car, yes, but don't count on it. There will almost always be some rental agency that will be able to supply a car even at the most remote podunk airports. Usually Enterprise is pretty good at hooking me up and they will even drop a car off at the airport for you, and you just leave the keys at the desk when you're done.
 
'Depends on your mission... if you're just doing the brkfst/lunch thing, you'll pick airports with nearby restaurants. Or that have courtesy cars. Walking, biking, or little electric scooters work, too. Some places will pick you up.
If you are doing this for business, and "have" to be there... you shouldn't probably be flying:(... but a rental or something pre-arranged will be necessary.
idea...:idea:... get a bird that will hold a Segway!
 
At the smaller airports (i.e., those without air carrier service), you are most likely to find Enterprise. They often have arrangements with FBO's to leave the car there for you, and for you to leave the car there when you're done, and often can be had at a discount booking through their click-through on the airport's AirNav.com page.

Crew cars are not a reliable system. They usually limit use to an hour or so just to grab food, quantities are limited (usually just one if any at smaller GA airports) and availability is never assured.
 
CT4ME said:
If you are doing this for business, and "have" to be there... you shouldn't probably be flying:(... but a rental or something pre-arranged will be necessary.
Click to expand...

It's fairly rare that I fly someplace on personal business or pleasure and rent a car.... just sayin.....

But yes I do all that prearranged. It's easier than dealing with the car rental agencies at commercial airports. Billing is done over the phone, your car is waiting for you, just leave the keys, etc....
 
Depends on what you want to do.. Crew car for lunch. Taxi for a ride somewhere. Rental car for a trip/sightseeing. Going to the hotel..Hotel shuttle. Cool get away island..maybe a rickshaw<<I think that is spelled right. Anyway with anything else "It Depends!"

Cheers
 
It depends where I am going. Some places friends or family pick me up, some I'll rent a car or take a cab. A crew car is also an option if I only need it for a few hours. There are some beach airports that I can just tie down and walk to the beach. Other fields I can take public transportation. So it all depends.
 
Used to be I could count on a crew car when I arrived so i could get into town and get some grub. Not so much anymore. If I think i may need ground transportation I usually call ahead.
 
I can't tell where you're from by your profile, but if you're anywhere near the Texas Gulf Coast, you can fly into the only hotel in America with courtesy cars for pilots - Amelia's Landing. :D

All we ask is that you put gas in it.
 
One thing I've been toying with is to get a full size folding mountain bike like the Montague. I've taken my mountain bike with me in the past but it's a little bit of a pain to remove the wheels to stuff it in the back.
 
Sac Arrow said:
One thing I've been toying with is to get a full size folding mountain bike like the Montague. I've taken my mountain bike with me in the past but it's a little bit of a pain to remove the wheels to stuff it in the back.
Click to expand...


I have a buddy who takes his Seg-Way everywhere. He has a Cherokee Six, though, which is probably what you would need.
 
Threefingeredjack said:
Just checked the Segway website...they only weigh 95lb. Less than I thought they would. Hmmmmmm.
Click to expand...

their best attribute is not their weight or speed but that you will look like a goober

I just cant shake the image of armed mall cops riding segways around here with bicycle helmets on
 
dell30rb said:
their best attribute is not their weight or speed but that you will look like a goober

I just cant shake the image of armed mall cops riding segways around here with bicycle helmets on
Click to expand...

lol. Well they are cool in my opinion, but not something I would ever really want over a bike for basic transportation.

I rode the first 2 that were ever made, as we tested them for the joint forces explosive ordinance division (JEOD).

When someone has to disarm a bomb, the first step is to figure out how far away everyone not in a bomb suit needs to be. So let's say 500 yards. Then the bomb tech needs to get into this suit (very heavy), and needs help to do it. However the guy who can help him has to be 500 yards away. This means he has to walk 500 yards in an extremely heavy suit, with all his tools, and hope when he gets to the bomb he is not so out of breath that he can perform.

We were testing Segways as a mode of transportation for him, as nothing else work work (can't drive a car or a bike in one of those).

It worked well, and we deployed them. However unless I need one, I don't really want one. The nice thing about a bike, is if you run out of power, you can still peddle.
 
dell30rb said:
their best attribute is not their weight or speed but that you will look like a goober

I just cant shake the image of armed mall cops riding segways around here with bicycle helmets on
Click to expand...

You hit it right on the head with this. Mall cop, wannabe cops, overweight, cop staches', nope stay away from the segway.
 
Jay Honeck said:
I have a buddy who takes his Seg-Way everywhere. He has a Cherokee Six, though, which is probably what you would need.
Click to expand...

For some reason the image of a segway on the local 50mph road and doesn't get to town for 15 miles just doesn't seem to work out.
 
This thread got me thinking - seems like FBO's might be a good opportunity for zipcar and the like.....

Enterprise can be very "sneaky" when pricing for us rich pilots (the flip side of stating this is that they empower their local operations to negotiate in an effort to maximize profitability :) ). Try to call the local enterprise to get your quote. Say you are shopping around for a car to use the day of ______. Say that you might need to be picked up, but are not sure yet. If they ask for a "where", try to give "general area" or an address near the airport. An alternative is to ask the FBO to drop you off. Of course, the FBO may be benefitting from the Enterprise referrals, so you could be cutting them out (which you may not want to do).

PS - Enterprise is usually happy to get weekend business and will cut good deals.

Man am I cheap.... :(
 
In addition to the options listed above, you may need to contact a local car dealer for a rental vehicle if there's no nearby car rental outfit. A couple of times (actually, both in MI), I've needed to do that to get a car at the destination. One time they just left the keys in the car for me, and the other (Sidnaw), they delivered it and then picked it up where I left it.
 
jhausch said:
This thread got me thinking - seems like FBO's might be a good opportunity for zipcar and the like.....

Enterprise can be very "sneaky" when pricing for us rich pilots (the flip side of stating this is that they empower their local operations to negotiate in an effort to maximize profitability :) ). Try to call the local enterprise to get your quote. Say you are shopping around for a car to use the day of ______. Say that you might need to be picked up, but are not sure yet. If they ask for a "where", try to give "general area" or an address near the airport. An alternative is to ask the FBO to drop you off. Of course, the FBO may be benefitting from the Enterprise referrals, so you could be cutting them out (which you may not want to do).

PS - Enterprise is usually happy to get weekend business and will cut good deals.

Man am I cheap.... :(
Click to expand...

When I checked zipcar's website a while ago, I was hoping to see their cars at least somewhere near the smaller airports. I thought about suggesting it to them. If the airport agrees to it, it would be a great option.
 
Sac Arrow said:
Some FBO's will have a crew car, yes, but don't count on it. There will almost always be some rental agency that will be able to supply a car even at the most remote podunk airports. Usually Enterprise is pretty good at hooking me up and they will even drop a car off at the airport for you, and you just leave the keys at the desk when you're done.
Click to expand...

There are definately plenty of podunk airports in Norcal with no rental car option. Little River (just got a shuttle, though), Rohnerville and Garberville are just a few from recent experience. You need to do your homework, before you hop in the plane and go.
 
John221us said:
There are definately plenty of podunk airports in Norcal with no rental car option. Little River (just got a shuttle, though), Rohnerville and Garberville are just a few from recent experience. You need to do your homework, before you hop in the plane and go.
Click to expand...
And that's where you contact a local car dealer. They need cars for their service customers, and will sometimes handle retail car rentals at the airport, too.
 
AdamZ said:
Even in a farmer's field:D
Click to expand...

heh i actually had been thinking in an airplane-centric way but yes you are right, when i fly my glider i just wait for my crew to show up.
 
gprellwitz said:
And that's where you contact a local car dealer. They need cars for their service customers, and will sometimes handle retail car rentals at the airport, too.
Click to expand...

I am doubting the existence of car dealerships, as well, in these particular locations. Rohnerville is only about a 20 minute drive from Eureka, though, so there is probably one there. I don't know if they would be willing to get you, though. Little River literally had no taxi, rental car or shuttle option, until Rex started his shuttle services about a month ago. You had to hitch hike or walk.
 
John221us said:
There are definately plenty of podunk airports in Norcal with no rental car option. Little River (just got a shuttle, though), Rohnerville and Garberville are just a few from recent experience. You need to do your homework, before you hop in the plane and go.
Click to expand...

gprellwitz said:
And that's where you contact a local car dealer. They need cars for their service customers, and will sometimes handle retail car rentals at the airport, too.
Click to expand...

Correct. Many local car dealers happen to be agents for some of the name brand rental agencies as well. I've done that myself a few times. But you're right about Little River though, that is way out of the way. I'll bet you could secure a car in Rohnerville or Garberville though, it just might have to come from Eureka and you'd pay a premium for it.
 
Sac Arrow said:
Correct. Many local car dealers happen to be agents for some of the name brand rental agencies as well. I've done that myself a few times. But you're right about Little River though, that is way out of the way. I'll bet you could secure a car in Rohnerville or Garberville though, it just might have to come from Eureka and you'd pay a premium for it.
Click to expand...

I tried to get the rental car agency (Enterprise I believe) to meet me in Rohnerville and they wouldn't. I got lucky on weather on that trip and made it into Arcata (Eureka), though, which is where they were based. I did not try a car dealership, though.
 
Sac Arrow said:
Correct. Many local car dealers happen to be agents for some of the name brand rental agencies as well. I've done that myself a few times. But you're right about Little River though, that is way out of the way. I'll bet you could secure a car in Rohnerville or Garberville though, it just might have to come from Eureka and you'd pay a premium for it.
Click to expand...

Tim Winters set up and I used The Ford dealership in Ewan, MI, for a car rental in Sidnaw. There was a $20 delivery charge, and they're 30 miles away. Just one data point.
 
Oh, and Jim Logajan and Kimberly tried to get one in Garberville (it was our alternate for Shelter Cove, which BTW does not have rental cars or dealerships, either). The best they could come up with was another shuttle that was far and charged $100 each way.
 
Generally the second thing I do is secure ground transport. The first thing is find the Men's room.

Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk 2
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top