FBO Etiquette

MrAviator11

MrAviator11

Well-Known Member
One of my biggest problems as a line guy is pilots that show up to an FBO without calling ahead or making a reservation. I mean would you show up to a friends house without calling them ahead to let them know your on your way?! One of the reasons it pisses me off is because the FBO I work at is pretty busy most of the time and now I got to jump through hoops to get you serviced and out of there. Alot of the times it would be a Beechjet wanting a top off, gpu and wanting to do a QT. Then they get mad when you tell them you have other planes to fuel who actually made reservations. I mean if you don't require services by all means show up, but if you know your going to need services and are flying a needy plane like a Beechjet that requires time consuming over the wing fueling and gpu then please call ahead it takes a minute! Like that we know their intentions and can advise them on whether or not we will be able to do a qt or not. That way we don't have pouting pilots at the lobby of the FBO. I got alot more, but I am not going to get into it. I am pretty sure I can write a book on FBO etiquette:D I think the hardest part of being a line guy is dealing with the aircrew to be honest other than that I love my job:rawk:

Any other FBO line guys with similar problems?
 
Ah yes, the service industry getting pissy about providing a service. I love it.
 
Ah no, just merely expressing an opinion, that's all. I love my job! I just hate whinny pilots that act like they own the place.
 
I used to work at an FBO as Line Service for about 4 years. One day we figured out that on average, about 75% of our traffic flow never made a reservation.

I personally never had a problem with that.
 
I fly one of those irritating Beechjets. We try to call, we really do. Sometimes the F/O forgets, sometimes no one answers (this happens a lot), sometimes we're just suddenly task-saturated in a way we didn't expect and it doesn't get done. But I promise we do try, and while one can't help but get impatient with a boss or broker breathing down their neck because the Snotleys expect to be picked up ON TIME at Teterboro, I try not to take it out on the employees who generally try very hard to get things done. Besides, you know as well as I do that the guy stomping around and being a jerk isn't likely to get serviced any faster than the guy who isn't. Everyone can see when you're one of the dudes busting their hump, so go as fast as you can and don't let the prima donnas get you down. Water off a duck's back!

PS. Making a reservation on the phone just isn't in the cards for a charter...things can change five times before the day is over and there's generally just not time to make all the phone calls necessary. We do try to call on the radio, though.
 
LOL! Yeah you are right and I apologize if I am coming off as steaming off, but I am just curious to see if other line guys go through the same situations. I love my job and I don't care how long it takes to fuel even if it is an irritating Beechjet. LOL! It's only a big deal when the pilots make it a big deal which they seem to do alot if you can't get them fueled right away, but again your right water of duck's back! Thanks for your opinion!

P.S. I know you guys have your share of crap you guys put up with also. Specially when you have snotty pax!
 
"Oh, hi! Yeah, we're a quickturn! Why wasn't there anyone here to park us, anyway!? Where's the red carpet? Top the wings, 300 in the trunk, positive prist! Oh, yeah, ice, coffee, papers, and a GPU, too! I'll just run in and pay and we'll be out of here!" :D

We've all got our little crosses to bear, and I don't see the problem with sharing the load on JC. Lord knows pilots do it!
 
LMAO! That is exactly what they say! You are indeed a Beechjet pilot! No worries man you ever come to my FBO we'll take care you!
 
Dugie8 said:
Ah yes, the service industry getting pissy about providing a service. I love it.
Click to expand...

Ya.... that's what I'm seeing.

OP, what FBO do you work for? I'll try to make sure I never increase the workload. I stop in unannounced to FBO's daily. If they don't want to sell me gas in some reasonable time, I go across the ramp or to another airport. Granted the only service I ever need is fuel.
 
MrAviator11 said:
LMAO! That is exactly what they say! You are indeed a Beechjet pilot! No worries man you ever come to my FBO we'll take care you!
Click to expand...

You may get your wish sooner than you'd like! Where in Florida are you? I start a trip tomorrow and I know we're dropping in Teterboro and picking up in Newark, so the odds are good we'll wind up in the Sunshine State sooner rather than later.

And other dudes: I like to think of Doug's Livingroom as a place to blow off steam. If MrAviator were bitching about us (to our faces, anyway) at work, it would be inappropriate. If I were bitching about the pax at work, it would be inappropriate, too. But we're here to talk amongst ourselves, and the dude was just talking about things that annoy him. There are tons of things that annoy me about my job (and the one before that, and the one before that, and...you get the idea). Doesn't mean I don't try as hard as I can to execute it as well as I can. I'm sure the same is true of everyone here.
 
In the military we call it a PPR....or Prior Permission Required. Its a number thats not really "permission", except at some bases, but is more a courtesy of informing the base ops so they can expect you. We carry this same thing over to civilian fields as a matter of course. To me, bringing one of my planes or helos into an FBO isn't really the same as driving into the local Exxon/Shell/Chevron station, it's a little more complicated than that ESPECIALLY if Im expecting full service or need any other kind of special servicing that takes some time to prepare, such as fleet service, GPU, towing, and especially hangaring. Now, if Im bringing in a small plane and am going to taxi over to self-serve pumps and don't need anything else, I may or may not bother IF Im already familiar with that FBO and how it operates. But if Im unfamiliar, even if Im planning on self-serve gas and go, I always call ahead to see if there's any special instructions of any kind.

Yes, the FBO is a service provider. However, it doesn't hurt when the customer can help them help you better and more efficiently.
 
Thanks for making sense Boris. At first i was pissed off at the OP for having a skewed view on business. Instead I'll just try to educate him.

To the OP. Reminder... I have worked line off and on for 8+ years

You are paid hourly. Who cares what extra crap you have to "plan" for. Go slow, be safe and do what you can. Always give great customer service.

These extra non scheduled flights are just more job security FOR YOU! If you are always slammed, recommend hiring more employees.

Hope this helps, and welcome to aviation!
 
Yeah I'll admit I am guilty of forgetting to call ahead. I can count on one hand the number of times of forgotten and it doesnt happen often, but things can get busy up in the cockpit. Especially when there is a ton of weather around and we're using 1960s tech to navigate around it.

Boris is spot on though.
 
Krieger said:
. At first i was pissed off at the OP for having a skewed view on business. Instead I'll just try to educate him.
Click to expand...

Why be pissed? I thought what I wrote was reasonable with regards to the customer's needs as well as the FBO's ability to provide.
 
pros call the FBO in advance, even if its just checking in on the unicom when youre 15 minutes out. Amateurs show up unannounced and demand a quick turn
 
I know what you mean. For us the drop in can cause a problem because of a lack of space on our ramp. Some days we can have five medevac King Airs and Lears on our ramp, and have a Glex inbound. If you call in we have an accurate time for your arrival, if not and you show up early you might have to wait while we to airplanes to make room. All this with two LSTs because our other side is swamped with traffic also.

But no matter what happens, I keep smiling and provide the best service I can. Because this job sure beats flipping burgers.
 
Dugie8 said:
Ah yes, the service industry getting pissy about providing a service. I love it.
Click to expand...
I dont think that is the case at all. I feel that if a plane drops in unannounced and we are busy, we can not provide the best service available. If you call we can have a plan and provide much better service.

I would rather be prepared for the plane and give them great service. I personally feel like I failed if I cant do that. That may or may not be where the OP is coming from, but thats how I feel.
 
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