FBO's Charging for Loaner Headsets?

BoilerPilot2007

Well-Known Member
FBO\'s Charging for Loaner Headsets?

Have you heard of FBOs charging a rental fee for loaner headsets?

The one here seems to be on and off about this policy, with one employee enforcing it, and the others not enforcing it..

Anyone heard of this practice? It seems new to me, not to mention unfair.
 
Re: FBO\'s Charging for Loaner Headsets?

Most places that I've flown with charge $5, Gibbs Flying Service at MYF in San Diego even credits this fee to the purchase of a new headset.
 
Re: FBO\'s Charging for Loaner Headsets?

Pretty typical, I think.

Just curious, why do you think it would be unfair?
 
Re: FBO\'s Charging for Loaner Headsets?

They do that here too, some times they don't charge but it's usually out of laziness on the part of the employee, which is fine with us.
 
Re: FBO\'s Charging for Loaner Headsets?

[ QUOTE ]
Pretty typical, I think.

Just curious, why do you think it would be unfair?

[/ QUOTE ]


Well, in my three years of flying at multiple FBOs, Id never encountered that before. Usually, if I asked for a loaner headset, I wasn't charged at all..

What's a $5 fee in the whole scheme of things? If one pays $110/hr for an aircraft, charging for a headset just seems pointless and cheasy... just to grab a few extra bucks.

Just my opinion though.

Thanks for everyone's responses by the way!
 
Re: FBO\'s Charging for Loaner Headsets?

I've seen some FBO's have an hourly rate for loaner headsets. Upwards of 8 dollars an hour. I don't particularly like that. But I think Loaner headsets fall into the adage that "Nothing is Free". Why should Loaner Headsets be free to use?

I don't see it as unfair. I think a set fee of 5 dollars upfront is okay. Someone has to pay for the headset. I would think the people that actually use them should pay. I like that thing Aloft said about Gibbs, that sounds pretty neat.
 
Re: FBO\'s Charging for Loaner Headsets?

Yeah, the one here charges $3. And they kill your ears within 20 min too.
 
Re: FBO\'s Charging for Loaner Headsets?

We charge $2.00 per day for a rental headset.

What's so unfair about it? If it should be free, then provide the flight school with a free headset. You can't get a headset for freE AH-HA! If you don't want to pay it, go buy one.

That's like saying that the flight school shouldn't charge you for the airplane. Grab a few extra dollars? Well, flight schools aren't in the charity business.
 
Re: FBO\'s Charging for Loaner Headsets?

I really don't have a problem with headset rentals. Basically, as long as the revenue they generate goes into keeping them clean and well-maintained, great!

Wouldn't walk into a golf course and display outrage over golf cart rentals, would ya? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
Re: FBO\'s Charging for Loaner Headsets?

[ QUOTE ]
Wouldn't walk into a golf course and display outrage over golf cart rentals, would ya? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Oh, some people certainly would... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Re: FBO\'s Charging for Loaner Headsets?

Um, Lloyd, that avatar is really, um, odd. You okay? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif
 
Re: FBO\'s Charging for Loaner Headsets?

$2 per day at my FBO...great for passengers, but I wouldn't wanna wear the rentals and get some funky ear fungus from somebody. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Re: FBO\'s Charging for Loaner Headsets?

[ QUOTE ]
Um, Lloyd, that avatar is really, um, odd. You okay? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/spin2.gif I feel fine!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Re: FBO\'s Charging for Loaner Headsets?

[ QUOTE ]
Um, Lloyd, that avatar is really, um, odd. You okay?

[/ QUOTE ] Uh, disturbing is more like it! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

JR
 
Re: FBO\'s Charging for Loaner Headsets?

An FBO in Hawaii I visited charged $5/flight hr for headsets. Needless to say, next time we schlepped our own. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

I don't mind a per-flight charge, but a per-hour charge seems a bit excessive...especially in a place where you know people (tourists) won't have their own.
 
Re: FBO\'s Charging for Loaner Headsets?

No it's not new and don't really seewhere it's unfair ... renters = destruction (airplanes, facilities and loaner headsets) a small fee ot help keep 'em up (or replaced) isn't asking too much, IMHO.
 
Re: FBO\'s Charging for Loaner Headsets?

One of the FBO's I flew with charged $1 an hour for their headsets. Their reasoning was to make sure people realized that the FBO had to pay for the headsets that people were destroying. They had less of a problem once people had an investment into using the headset, albeit a small one.
 
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