jdlilfan
Well-Known Member
I will just agree that we will disagree.
I guess what really struck a chord yesterday was how rude some of the contestants and officials were being to the FBO staff, mostly line guys. I think it is just the nature of the event because it is a competition. Some were also very nice yesterday as well.
Yes, the FBO mgmt had talked with the NIFA folks and decided "in the interest of safety" that the flight school will be shut down for the week after a few close calls this past week with competition planes. I'm a part timer so I don't care as much but I know how hard it is for some of the full time guys who are starving off of $200 a week and now they are forced to take a week off. A lot of us CFI's are trying to convince the FBO to still let us work and we can work something out to stay out of their way and still get our stuff done. Plus the FBO is making payments on planes that are sitting. A sitting plane doesn't make much money.
The airport mgmt called DOJ to call off the normal weekly flight and is planning on issuing a NOTAM for the airport to discourage all non participating aircraft from visiting.
I agree, there is a trickle down effect with having an extra 200 people in town and 50 airplanes on a ramp....but the FBO really isn't seeing much from the deal other than a small amount of low lead sales. There isn't much mark up on the stuff. Yeah, it may end up being around 5,000 gallons but we aren't pocketing all $4 for every gallon sold, it is more like $.15/gal. Most of the schools have also cut "deals" so everyone is paying next to nothing. Hangers and tie downs are free. No ramp fees, etc. It will actually only equate to about $1000 of money going to the FBO for fuel. The town and ISU maybe be getting plenty of the money from the students but it seems the airport and FBO isn't getting their fair share. That's all.
To most of the FBO and airport staff, it seems like more trouble than its worth. A lot of us are used to big events too. We have hosted plenty of large airshows (two of them with the T-Birds) and concerts. We know how to handle special events, this one just seems like a lot of grief. I am just echoing the opinion of them and what I saw yesterday.
Anyways, Good luck to all of the contestants doing whatever they do with their hundreds of touch n goes. BTW, two of the nicest schools so far have been Delta State and Central Texas. They by far have been the nicest and coolest to deal with. +1 to them!
I guess what really struck a chord yesterday was how rude some of the contestants and officials were being to the FBO staff, mostly line guys. I think it is just the nature of the event because it is a competition. Some were also very nice yesterday as well.
Yes, the FBO mgmt had talked with the NIFA folks and decided "in the interest of safety" that the flight school will be shut down for the week after a few close calls this past week with competition planes. I'm a part timer so I don't care as much but I know how hard it is for some of the full time guys who are starving off of $200 a week and now they are forced to take a week off. A lot of us CFI's are trying to convince the FBO to still let us work and we can work something out to stay out of their way and still get our stuff done. Plus the FBO is making payments on planes that are sitting. A sitting plane doesn't make much money.
The airport mgmt called DOJ to call off the normal weekly flight and is planning on issuing a NOTAM for the airport to discourage all non participating aircraft from visiting.
I agree, there is a trickle down effect with having an extra 200 people in town and 50 airplanes on a ramp....but the FBO really isn't seeing much from the deal other than a small amount of low lead sales. There isn't much mark up on the stuff. Yeah, it may end up being around 5,000 gallons but we aren't pocketing all $4 for every gallon sold, it is more like $.15/gal. Most of the schools have also cut "deals" so everyone is paying next to nothing. Hangers and tie downs are free. No ramp fees, etc. It will actually only equate to about $1000 of money going to the FBO for fuel. The town and ISU maybe be getting plenty of the money from the students but it seems the airport and FBO isn't getting their fair share. That's all.
To most of the FBO and airport staff, it seems like more trouble than its worth. A lot of us are used to big events too. We have hosted plenty of large airshows (two of them with the T-Birds) and concerts. We know how to handle special events, this one just seems like a lot of grief. I am just echoing the opinion of them and what I saw yesterday.
Anyways, Good luck to all of the contestants doing whatever they do with their hundreds of touch n goes. BTW, two of the nicest schools so far have been Delta State and Central Texas. They by far have been the nicest and coolest to deal with. +1 to them!
How bout you?
