WANTED: Northwest US FBO

subpilot

subpilot

Squawking 7600
Does anyone know of a location in the Northwest (Oregon, Washington) that is in need of an FBO? Either because there are none currently or because the current ones are a rip-off/poor quality.
 
Uh oh, are you looking at potential commercial investments?

Much to my surprise, if you have the right market/demand, you can make this stuff turn a profit from year one. The flight school I work at started up in June 05 and is profitable now, so don't think it's nearly impossible.
 
Check out Swift Aviation down in Phoenix - if you want a business model that's the one to follow. Free sodas (12 oz cans) kept stocked in a fridge, cookies, candy, etc., foot massagers, huge crew lounge, friendly staff, and a large canvas over their ramp. It probably took a lot of captial but they must rake in the $$.
 
subpilot said:
Does anyone know of a location in the Northwest (Oregon, Washington) that is in need of an FBO? Either because there are none currently or because the current ones are a rip-off/poor quality.
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I sent you a PM.
 
Find any airport where Signature Flight is the only FBO. Open another FBO on that field and you should make a killing. Signature likes to be the only one in town so they can provide crappy service and charge high prices.

Do some homework on freight? Are there any manufacturers and/or car plants in the area that need air freight brought in? There is good money in working freight aircraft. My old freight company often flew out of the way to drop freight at an airport that had efficient services and reasonable prices. Whether they were flying people or boxes they avoided signature at all costs.
 
Bandit_Driver said:
There is good money in working freight aircraft.
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Oh yeah there is. A LOT of places make a killing on forklift fees, freight handling fees, etc. A $500 forklift fee to load 3 pallets into a Caravan was not uncommon. Do that every night with several airplanes, and you're in good shape. I bet some of them paid for those forklifts in a week.
 
I think Felts Field in Spokane could use another flight school. There used to be two and one of them went under. The one that went under I thought didn't promote itself well.
 
Bandit_Driver said:
Find any airport where Signature Flight is the only FBO. Open another FBO on that field and you should make a killing. Signature likes to be the only one in town so they can provide crappy service and charge high prices..
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That's funny, I used to work for Signature. I'd imagine that locations vary greatly in respect to service and amenities. If I were flying pax in to Indy I would fly them to Signature. It is more expensive, but I feel it's worth the extra cost due to the service they provide. Looking back on it I should've stayed with them. I've subsiquently left their "on field" competition, it doesn't even compare and I was miserable there.

I dream of owning/managing an FBO. I like the small uncontrolled county airports. Before Dixie Chopper took over my home airport, one guy was the Citation Bravo pilot, the A&P IA, the CFII, county airport manager, and the FBO owner.
 
DE727UPS said:
I think Felts Field in Spokane could use another flight school. There used to be two and one of them went under. The one that went under I thought didn't promote itself well.
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Spokane Airways at GEG could use some competition, for that matter. Last time I was there the facilities were pretty run down . . . service wasn't that great either. But, I'd be willing to bet that they have an exclusive agreement with the Spokane Airport Board for GEG.
 
AP2B said:
That's funny, I used to work for Signature.
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Don't tell ANYBODY else that - it'll get your tires slashed . . .

If I'm carrying PAX, I'd rather fly them to an airport 20 miles away and walk them on my back, rather than give Signature one dime.
 
mtsu_av8er said:
Don't tell ANYBODY else that - it'll get your tires slashed . . .

If I'm carrying PAX, I'd rather fly them to an airport 20 miles away and walk them on my back, rather than give Signature one dime.
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Man, they(not me:))must have screwed you over baaaaad.
 
wheelsup said:
Check out Swift Aviation down in Phoenix - if you want a business model that's the one to follow. Free sodas (12 oz cans) kept stocked in a fridge, cookies, candy, etc., foot massagers, huge crew lounge, friendly staff, and a large canvas over their ramp. It probably took a lot of captial but they must rake in the $$.
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I'm sorry, I misworded my request. I did check out Swift Aviations website and I am actually more interested in opening a flight school style FBO than a corporate FBO.

Thanks for all the info from you guys so far. I am looking at Portland area, Seattle area, and Walla Walla so far but options are still open.
 
Ok, I found a good market prospect. Eugene, OR. They have no flight schools, except a community college flight program. Does anyone on this forum have any insider info on the market in Eugene for a new flight school/FBO?
 
eugene

yeah my girlfriend graduated from U of O. Its a nice little airport with a decent market i suppose. I never really checked out if they had fbo's. kind of surprising. seems like there are plenty of people in the area to support an fbo and there are businesses that could potentially use some of your services if you decided to also have tie down spots and fueling and such. if your looking to make a buck in general aviation you might want to check out managing a small corporate flight department. some companies could save $$$ or possibly make $$ by owning a pilatus or similar aircraft or even a light jet or two if they had the know how to do it. But they dont.... just some food for thought. best of luck to you. i head out to oregon about every month or ever other and will take a look next time i am there. later
 
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