Research question for work

[snow85]

You can all answer this, but it belongs in this forum... it's a bit of research for work:

When you fly into a regional airport, corporate, commercial, or any airport for that matter, what amenities to you expect/look for? what has made your trip wonderful or terrible? Thanks in advance. -S-

 

[zab1001]

Hot female employees and a clean bathroom are always nice.

 

[phrogpilot73]

When you fly into a regional airport, corporate, commercial, or any airport for that matter, what amenities to you expect/look for? what has made your trip wonderful or terrible? Thanks in advance. -S-

Free food, free cars, and closeness to a Hooters...

 

[Steve Wilkins]

Free food, free cars, and closeness to a Hooters...

You should come to Providence then. There's one directly across the street from the general aviation ramp. From the time you exit the plane, you could be there in less than 3 minutes.

 

[snow85]

okay... so free food and clean bathrooms.

while i'm sure my boss will see the benefit to hooters i don't think that's going to happen. this isn't the military. however, military ground trans. provided.

on the food-- sandwhich stuff, soda/water, or what? i have to say though, that if you're flying commercially or corporately, that may be up to your employer.

basically, they're looking for finishing touches that will allow the facility to compete with larger airports. it's like an airport in pasadena competing with lax. mints on your pillows, turndown service, wash cloths folded into animal shapes,.... things like that. lighted wind indicator, segmented circle, ramp fee for civil aircraft waived w/ fuel purchase, the idea is that you want to come back.

 

[Steve Wilkins]

the idea is that you want to come back.

having a restaurant on the premises that serves the best hamburgers or omeletes and biggest pancakes within a 200 mile radius helps tremendously.....that is, if you can swing the Hooters thing

 

[Brett327]

okay... so free food and clean bathrooms.

while i'm sure my boss will see the benefit to hooters i don't think that's going to happen. this isn't the military. however, military ground trans. provided.

on the food-- sandwhich stuff, soda/water, or what? i have to say though, that if you're flying commercially or corporately, that may be up to your employer.

basically, they're looking for finishing touches that will allow the facility to compete with larger airports. it's like an airport in pasadena competing with lax. mints on your pillows, turndown service, wash cloths folded into animal shapes,.... things like that. lighted wind indicator, segmented circle, ramp fee for civil aircraft waived w/ fuel purchase, the idea is that you want to come back.

My vote would be for pizza of some sort. Everybody likes it, it's relatively portable, and you can keep it around for a while without it going bad/stale.

Brett

 

[Jameski]

Free food, free cars, and closeness to a Hooters...

I second that! A lot of the GA airports around here in Oregon have a free car for pilots to use while they are in town. This is especially helpful when there is about 5 - 10 miles of wheat and range land between the town and the airport!! :icon_tong

 

[TrunkMonkey]

My favorite airport for out-and-ins is David Wayne Hooks (KDWH) outside of Houston. It has a STAR that takes you all the way from P'cola to the Houston VORTAC, so there's your flight planning right there. There's a great resturant at the airport with food that would rival any Chili's-TGI Friday's type place and you get 10 dollars worth of stuff for 1 dollar with fuel purchase. There are also T-shirts for 1 dollar, which come in every color, so they're good to wear under flight suits.
I think the best part though is the fact that as soon as you land, a follow-me truck comes out and escorts you to parking, and then someone unrolls a red carpet next to the plane and hands you bottles of water and snacks as soon as you step outside. I introduced one of my instructors to this airport recently, and I thought he was going to freak out when a cute girl started handing him bottles of water as soon as he cracked the door to the jet open.

 

[phrogpilot73]

okay... so free food and clean bathrooms.

on the food-- sandwhich stuff, soda/water, or what? i have to say though, that if you're flying commercially or corporately, that may be up to your employer.

basically, they're looking for finishing touches that will allow the facility to compete with larger airports. it's like an airport in pasadena competing with lax. mints on your pillows, turndown service, wash cloths folded into animal shapes,.... things like that. lighted wind indicator, segmented circle, ramp fee for civil aircraft waived w/ fuel purchase, the idea is that you want to come back.

OK - here's what I've seen in my travels that brought us back - Anadulsia had a buffett spread with barbecue, there was that one that would come out to your aircraft with a golf cart to bring you to the FBO. Mobile has free Domino's pizza with a fill-up, and would even take your order over the Unicom freq. A crew vehicle that is available - I don't mean for 1 hr like in Fayetteville, because it took us 20 minutes to get anywhere, and we were hoovering our food. An on-site restaurant is great, MCAS Yuma has the afterburner restaurant that we would stop just to get a burrito. Plus you can get listed in "The $100 Hamburger" to help with business. Clean facilities, friendly faces, and a cheerful (we're the customer, even if we are handing you a US Military AVCARD) personality.

As for facilities at the actual airport, self-serve and full-serve fuel, no charges for overnight ramp space if you buy gas, if we need ground power, again no charge if you've gotten fuel (especially with today's fuel prices), the list is endless. I generally prefer the smaller airports, because while I am a professional, at airports the Big Heavy guys look at us "little" helos with disdain, and I feel like I get in their way. So military guys will come - if you have the perks.

 

[Schnugg]

Flower Aviation in Salinas, KS (?) was the gouge way back when...

Very nice ladies in mini skirts direct you in...you get Iced Tea and fresh chocolate chip cookies...also a bottle of wine and/or frozen filet mignon steak to go.

That was the #1 FO Boat destination when I was in VT-86.

For other than that use a Jeppesons or the IFR supp. to help you make a choice.

 

[TheBubba]

I have to second phrogpilot on Andalusia... would always try to go up there on my IFS flights... Great food.

 

[floridaseabee]

From a simple VFR GA perspective

I agree with PhrogPilot73 ...the big thing for me is cheap gas (with self and full-service options) and no tie down fee with a fill-up. Another would be preflight facilities, such as a few relatively new computers (not just one) with internet access and the ability to do weather, flight plans (Jeppensen software or similar), and a phone line to get to the nearest FSS. I put the cost of the fuel over what outfits the line personnel may be wearing, as I just need to gas up, check the weather, wind up the rubber band in my piss-ant (sp?) Cessna, and keep going.

Attitude/Helpfulness of the employees at the FBO also play a significant factor. I won't complain about hot female employees though...if they are around.

 

[KBayDog]

In addition to the obvious (food/car/etc.), a nice QUIET flight planning room would be nice. Your flight planning area should not be limited to the noisy FBO desk, a crappy telephone, and the Weather Channel.

If you've got the room/budget, post laminated IFR/VFR charts on the wall with measuring devices, and - depending on your traffic - at least 2-3 computer terminals for, at the very least, weather access. An equal number of telephones would be helpful.

(^floridaseabee beat me to it...)

 

[Fly Navy]

Courtesy Car
Meal Vouchers (Key Field, Meridian does this... pretty sweet)
Free Drinks and Food (even if just bottled water and cookies)
Clean Bathroom
Comfy Chairs and Couches