Fixed Base Operator Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Fixed Base Operator - Essay Example Hence, gradually there was a shift in early decades to bifurcate the jobs between pilots and the technicians. Now the two are totally different fields and much more such fields have been introduced in support of operations. The rationale has been that each and every person in aviation field has a well-defined job and that it is interwoven to such an extent that all these fields work together just to keep an aircraft high up in the air safe. The airport is one of the most vital elements in our air transportation system. A well-equipped airport provides a variety of facilities for the aircraft and for crews and passengers. These include runways and taxiways, which may be lighted for day and night use; a terminal building with lounge areas for passengers, and possibly a restaurant and shops; automobile parking lots; ramp areas and hangars for aircraft storage; and maintenance shops for aircraft and avionics. In the United States, there are about 13,000 airports and 4,000 heliports (land ing sites for helicopters). About 5,000 of these landing facilities are used by the public. It may surprise you to learn that only about 650 airports are served by airlines; most of the Nation's airports are used by general aviation pilots and their aircraft. The atmosphere at these airports is usually a lot less hectic and pressured than the environment at a major airline facility. Some airports are owned by municipalities, states, counties, and cities. Others are operated as privately owned businesses. A fixed base operator (FBO) is a retail firm that sells general aviation products or services at an airport. The FBO may employ one or two people, or it may have as many as one hundred workers. One or more of the following services are offered: aircraft fueling; airframe, engine, and/or instrument repairs; avionics sales and service; aircraft modifications; flight training; ground school; aircraft rentals and sales; and air taxi service and charter flights. Student pilot training ha s been rising in recent years, as have sales of new general aircraft both of which have been traditional sources of income for many Fixed Base Operators. Services. The services offered by a modern FBO may include any or all of the following: Aircraft fueling, de-fueling and oil dispensing: This aspect is normally carried out by professionals from various oil companies under