What is a Fixed Base Operator?
Fixed-Based Operators (FBOs) provide a wide variety of aviation ground support and ground handling services for, typically, general aviation, charter, and business jet flights. They can normally accommodate these flights with appropriate infrastructure and facilities to provide a full-service experience for passengers, crew, and aircraft owners.
Unlike Ground Handling Service Providers (GHSPs), FBOs do not generally tend to handle commercial aircraft and instead focus on lower gauge, higher value service provision to ad-hoc, business and corporate customers.
Read on to find out about the services typically provided by Fixed-Based Operators, and how Miles Aviation and our team of Ground Operations Specialists support GHSPs, FBOs, airlines and airport operators.
Services typically provided by FBOs
Fixed-Based Operators can provide a wide variety of services to their clients, including, but no limited to:
Concierge services (meet and greet, passenger processing and customer service)
Restaurant, lounge and relaxation facilities
Customs screening and paperwork assistance (for international flights)
Ground transport, car rental or taxi services
Baggage handling
Aircraft marshalling
Wheel chocking and cone placement
Connection/Disconnection of Ground Support Equipment (GSE)
Aircraft towing and pushback
Aircraft parking and hangar facilities
Aircraft maintenance
Refuelling and sale of aviation fuel (AVGAS and Jet-A1)
Water and toilet servicing
Aircraft detailing (interior and exterior cleaning)
Catering
De/anti-icing services
How do FBOs compare to Ground Handling Service Providers (GHSPs)?
Ground Handling Service Providers (GHSPs) also provide aviation ground services however the scope of services provided, as well as the target market, are quite different in principle. GHSPs are typically fully certified to provide ground handling services to commercial aircraft operators with a time driven, commercial imperative. Although any size of aircraft can be handled, FBOs usually handle only charter, business aviation, general aviation and governmental flights and are normally certified to specific business aviation standards, most notably IS-BAH.
FBOs will usually have passenger facilities and infrastructure on-site and provide a more tailored and personal service to clients with a low-volume but high-value service provision. They are also often run by the airport operator themselves, particularly at business airports. Restaurants, lounges and catering, concierge, taxis, and even conference facilities are commonly provided by FBOs. Although premium passengers are catered for by GHSPs, the FBO focus centres more around provision of a more personal, exclusive and intimate service but one which comes at a higher cost than its commercial equivalent. The journey, from arriving at the FBO to boarding an aircraft, is often a matter of just a few minutes of calm, hassle free processing through the facilities compared with, sometimes, a very different experience through a busy passenger terminal.
To read our article all about Ground Handling Service Providers (GHSPs), click here.
How we can help Ground Handling Service Providers and FBOs
Our team of Ground Handling and Ground Operations Specialists provide a range of services to GHSPs and FBOs, including Ground Operations and aerodrome audits, manual and documentation creation/analysis, high-quality training courses, and consulting/project support. If you think you may require assistance from our team, don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Did you know…
We provide specialist ground operations and ground handling support services including:
AUDITS - We provide internal and external quality audits to ground operations and aerodrome industry standards, and can even run your full internal quality programme for you.
TRAINING - High-quality training courses in ground operations and ground handling, including management and instructor training, as well as front-line operational training and refresher courses.
DOCUMENTATION - We can review, create, and align your documentation and ground operations manuals to the latest industry standards. We also have significant expertise in Service Level Agreements and Ground Handling contracts.
CONSULTING / PROJECT SUPPORT - Do you have any upcoming ground operations or ground handling projects? Our team of experts can assist you.
