When you are bored, waiting in an FBO...

[navigator72]

Sleeping rooms, nothing major just some small beds with clean sheets and a blanky.

 

[NuGuy]

This is totally serious response:

Go to a good truck stop chain (like Flying J or Travel Centers of America) and see what they have for the truckers. That's what I want at an FBO when I'm waiting, just a little nicer of course.

Lounge
TVs (multiple)
Food
Internet (wi-fi and a pay-per-minute kiosk when I didn't bring my laptop).
Large RR w/ full walls and doors for the stalls
"Pilot" shop
Weather monitors?
Showers/ in some cases beds

AND A CREW CAR OR TWO. These are becoming rarer and rarer these days. Yeah, I'd be willing to put a 5-spot down or so for the use of your car for a few hours. Probably not much more than that, though.

EO is pretty close to the mark here. Anyone remember those old Union 76 Truck stop commericals, where the manager would take his mom there to eat? One of the nicest stops on any road trip I've taken has been at one of these places. Sadly, they are mostly gone.

Clean to a fault
Good food, served quick
Coffee that is beyond compare, and ALWAYS FRESH
Showers (also clean)
Rack room
Service people who understand that you might actually want quick service.

Nu

 

[Gutenberg]

A couple of movies:

1. Ghostbusters
2. Caddyshack
3. T2
4. Hot Shots series
5. any Chuck Norris flick (MIA or delta force preferred)
6. Bass fishing with shaw grigsby
7. debbie does dallas
8. groundhog day
9. so i married an axe murderer
10. bloodsport

 

[sky37d]

This is what I want at an FBO.
1. Line people who are nice, prompt, and dont' direct you to the back 40 before you shutdown. In other words, shutdown, unload, and then let them haul it away.
2. Counter people who are actually friendly, and enough of them to handle the load.
3. Reasonable gas prices. I know they vary across the country, but if the guy across the runway is 3.89, you should be too.
4. WiFi. I don't even want to talk to you if you don't have it, and I shouldn't have to ask.
5. Flight planning computers that use the internet to access Duats, with printers that actually work, and paper. I got already to print out a FP once, and there was no paper.
6. more than 1 tv, with a working remote control, and it better have the full cable line up. Also, have the sign up to tell what channel is what, so I don't have to go through 45 channels to find the weather channel.
7. Snooze room. Quiet, no TV, with blinds that work.
8. Real coffee, not from a vending machine, and of course FREE.
9. A crew car that goes forward and reverse. Maybe more than 1. I was in Talahoma, AL, and my wife was sick, and they found us a motel, and gave us the keys to the car, see you in the AM. No problem. I was in williamsport, Pa, and the one and only crew car was broke, and there was no weather planning, but the FSS was only a 1 mile walk. In Anderson, SC, the crew car was a county car, well maintained, and there were 2 of them.
10. It would be to much to ask for food, especially if there is a crew car available.
11. A change machine for the vending machine. I was someplace I've forgotten in central NY, fuel was cheap, they had an ILS, but the county had taken over the airport, no crew car, no cab, vending machines, but no change machine, and the machine didn't take dollars. A very nice lady loaned us her personal car.
12. A knowledge of what is in the area. Not encylopedic, but tell me what goes on in your town. I have been in too many places where they point you to BK diner. Jeez, isn't there anything else in this town except grease food?
13. Oh, and umbrellas. Unless they have a covered area to pull the plane into.
14. How about a couple of sectionals, and approach plates. maybe mine fell out, into the mudpuddle you parked me in, and now they are a sodden mess.

 

[MTpilot]

Hi-speed is good too!

A list of hotels with dive bars next door.

A list of hotels with strip clubs next door.

A list of hotels with dive bar strip clubs next door.

The number for a taxi.

 

[MagicRat]

Not that I would expect a Bally's or anything, but in an ideal world maybe a couple of dumb bells and a few pieces of exercise equipment? That'd be great.

 

[flyer172r]

1.Crew cars that aren't death traps.
2. A computer with internet access (preferably seperate from the weather computer so that people killing time don't interfere with people trying to flight plan)
3. Wireless internet for those who have laptops
4. Sleep/quiet rooms that offer at least a modicum of privacy
5. Small phone booths (with a door) that allows you to talk on your cell phone without disturbing anyone
6. A decent TV channel lineup (a movie collection is a definite plus)
7. A library where you can leave a book and take another
8. A small kitchen where we can get coffee and ice without having to find someone to help us out with it.

 

[dragland]

Oh, and and don't charge for Ice, nothing like buying thousands of dollars worth of fuel and being charged for ice.

 

[woody]

1. Quiet Rooms/Sleeping Rooms
2. Ramp guys that smell bad eating lunch in the pilots lounge or hitting on the cute counter girls is always a turnoff
3. Clean courtesy car with gas in it!
4. Onsight Catering
5. Seperate Pilots lounge from Passenger lounge
6. Good flight planning ammenities ie. WSI
7. Bust your hump attitude is always appreciated
8. Anything but Signature!!
9. Warm Cookies
10. Smokin Hot Counter Girls
11. FOX News, Discovery Channel, History Channel
12. Being able to have rental cars delivered to aircraft as well as onsight car rental.
13. Smokin Hot Counter Girls

 

[sky37d]

10. Smokin Hot Counter Girls

13. Smokin Hot Counter Girls

Oh, yeah, did I mention, Smokin Hot Counter Girls??