An FBO is one of the most misunderstood acronyms in the aviation world. It stands for Fixed Base Operator. Is it a hangar? Oh, no! It is so much more!
Today’s FBOs are closer to a five-star hotel than anything on an airfield. An FBO offers passengers cosseted services before boarding or upon arrival, combining plush lounges, quick boarding and luggage handling, and expedited customs. Aircrews have private areas, often with showers and snooze rooms, and most FBOs have an impressive coffee bar at a minimum, with some offering a full bar and even a restaurant. In essence, an FBO is your private airline terminal.
If you made a list of downsides to commercial airline terminals, it would be hard to choose where to start: long lines for TSA and seating, difficult baggage handling, uncomfortable waiting areas, ho-hum food offerings, and the essence of being nothing more than cattle herded onto the waiting aircraft. FBOs take away the pain.
For Ryan Gucwa, founder and president of Odyssey Airways, a Tampa-based provider of private jet charters, FBOs are a “partner in our business.”
“We do significant due diligence,” he says, “before working with any FBO at a destination because it is all about creating a seamlessly luxurious flight for our clients.”
He notes that Odyssey researches everything from the quality of the lounge and arrival areas to the fuel costs, noting that staffing is all-important, from the concierges at check-in to the line crew in the hangars. Using an extensive network of partnerships with top-quality FBOs worldwide, Odyssey tailors your departure and destination airports for both convenience and comfort.
Gucwa based his Tampa offices at Sheltair Aviation Services on the private aviation side of Tampa International, offering a fleet of aircraft from Cessna Citation jets to the cost-effective TBM 850 five-passenger turboprops, as well as midsize and heavy jets from Gulfstream, Falcon and Challenger.
As Gucwa notes, Sheltair Aviation Services, located at Tampa International, is a fine example of a top-notch FBO. Olivia Smith at Sheltair says, “Our motto is Family First, and that says it all.”
Managed by the second generation of founder Jerry Holland, Sheltair has just completed a multi-million dollar renovation that offers exceptional client services, whether for passengers, aircrews or the aircraft. From the two-story atrium lobby to the lounges and conference rooms with complimentary refreshments and snacks, the hangars with aviation fuel and licensed maintenance teams to the on-site Hertz car rentals, Sheltair has grown since 1963 into the largest family-owned FBO network with 21 bases scattered across Florida, as well as other popular private jet destinations such as Colorado, Georgia and Texas.
At a good FBO like Sheltair, all the pain of commercial flying is removed, and waiting is not a chore but a delight. Concierge services can provide hotel reservations, book restaurants and open doors at local sites of interest. For pilots, flight planning and weather rooms assure smooth flights. With more than 6,400 FBOs worldwide (3,000 in the U.S.), each is designed to cater to every need.
An FBO redefines the concept of “kid-glove service” as your private airline terminal.
But what destination? Take a peek at these Jet Getaways. Or if you’re looking to advertise with us, click here.
