Providing Aviation Services to Private and General Aviation
The National Air Transportation Association (NATA) is the leading organization representing aviation service businesses such as FBOs (Fixed-Base Operators), charter providers, aircraft management companies, maintenance and repair organizations, flight training, and airline service companies.
NATA classifies FBOs (the acronym for Fixed-Base Operators) as the primary service providers to general aviation aircraft operators. An FBO is defined as a business operating under a lease with an airport-owning authority that dispenses aviation fuel and may also provide a wide array of support services to aviation customers. The FBO industry in the United States comprises over 3,000 locations at airports throughout the country. FBOs are facilities that not only serve local pilots but also as gateways toward encouraging economic investment and links to community businesses beyond the airport boundary.
FBOs provide aviation services to both major airports and smaller airports, and they are generally privately or publicly held companies; however, in the case of thousands of small airports and airstrips that helicopters and private jets access, the town or municipality itself could operate as an FBO, offering fueling and other services.
The Origins of FBOs
After the end of World War One in November 1918, civil aviation in the United States was not regulated and was predominantly made up of traveling pilots, or barnstormers, flying surplus military aircraft from town to town, often landing in fields or farms on the outskirts of cities, since airports were few and far between back then. Barnstormers, whose names often carried celebrity status, offered airplane rides and performed stunt flying exhibitions to the public at airshows for pay.
Mechanics, flight instructors, and sometimes ‘wing walkers’ traveled around the country with the aircraft, as most of them did not have an established base from where to conduct business.
A progression of accidents during the pre and post-war exhibition era of the 1920s prompted the early introduction of federal regulations designed to boost the public’s confidence in the safety of air travel and aeronautics. Hence, the passage of the Air Commerce Act of 1926 led to the licensing of pilots and regulations in training standards and aircraft maintenance.
As a result, the nomadic nature of civil aviation was considerably lessened, and the gypsy pilots and mechanics who earned their living with the barnstorming circuit, also known as the ‘Flying Circus’, began to set down their roots establishing permanent businesses that came to be known as Fixed-Base Operations. With the rising prominence of airports in the United States, the development of FBOs, even by name alone as ‘Fixed-Base’, distinguished them as permanent establishments rather than the transient enterprises that they were considered to be before the 1926 Air Commerce Act.
General Aviation & Public-Use Airports
In the United States, certain FBO services, such as training or repair services, are governed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). At the same time, there are some general guidelines under the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). However, as independent businesses contract with airport operators, FBOs do not fall under uniform federal regulatory standards.
FBOs provide vital airport and community access and a continuous, safe aviation fuel supply. The communities they serve are closely tied. Fuel sales and maintenance are the two primary services at FBOs in the U.S. Still, in addition to the sale of aviation fuel, other services may include line services for general aviation aircraft, aircraft tie-down and hangar storage, aircraft rental, flight instruction, aircraft repair, sales and service, air taxi, air charter operations & business travel, private air carrier services, aerial advertising, as well as essential services to the public such as law enforcement, EMS, and fire management.
While the primary service offered at FBOs is the supply of aviation fuel and maintenance, many fixed-base operators provide supplementary services to pilots, flight crew, and passengers, such as waiting areas, restroom facilities, telecommunication provisions, and even courtesy cars for local trips from the airport or surrounding vicinity. Larger FBOs may offer restaurant facilities, ground transport arrangements, flight planning and weather information areas, rest lounges, concierge services for crew and passengers, a shop for aviation supplies, and more.
U.S. airports serving certain air carrier operations are required to be certificated by the FAA. Under 14 CFR Part 139, Certification of Airports, the FAA issues Airport Operating Certificates to allow airport operators to serve scheduled passenger-carrying operations of an air carrier operating aircraft with more than nine seats (with some exceptions for airports in the State of Alaska); and unscheduled passenger-carrying operations of an air carrier operating aircraft with at least 31 passenger seats. Air carriers authorized to operate under a Part 121 certificate are generally large, U.S.-based airlines, regional air carriers, and all cargo operators. All Part 121 air carriers are required to have an FAA-approved hazardous materials program.
A statement submitted to a subcommittee hearing to the U.S. House of Representatives by Timothy Obitts, President and CEO of NATA, declared, ‘FBOs at many Part 139 commercial airports perform line maintenance, cabin cleaning, and baggage handling for Part 121 commercial, passenger, and cargo airline customers.’ (Obitts, T., 2022, July 13), The State of General Aviation.’
Nationally, the thousands of FBOs in the United States are represented by the National Air Transportation Association (NATA), the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA), and the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA).
According to May 2020 NATA statistics, 75% of public-use airports with 3000’ paved runways have one FBO, and over 3,500 public-use airports with a 3000’ or greater runway featuring over 3,300 FBOs.
In the contemporary FBO Market (based on NATA May 2020 statistics), there are 3,537 public-use airports with a 3000’ or greater paved runway featuring 3,384 FBOs, an increase of 2.5% between 1995 and 2015.
The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to general aviation (G.A.) and was incorporated in 1939. AOPA advocates for general aviation, and its membership consists primarily of general aviation pilots in the United States. In the 2019 AOPA “State of General Aviation,” G.A. is classified as all civilian flying, except scheduled passenger airline service. Report findings were that an estimated 65% of general aviation flights are conducted for business and public services that need transportation that is more flexible than the airlines can offer. Additionally, more than 90% of the roughly 220,000 civil aircraft registered in the United States are general aviation aircraft, and over 80% of the 609,000 pilots certificated in the U.S. fly G.A. aircraft.
Civil air transportation plays a significant and growing role in economies worldwide. In the United States, more than 5,000 public-use airports support over 7,000 air transport and over 200,000 General Aviation aircraft, performing more than 42 million airport operations. As reported in Economic Impact of U.S. Civil Aviation: 2020, issued by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in 2022, General Aviation operations accounted for $47.4 billion of total output in 2020, noting that while the impact is less than airline operations, the G.A. contribution continues to reflect the sector’s unique role in the nation’s transportation system.
FBOs in the NY & NJ Metropolitan Region
As the most populous city in the United States, New York and the surrounding metropolitan region has many FBOs for those looking to fly privately into and out of the area, whether for business, leisure, charter, or public services.
The three major commercial international airports in the New York metro area with FBOs serving private and corporate flights are LaGuardia Airport, John F. Kennedy International, and Newark Liberty International Airport, all operated by the Port Authority of NY & NJ Teterboro Airport and New York Stewart International are also operated by the Port Authority.
• John F. Kennedy International and LaGuardia Airports, Queens, New York, are each served by Modern Aviation. Modern Aviation is a growing FBO network platform founded in 2018 by Tiger Infrastructure Partners, a New York-based private equity firm investing in growing infrastructure platforms.
• Newark Liberty International Airport in Newark, New Jersey, is served by Signature Aviation, the world’s largest fixed-base operation and distribution network for business aviation services.
• New York Stewart International Airport, New Windsor, New York, operated by the Port Authority NY & NJ. The airport serves the vicinity north of New York City and Newburgh, NY, and is a former Air Force base. It is served by two FBOs: Atlantic Aviation and Signature Flight Support.
• Teterboro Airport, Teterboro, New Jersey, also operated by the Port Authority, is considered a general aviation reliever airport and a vital hub for general aviation. With nearly 142,000 yearly operations in 2023, Teterboro is the busiest private airport in the region and a popular choice for business aviation, served by four FBOs: Atlantic Aviation (a leading provider of flight services with over 100 locations nationwide), Jet Aviation (with some 50 facilities worldwide), Meridian (a family-owned independent service provider for over 75 years, recently acquired by Signature), and Signature Aviation.
Among the dozens of outlying airports in the New York Metropolitan area, several of the primary airports with FBOs include:
• Morristown Airport, Morristown, New Jersey, is a general aviation reliever airport owned by the Town of Morristown. It is home to two FBOs: Atlantic Aviation and Signature Flight Support.
• Long Island MacArthur, Ronkonkoma, New York; a commercial airport owned by the Town of Islip in Suffolk County on Long Island also serves the corporate, business, and general aviation communities. Three FBOs serve the airport: Hawthorne Global Aviation Services (a leader in aviation and general aviation services and airport management); Mid-Island Air Service (a full-service Long Island FBO, family-owned and operated since 1946, and New York Jet Corporate Flight Center (offering line services, aircraft parking, and concierge service).
• Republic Airport, East Farmingdale, New York, is a general aviation reliever airport owned by the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT). The airport provides significant transportation and economic benefits to New York State and is the busiest general aviation airport in New York State. It is served by three FBOs: Atlantic Aviation, Modern Aviation, and Republic Jet Center (Republic Jet Center is a leading provider of luxury private aircraft services in the tri-state area, which includes an FAA Part 145 repair station located on referrals)
• Westchester Airport, White Plains, New York; owned by the County of Westchester and served by three FBOs: Atlantic Aviation, Million Air, and Signature Aviation.
FBO Services Offered at NY & NJ Airports
- Atlantic Aviation –(FRG • HPN • MMU • TEB • SWF)
- Executive Fliteways –(ISP)
- Hawthorne Global Aviation Service –(ISP)
- Jet Aviation – (TEB)
- Meridian – (TEB)
- Mid-Island Air – (ISP)
- Million Air – (HPN)
- Modern Aviation – (LGA • JFK • FOK • FRG • ISP)
- New York Jet –(ISP)
- Republic Jet Center – (FRG)
- Signature Aviation – (EWR • HPN • MMU • SWF • TEB)
- Textron Aviation – (SWF)
