An FBO, or fixed-base operator, is a business that leases space on a general aviation airport and sells services to visiting aircraft: fuel, parking, hangarage, ground handling and crew facilities. Between landing and its next departure, an aircraft is parked on the FBO ramp or placed in a hangar, refuelled, cleaned on request, and handled through arrival and departure paperwork. The crew and passengers use the FBO terminal rather than the main passenger terminal. The hours between flights are the FBO's core business. ProAero Business was a hand-built aviation directory listing FBOs, MRO facilities, fuel services, charter operators and maintenance shops across a wide range of aeronautical categories.

What is an FBO?

FBO stands for fixed-base operator. It is a business that holds a lease on airport property and sells services to aircraft and crews: fuel, parking, hangarage and ground handling. The term dates to the early days of US civil aviation, when pilots and mechanics moved from town to town giving rides and performing stunts, known as barnstorming. Operators that settled permanently at one field were described as fixed-base, and the name stayed. Most FBOs are concessionaires. The airport sponsor grants the right to operate, and the FBO pays rent or a fee calculated on fuel flowage, meaning the volume of fuel sold. The airport regulates the services offered and often sets minimum standards for hours, staffing and equipment. At larger airports, several FBOs may compete on the same field. Each has its own terminal, ramp space and fuel farm, and a crew may choose which one to use based on fuel price, handling fees, facilities or the handler already coordinating the trip. An FBO typically operates the ramp where transient aircraft park, provides marshalling, towing and baggage handling, and keeps a lounge, flight-planning area and crew rest space. Some also run maintenance, charter or flight training operations under the same lease.

Who is waiting on the ramp when the wheels stop?

When a general aviation aircraft lands at an FBO, a lineman or line service technician meets it on the ramp and marshals it to its parking spot with hand signals. Once the engines stop, the wheels are chocked. If the aircraft shuts down completely, the ground crew connect a GPU, a ground power unit, so systems can run without draining the battery. For outdoor parking, the technician fits a pit cover over the pitot tube, inserts engine plugs and installs control locks to protect the surfaces from wind. Crew and passengers are met at the FBO ramp rather than an airline terminal; aside from customs on international arrivals, general aviation arrivals are handled entirely by FBO staff. Fuel is ordered either on arrival or before the next departure, and the technician records the quantity delivered along with the aircraft's tail number.

What happens inside the hangar between flights?

The time between flights is when most routine work gets done. Technicians check oil levels, inspect tyres and brakes, top off fluids as needed and log any squawks, the faults or defects the crew reports from the last flight. Scheduled maintenance is not normally carried out on the ramp: it is done at a certified repair station or by an A&P mechanic, and many FBOs run a maintenance shop on site or work with a partner nearby. Between services, the aircraft is cleaned, lavatories are serviced, and potable water and oxygen are replenished on types fitted with them. Any parts installed during maintenance carry traceability documentation, and the shop files that paperwork with the work record so the aircraft's history stays complete.

Who runs the airport the FBO sits on?

Most airports open to the public in the United States are not run by the federal government. A city, a county, an airport authority or a port authority owns the land and holds the operating certificate, and this sponsor writes minimum standards that commercial operators must meet before selling fuel, maintenance or flight instruction on the field. The Federal Aviation Administration sits on the federal side. It provides air traffic control, certifies pilots, mechanics and repair stations, and sets the safety standards the airport itself must follow. The Transportation Security Administration writes security rules, and Customs and Border Protection handles international arrivals at designated airports of entry. An FBO therefore works under a contract or lease with the airport sponsor, not under the FAA, while selling a charter seat involves a separate air carrier certificate.

What does the charter desk next door actually sell?

A fixed-base operator sells time on the ground. Its business is fuel, ramp parking, hangarage, de-icing, catering coordination and passenger handling. An on-demand air charter operator sells the flight itself, and to do that legally it must hold an FAA air carrier certificate authorizing it to carry passengers for hire. The two businesses are distinct even when they share a building. Many fixed-base operators host charter operators on their ramps, providing fuel, hangar space and passenger handling without ever flying themselves. The charter operator's aircraft may arrive, park at the FBO's ramp, take on fuel and depart while the FBO remains only a ground services provider. For a customer this distinction matters at the point of contract. A passenger booking a charter seat signs with the certificate holder, not with the FBO. The air carrier, not the ground handler, is responsible for the flight's airworthiness, crew qualifications and operating rules. Ground fees at the FBO typically cover ramp parking, handling and use of the passenger lounge, billed either to the aircraft owner or to the charter operator on whose behalf the landing was handled. In practice a charter trip invoice often separates into two parts: the flight charged by the certificate holder, and the ground services charged by the FBO that handled the aircraft at each stop.

How does a reader visit or use an FBO?

Visiting or working around an FBO is straightforward. Pilots call ahead or file an arrival notice through flight-booking apps; the FBO then reserves fuel, hangar space and rental cars before the aircraft lands. A first-time visitor without an aircraft can often watch operations from the FBO lobby or a public observation area, subject to the airport's security rules. Anyone considering the field as a career should know that line service is a common entry job in aviation and requires no college degree; ramp training covers marshalling aircraft, towing and fuel quality checks. Prices for fuel and fees vary widely between fields, so asking for the ramp fee and whether it is waived with a fuel purchase is standard practice before arrival.