Handling 11,000 Aircraft: At EAA's AirVenture, line service was already a challenge; enter a second FBO
FUELING/LINE OPS/SAFETY
By John F. Infanger, Editorial Director
HANDLING 11,000 AIRCRAFT
At EAA's AirVenture,
line service was already a challenge; enter a second FBO
OSHKOSH, WI - Okay, the two FBOs that serve Wittman Field here don't actually
handle all 11,000 incoming aircraft arriving at Oshkosh and neighboring
airports for the annual EAA AirVenture. It just feels like 11,000. Orion
Flight Services, Inc., the new refueler on the block, and Basler Flight
Service, the perennial known more for its DC-3 turbo-mods, took on the
job that was once Basler's exclusively. Order tickets for both firms were
given to arriving pilots; fuel was upon request solely. In the mass of
movement that is AirVenture; safety must be a state of mind.
Nearly 800,000 people,
a variety of aircraft that only a historical encyclopedia could match,
and what's billed as the world's busiest airport for a week - in Oshkosh,
WI.
And two FBOs.
For more than 30 years, Basler has been the fixed base operation at Wittman
Field, host of EAA. A minimal commercial airport that has seen airline
service come and go, losing it to Appleton some 20 miles to the north,
Wittman has one predominant customer: the Experimental Aircraft Association,
along with its museum and the air show.
Orion Flight Services, located on the wing of the main commercial terminal
under a five-year, renewable lease, is the newcomer. It also operates
an FBO at Sturgeon Bay Airport, a general aviation facility.
on the EAA block; below, Mary Garcia, GM, and Brian McBryde, line manager,
direct Basler Flight service, established in 1957.
PRICE, VOLUMES
The biggest effect, according to officials related to the event, that
having two FBOs for AirVenture in 2003 was a significant decrease in price
for the thousands of customers. The jet-A price from both FBOs: $1.89/gallon.
For avgas, Basler charged $1.99, Orion $2.19.
Wittman Field airport director Duncan Henderson reports that the volume
of fuel pumped related to AirVenture in 2002 was 220,000 gallons (for
July, month of the show). The numbers have tracked up in recent years,
he says, and he was optimistic about 2003's final numbers, of which the
airport gets a 7 cents/ gallon fuel flowage fee.
"I would assume the 2003 numbers would be higher because the prices
have been so low," says Henderson.
Comments Orion president Jeff Wanke, "We know we're going up against
a competitor who's been here 30-plus years. We'd be happy with one-third
of the business [from the air show].
"The biggest complaint we heard from pilots is that the prices here
were too high. So our task coming here was to be more competitive on fuel
pricing."
Wanke says that at the Sturgeon Bay location, the FBO surveys 12 neighboring
airports on price whenever a new load of fuel arrives. "We always
wanted to be at average [price] or below," says Wanke. "Toby
[Kamark, CEO] and I are pilots. I fly charter and training and expect
to get good fuel pricing at other airports."
Regarding the disparity in avgas fuel prices between the two FBOs Wanke
says, "If I don't make money, I'm not here. The price we're charging
is a great price."
Counters Basler general manager Mary Garcia, "We have never raised
our prices for a convention... Those are great rates; it's like having
Christmas in July."
About having a new competitor she says, "It has affected us somewhat."
In all, says Garcia, the EAA show accounts for one-third of the company's
annual revenues. Basler is well-known for its DC-3 turbo conversion business,
here at Wittman Field.
In 2002, some 220,000 gallons of fuel were pumped at Wittman Field in July, when EAA AirVenture is held.TRAINING, PROCEDURES With new personnel comes a renewed emphasis on training, say officials from both FBOs. At Orion, it's a weekend of training for each individual who will be working the show. At Basler, fire safety and training for any drivers new to the airport is emphasized. In a sea of people and airplanes there is little need for FBOs chasing customers. As a result, the FBOs and EAA put in place a procedure by which incoming pilots are given service order tickets for each FBO from EAA volunteers, who greet and park the aircraft. Each pilot decides which FBO it wants and puts the completed order form on the prop. Says Basler's McBryde, "EAA has taken a position of neutrality" regarding FBO services. According to Orion's Wanke, EAA sought an environment in which aircraft owners were not intimidated by competing FBOs and in which safety and professionalism reigned. Comments Wanke, "We tried to get procedures in place, to pre-engineer them." Part of that effort included a list of on-the-job dos and don'ts for employees. "One of the hardest things to get my people to do is to look at the big picture," says Wanke, "to realize you can't help everybody to the depth you'd normally want, because there's ten people waiting for service."
EAA Fast Facts
The 51st annual Experimental Aircraft Association fly-in, EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, celebrated the centennial of flight July 29-August 4.
- Total estimated attendance: 770,000
- Total estimated aircraft flown to the event (at OSH and surrounding airports): 11,000
- Total showplanes in 11 judging categories: 2,960 (record; previous record 2,743 in 1998). Includes 825 homebuilts, 1,224 vintage, 405 warbirds, 357 ultralight/light planes, 129 seaplanes and 20 rotorcraft.
- Registered media: 1,075 from five continents
- Commercial exhibitors: 807
- International visitors registered: 2,249 from 68 nations (Top three: Canada 516, South Africa 366, Australia 266)
- Campers attending: An estimated 33,000
- Volunteers: More than 4,500
- EAA AirVenture 2004: July 27-August 2; visit www.eaa.org or www.airventure.org.
