Older planes have a certain romance that cannot be duplicated with today’s modern aircraft, which may explain why so many GA pilots insist on flying their vintage planes.   But general aviation safety is a hot topic these days.  Publications like Plane & Pilot Magazine have released many articles on this topic, all of which seem to ask the same question – “How old is too old?”

According to a recent article on this topic, some of the most celebrated aircraft used in general aviation has shown signs of age and wear.  T-34s have suffered wing separations, resulting in an airworthiness directive that grounded the fleet.  Later, a T-6 trainer from World War II lost a wing while doing maneuvers.  Fortunately, many of the general aviation safety standards have been revised to ensure that older planes are safe enough to fly.

Pilots who regularly fly small planes on chartered trips will quickly learn the importance of planning ahead.  Because most general aviation planes are not permitted to fly into major international airports, the pilot must figure out which airports they will use for the trip.  Unlike major commercial airports, each of these airfields may be completely different.  Some are open 24 hours and have indoor hangars while others may only be open for 10 hours a day.  As a result, general aviation pilots rely heavily on sources for airport FBO info.

What is an FBO?

An FBO is a fixed-base operator.  When the US passed the Air Commerce Act in 1926, the FAA defined an FBO as a commercial business with the right to sponsor or operate an airport.  The services provided by an FBO include fueling, tie-down service, hangar space, parking, aircraft maintenance, flight instruction and more.  For pilots who travel across the country frequently, they begin to choose certain airports again and again, often getting to know the FBO quite well, but newer pilots might need some help finding their way around the various GA airports.

As more general aviation (GA) pilots take to the skies, there is a greater need to educate them about aviation safety.  Gone are the days when pilots would pore over flight training manuals and become friends with the FBO managers at every GA airport.  Today’s pilots prefer immediate access to the information they need, preferably in the form of a comprehensive FBO airport guide and directory with information about every general aviation airport.

As one of the leading sources of information for GA pilots, the FBO airport guide at The Airport Authority provides detailed information in its airport directory, but from time to time we also provide pilots with valuable weather safety information.

Aviation has come a long way since the first flight by the Wright brothers at Kitty Hawk, but the weather’s impact on flying has not changed a whole lot since then.  From the perspective of an outsider it’s easy to make judgments about how a pilot should have responded to a weather event, but few have the practical experience to make crucial decisions during a sudden storm.

Pilots – when you start searching for airport FBO info, it’s easy to get a lot of useless information.  Sometimes, all you want to know is whether the airport has a hangar or tie-down service, the hours of the control tower, and what type of ground transportation is available.  It never hurts to know what kind of fuel they sell and some updated information about the runways too.  But few of these sites actually tell you how to take care of your plane.  With so many pilots seeking information online these days, The Airport Authority is here to help you get the most from your airport FBO info site.  That’s why we’re publishing this information that will help you get your plane ready for winter.

An FBO Directory for PVU General aviation pilots agree - one of the most beautiful airports to fly into is the Provo Municipal Airport in Provo Utah. In terms of aircraft traffic, this public airport is the second busiest airport in the state, logging close to 200,000 aircraft operations each year.  The airport is located about two miles southwest of Provo in Utah County, UT, and 40 miles south of the Salt Lake City International Airport.

General aviation pilots are famous for taking passengers to some of the most scenic locations in the country, but nothing beats the region surrounding the Grand Canyon in Arizona. If you are planning a trip to the Grand Canyon National Park, then this aviation services directory will help you stay informed about the Grand Canyon National Airport (KGCN).

Whether you are visiting Wyoming’s largest city as a tourist, a U.S. Air Force service member, or visiting a company located within the Front Range Business Corridor, you may find yourself headed to the Cheyenne Regional Airport. This airport guide will help you find the businesses you need to make your trip a success.

When GA pilots hear the words “international airport” as part of an airport’s official name, they rarely consider it as a prime spot to land. This is especially true when that airport is located near a major metropolitan area like Tucson, Arizona. But surprisingly, the general aviation directory on the Tucson International Airport (TIA) web site says that more than 60 percent of all airport operations are from general aviation activity. In fact, the Tucson International Airport is dedicated to serving the needs of non-commercial pilots.

As a website that caters to general aviation pilots, we know that many of them are logging in from various places around the country. At any given time pilots are accessing our airport directory online via laptop, Smartphone, iPad or an airport’s business center, looking for information to help them plan their next route. Once you start transporting tour groups or using your plane to make important deliveries, gathering knowledge about general aviation airports will be imperative.

If there is one thing that makes an amateur pilot nervous, it is landing in an unfamiliar airport. Even seasoned GA pilots with access to flight directories may be a bit concerned at this, especially if they are landing without an air traffic controller. This may explain why the FBO directory of airports at The Airport Authority (www.TheAirportAuthority.com) has developed such a following among GA pilots. General aviation pilots who fly the same routes on a regular basis may have no problem navigating the airports on their routes. However, when there is very little printed information available about an airport, they need an online source.

If you do a basic internet search, the list of general aviation airports in Colorado might surprise you. Who knew that there were as many as 30 GA airports in the state of Colorado? And that number doesn’t even include the airports that are for general or mixed use. So how does the pilot of a small aircraft decide which airport is best?

General aviation pilots who are flying into western Colorado and plan to land between Denver and Salt Lake will be on their way to the most modern airfield in this region - the Grand Junction Regional Airport.

Airport Guide for GJT: