When asked by the manager, Carl Adkins, of the fixed based operator (FBO) at MDT what locals first thought was when they heard "AvFlight" the overwhelming response was "airport gas station." Little do many folks know that AvFlight is a full service operation. Sure an airline, private or corporate pilot and the like can fuel up their aircraft, but they can also rent hangar space, have an aircraft washed and its interior cleaned (including dishes/linens cleaned and lav services), request de-icing and overnight parking, use the mechanical and maintenance services, and make charter flight arrangements. And, to sweeten the deal Avflight provides concierge services. That's right you can request a catered meal, a hotel night and a car rental and the AvFlight staff will see to it that the requests are fulfilled by the time you arrive!
A staff of 26 trained and competent personnel keep the ramp and operations running at the FBO 24 hours a day. It is not uncommon to have someone running a fuel truck to an airliner arriving at MDT while another staffer is directing a private aircraft to park on the FBO's ramp. Carl is proud of the team he's assembled to run the operations at AvFlight. He is dedicated to their training, development and expertise as a team. The staff is continuously trained in the latest in aircraft and computer tecnologies to assure that AvFlight keeps current on pilot and airline needs.
The FBO needs to run a tightly monitored operation to insure the safety of pilots, travelers and personnel. AvFlight is subject to as many as 20 safety audits each year. Carl and the team pride themselves in performing well on each of these audits and being part of an excellent network of FBOs. AvFlight Harrisburg is one of six locations in the country. There are four AvFlight locations in Michigan and one in Durango, Colorado. All of these FBO locations specialize in the fueling and ground handling of both private and commercial aircraft. However, the operations of AvFlight Harrisburg also includes cargo and military aircraft as well. Between the fuel trucks and fuel storage tanks employed by AvFlight Harrisburg at MDT, the FBO has approximately 140,000 gallons of fuel available. That's a lot of aircraft that can be fueled! If a fuel load needs to be ordered its quickly available from fuel storage in the Philadelphia and New Jersey areas. AvFlight Harrisburg is investigating the option of adding another 40,000 gallons of fuel storage. Carl explained that, "AvFlight is always preparing for "what if" situations and adding more fuel storage would help the FBO to be better prepared if there were ever a crisis situation at MDT."
Non-commercial pilots visiting AvFlight will hopefully not leave feeling unprepared. The FBO offers a full complement of pilot services: refreshments and snacks, rest lounge with tv, flight planning services, weather briefing programs, phones and wifi, a loaner vehicle (if needed), and help filliny any other need the pilot may have. Carl and his reliable team are up for any challenge at AvFlight Harrisburg, no need is too great or too small.
Have you visited the FBO at MDT during a private flight? Did you know what an FBO was prior to reading this post?
