My credit card got billed almost triple the rate I've been paying for a tie down for the last three years. The day after they charged me, I got a letter explaining that they had decided on a "price increase." Can you really call double and a halfing a price increase? Beware those of you that have a credit card on file, evidently that's like a blank check for them to charge whatever they please.

I've always wanted to stop at Jackson coming or going to ID, have heard about what they think and how they treat small planes..this just substanciates what I've heard. Guess if I'm in the area I'll just fly by and enjoy some of the greatest scenery in the world.

They say Jackson Hole is 100,000 acres surrounded by reality. It's a different place, but I've been treated pretty good for a long time. I'm not sure what this latest shakeup is about but they've chased me out with this last deal. Maybe they were just getting rid of those of us that have tie-downs but don't use them much. It's still a cool place to go, just don't need fuel.

Let me share what I have heard....

1 - The tiedown fees and hangar rental rates have not been raised in 10+ years. The management at the FBO said in the June airport meeting they just didn't get around to adjusting those fees as they had alot on their plate that was more important. Also I have heard that over those 10 years not ONE tenant approached them asking why the rates have not gone up like everything else in the world has. Funny too, I don't believe anyone offered to pay them back after all those years of getting below market rates either, if someone has and I hear about it I will post it here to set the record straight.

2 - Word on the street is the rate increase was requested by the airport board to help fund the new expanded terminal and of course the FBO gets to look like the bad guy here as they are the ones who collect the increased fees. Remember, the airport board votes to set those rates, not the FBO. A recent newspaper article stated the "new, highly energy efficient LEED certified "terminal building is costing 13,000 more dollars each month on the power bill , keep in mind that is above and beyond what they were paying for the old terminal buildings power...... I guess the moral of the story is DON'T build a LEED certified building..

If you have any more questions feel free to ask me either on this board or you can PM me and I will try to get some answers.


Ben.

Nosedragger wrote:My credit card got billed almost triple the rate I've been paying for a tie down for the last three years. The day after they charged me, I got a letter explaining that they had decided on a "price increase." Can you really call double and a halfing a price increase? Beware those of you that have a credit card on file, evidently that's like a blank check for them to charge whatever they please.

So what is the new fee? In $

There are some other nice small airports in that part of wyoming, that lets one avoid kjac.

Afton KAFO
Alpine
Big Piney KBPI
Pinedale KPNA
Lander KLND
Dubois (? on the fuel)

The Pinedale FBO has a sign up for a 100 *gal* minimum fuel purchase (or something larger than I'll ever carry) to drop the landing fee from some large number like $40 to some slightly lower number like $20. I didn't know this when I landed (after asking on price from the air to decide between Pinedale or Big Piney), saw the sign, sweated, bought 20 gallons, and was not charged for the fee. There was a very different fee schedule inside the FBO that made it more confusing.

Not certain why the sign is there...anyone have insight on this? I know Pinedale is a bit hoity toity, but did I read something wrong?

Stol wrote:Let me share what I have heard....

1 - The tiedown fees and hangar rental rates have not been raised in 10+ years. The management at the FBO said in the June airport meeting they just didn't get around to adjusting those fees as they had alot on their plate that was more important. Also I have heard that over those 10 years not ONE tenant approached them asking why the rates have not gone up like everything else in the world has. Funny too, I don't believe anyone offered to pay them back after all those years of getting below market rates either, if someone has and I hear about it I will post it here to set the record straight.

2 - Word on the street is the rate increase was requested by the airport board to help fund the new expanded terminal and of course the FBO gets to look like the bad guy here as they are the ones who collect the increased fees. Remember, the airport board votes to set those rates, not the FBO. A recent newspaper article stated the "new, highly energy efficient LEED certified "terminal building is costing 13,000 more dollars each month on the power bill , keep in mind that is above and beyond what they were paying for the old terminal buildings power...... I guess the moral of the story is DON'T build a LEED certified building..

If you have any more questions feel free to ask me either on this board or you can PM me and I will try to get some answers.


Ben.

So it sounds like some of the "Green" chickens have come home to roost. That's not the only eco friendly horsesh!t that's costing us.

Glidergeek wrote:

Nosedragger wrote:My credit card got billed almost triple the rate I've been paying for a tie down for the last three years. The day after they charged me, I got a letter explaining that they had decided on a "price increase." Can you really call double and a halfing a price increase? Beware those of you that have a credit card on file, evidently that's like a blank check for them to charge whatever they please.

So what is the new fee? In $

$150. That gets you waived on the $20 handling fee every time you park there but it's not like renting your own spot. You park yourself way the hell away from the jet crowd in whatever spots are open (usually have to snap on the tow bar to squeeze in) and walk a quarter mile to the FBO. For a $300 handling fee, they'll direct your Citation to a better spot, chock your plane and give you a gator ride to the door where you can order all the $7 fuel you want. I say this tongue in cheek because they've really treated me OK up to the point they autocharged my card for something I hadn't signed up for. $150 isn't bad if you're based there but for me I'd rather pay the $20 handling fee 3-4 times a month. There's still a few places that $150 gets you a heated hanger spot.

lesuther wrote:The Pinedale FBO has a sign up for a 100 *gal* minimum fuel purchase (or something larger than I'll ever carry) to drop the landing fee from some large number like $40 to some slightly lower number like $20. I didn't know this when I landed (after asking on price from the air to decide between Pinedale or Big Piney), saw the sign, sweated, bought 20 gallons, and was not charged for the fee. There was a very different fee schedule inside the FBO that made it more confusing.

Not certain why the sign is there...anyone have insight on this? I know Pinedale is a bit hoity toity, but did I read something wrong?

Pinedale sucks but the Big Piney FBO is one of the best in the country.

I just have one thing to say about these airports that charge to land. It starts with F and ends with K em. Plenty of great places to land that are happy to sell you gas and what ever else.

Good day

Remember this Topic a couple of years ago. I hate to say I TOLD YOU SO...but... I told you so!!!!

viewtopic.php?f=10&t=4024

This is the same type of thing I talked about in my post way back then!!!! I have not and never will land at that airport. Apparently things have not changed, and I will continue to NOT SUPPORT an airport like that!! Those of us in small GA airplanes are not important enough to them, we don't use enough fuel, we only take up space. They also have the attitude, “Who cares,” they know the bigger planes will pay the fees and buy the fuel no matter what. I think they really don't want the small GA airplanes in there.

I had my prop balanced there. People were nice enough but I was required to pay a landing fee. I thought they would wave it because I had work done there. Guess it only applies to buying fuel. Afton was $2.00 less so I went there for fuel. Figure it was still cheaper.

Nosedragger wrote:

Glidergeek wrote:

Nosedragger wrote:My credit card got billed almost triple the rate I've been paying for a tie down for the last three years. The day after they charged me, I got a letter explaining that they had decided on a "price increase." Can you really call double and a halfing a price increase? Beware those of you that have a credit card on file, evidently that's like a blank check for them to charge whatever they please.

So what is the new fee? In $

$150. That gets you waived on the $20 handling fee every time you park there but it's not like renting your own spot. You park yourself way the hell away from the jet crowd in whatever spots are open (usually have to snap on the tow bar to squeeze in) and walk a quarter mile to the FBO. For a $300 handling fee, they'll direct your Citation to a better spot, chock your plane and give you a gator ride to the door where you can order all the $7 fuel you want. I say this tongue in cheek because they've really treated me OK up to the point they autocharged my card for something I hadn't signed up for. $150 isn't bad if you're based there but for me I'd rather pay the $20 handling fee 3-4 times a month. There's still a few places that $150 gets you a heated hanger spot.

Thanks for the warning on this one.

Nosedragger wrote:
Pinedale sucks but the Big Piney FBO is one of the best in the country.

Yes, I always stop at Big Piney, but I was curious to plop down somewhere else. I simply don't know how folks can sell gas with policies like that, especially when I called in first with the question, was willing to pay a few cents more per gallon for my curiosity, and was not told of a landing fee. Their loss in the future though. Perhaps they'll take down the signs, or they'll only have tumbleweeds to bill.

Go here: http://www.airnav.com/airport/KJAC sign in and put the good word in on them.

lesuther wrote:

Nosedragger wrote:
Pinedale sucks but the Big Piney FBO is one of the best in the country.

Yes, I always stop at Big Piney, but I was curious to plop down somewhere else. I simply don't know how folks can sell gas with policies like that, especially when I called in first with the question, was willing to pay a few cents more per gallon for my curiosity, and was not told of a landing fee. Their loss in the future though. Perhaps they'll take down the signs, or they'll only have tumbleweeds to bill.

They had a little energy boom at about the same time the Jackson Billionaires started buying up ranch land around Pinedale ( Did you see the 7500' paved private runway 20 miles out--Antelope Run?) They tried to copycat JHoles price gouging on captive audience. Turned out the Billionaires got skewered on their real estate investmants about the same time the energy boom turned out to be a dead cat bounce. Now nobody rich has reason to go there and those of us little plane guys haven't been back after the wet-dog-at-a-wedding-treatment. Not sure what Big Piney's story is but they're nice and they let me take their old station wagon when I need a car.

Re Pinedale--I got embroiled in Pinedale's politics some 15 years ago, when I represented the then FBO operator in a lawsuit against the town. Let me just summarize it by saying that there are some very small fish there in a very small pond, who because of the size of the pond, misidentify themselves as large fish.

Cary

$150 to park out side? I pay $200 a month for a heated, insulated, 40x40 hangar. I am getting it for a steal, but others where I live don't pay much more. Chelan is not quite as scenic as Jackson hole, but it aint bad.

I noticed the other day Alpine has a 15 buck per night tie down fee. I'm not sure how long that has been in effect.