An Arizona FBO packs a lot into a small space.

As the busiest FBO at one of the busiest single-runway facilities in the nation, you might think that Scottsdale Air Center would encounter a few more snafus, but the only real complaints (5,989 last year alone) seem to be from neighbors balking at the near-constant din emanating from the skies above its sleek, futuristic doors. "Unfortunately, there's not a lot inside here we can do about the noise," says general manager Tommy Walker. "That's really up to the city and the guys in the tower, and I know they're working on it. As for our customers, we take a lot of pride in making sure things go off smoothly. It's very important that they’re all happy fliers."

The aircraft handled by Walker's staff range from two-seater helicopters to Gulfstream 5s -- often 40 to 50 per day. Another 40 to 45 aircraft call the FBO home. "At least a quarter of those are the small guys," adds Walker, who flies a Cessna 210. "I try to make sure that we take care of everybody."

Particularly this time of year, when golfers and snowbirds from around the world descend on the area to lap up the famous sunshine and desert air, "taking care of everybody" involves a daily logistical ballet. Nor is the bustle restricted to the tarmac: inside, an on-site concierge books hotels, limos, gourmet catering and, of course, tee times. Two charter companies provide on-demand aircraft for those in need. Amenities include conference rooms, WiFi and a gift center for harried C-suite types looking for the last-minute cactus to bring home to the brood; for their exhausted pilots, the lounge features a big-screen TV, fitness equipment and a flight-planning room. The facility, opened by parent company Ross Aviation in March 2003, has already been twice-rated among the top five North American FBOs in an Aviation International News survey.

The facility's one downside is that it has almost zero room for growth beyond its current 18 acres and 90,000-square-feet of hangar space. Nearly every square foot of airport land (all leased to the city by the Seventh-Day Adventist Church) is taken up by buildings and tarmac, meaning that any rise in traffic will require even faster toe-stepping from the Air Center's staff. "We’re very good at pulling airplanes when it gets busy," Walker says with a laugh. Now if he could just do something about that noise.

Scottsdale Air Center
15290 N. 78th Way
Scottsdale, Arizona 85260
480-951-2525
Radio: ARINC 131.175
Runway: 8,249 feet

Next article » Queer Eye For The Plane Guy

Previous article « Heart Attack–Proof Your Plane