Courtesy Cars

RyanB

RyanB

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Ryan
Of my time as a certificated pilot, I've never used a courtesy car. I've either landed and stayed on the field at a restaurant or been picked up by someone. I understand that curtesy cars are first come first serve, so they're not guaranteed and they're free to use as long you return with a full tank. For the folks who have used them before, are there universal rules that apply to all or does each airport have their own. I'm considering flying to an airport and driving a few miles to grab lunch, but need to be more familiar with how courtesy vehicles work, so I don't look like a greenhorn upon my arrival.

TY
Ryan
 
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Call first to see if they have one. If they do and you borrow it, I tried to not be gone too long so others could use it. Car may not be available too if someone else using it.
 
mscard88 said:
I tried to not be gone too long so others could use it.
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Like 30 min to an hour? Or would you say that's even too long? There's a Fuddruckers like 3 miles from the airport, so I'd like to grab the car and get lunch there.
 
They usually set a time limit like an hour. If I don't buy fuel for my plane I will usually put in a few bucks. I've never had a crew car on a full tank either. If I get fuel for my plane and I'm only driving it a few miles I usually will not put gas in it. Just do what you think is right for your situation. I'm sure as heck not gonna fill it up if it's almost empty but I'll put a few bucks in if it looks like it's about to run out.
 
i've had an FBO make a copy of my driv license while others haven't even checked for ID. all i've used have asked that used gas be replaced. some want a min av-gas purchase, others do not. once contacted an fbo on unicom when abt 20-min out and asked them availability and to hold if possible. they did.
 
Yup, that's what I would do, no more than $5 usually. But I didn't go far either. Mostly to grab a beer, er, a bite.
 
simtech said:
They usually set a time limit like an hour. If I don't buy fuel for my plane I will usually put in a few bucks. I've never had a crew car on a full tank either. If I get fuel for my plane and I'm only driving it a few miles I usually will not put gas in it. Just do what you think is right for your situation. I'm sure as heck not gonna fill it up if it's almost empty but I'll put a few bucks in if it looks like it's about to run out.
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Roger that, thank you. I'm thinking I could be finished within an hour. I suppose I'll have to give them a call and see what they specify. Figured it was worth the time throwing the question out here first.
 
Ryanb said:
Roger that, thank you. I'm thinking I could be finished within an hour. I suppose I'll have to give them a call and see what they specify. Figured it was worth the time throwing the question out here first.
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If you need it longer, ask. They may have another car or two.
 
Ryanb said:
Fixed. My spell check failed me. :)
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Normally I hate to be that guy, but I'm currently reading a Jane Austen novel and I read your title as "curtsey", which I've seen many times in my recent readings. A strange thought process ensued as I tried to make sense of it. :)
 
Cooter said:
Normally I hate to be that guy, but I'm currently reading a Jane Austen novel and I read your title as "curtsey", which I've seen many times in my recent readings. A strange thought process ensued as I tried to make sense of it. :)
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No worries. I appreciate you pointing it out, as I didn't catch it beforehand.
 
Another thing to consider---most FBOs ask for local use only of cars and won't let go after certain times. If need guaranteed transportation a courtesy car should not be your plan.
 
Yep you need it longer ask! Just recently I took a crew car and they told me no rush they are slow. I was still back within an hour.

Another place I've been to, that ****ed me off for a different reason, had a 2 hour limit and if you were not back within that time you get charged a rental rate for it.
 
simtech said:
Yep you need it longer ask! Just recently I took a crew car and they told me no rush they are slow. I was still back within an hour.

Another place I've been to, that ****ed me off for a different reason, had a 2 hour limit and if you were not back within that time you get charged a rental rate for it.
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I've signed saying anything over an hour I would be charged for--can't complain considering those cars aren't required to be there.
 
Coupl'a hours tops in my experience. Just ask them or tell them what you're looking to do, if it's available in sure they'll work with you.
 
Cooter said:
Normally I hate to be that guy, but I'm currently reading a Jane Austen novel and I read your title as "curtsey", which I've seen many times in my recent readings. A strange thought process ensued as I tried to make sense of it. :)
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Now I'm trying to envision you reading Jane Austen :eek:
 
Flymeariver said:
I've signed saying anything over an hour I would be charged for--can't complain considering those cars aren't required to be there.
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Fully agree! We were gonna be close to the limit and made it back but was prepared to pay for a rental and stay out longer.

The problem with that airport was my plane broke on a Saturday. They said MY mechanic coild not come fix my plane because they had a shop on field. But shop was closed until Monday. So there my plane sat until Monday because they refused to let an off field mechanic on their field. I was hot to say the least!
 
simtech said:
Fully agree! We were gonna be close to the limit and made it back but was prepared to pay for a rental and stay out longer.

The problem with that airport was my plane broke on a Saturday. They said MY mechanic coild not come fix my plane because they had a shop on field. But shop was closed until Monday. So there my plane sat until Monday because they refused to let an odd field mechanic on their field. I was hot to say the least!
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Can't blame you there--a lot of places do that crap to protect their on field folks even when they won't or can't help.
 
simtech said:
They said MY mechanic coild not come fix my plane because they had a shop on field. But shop was closed until Monday. So there my plane sat until Monday because they refused to let an off field mechanic on their field. I was hot to say the least!
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DG? Can't believe you'd let him near your plane anyway. Nah, he did know mechanics, help me a few times.
 
simtech said:
Fully agree! We were gonna be close to the limit and made it back but was prepared to pay for a rental and stay out longer.

The problem with that airport was my plane broke on a Saturday. They said MY mechanic coild not come fix my plane because they had a shop on field. But shop was closed until Monday. So there my plane sat until Monday because they refused to let an off field mechanic on their field. I was hot to say the least!
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Hmm. I don't think they would have stopped me from bringing another a&p to fix my plane.
 
I always fill up the gas and try to keep it under 2 hours. If I want it for a longer time, I’ll call the FBO and see if it’s ok.
 
It has been a while since I have used a courtesy car but usually I went and picked up food and returned to the airport. If there are just a couple people working the FBO, I would buy some extra food and drinks for them.
 
It’s usually really easy and laid back. As some said some places will make a copy of your drivers license some will toss you the keys and point to the car!

General rule of thumb is an hour, if you need more time just ask, hell ive even landed the same time another group wanted the car but they were just going to the mall so I dropped them off on the way to lunch and picked them up on the way back!

Some places may have more than one courtesy car and if it’s a slow day it may be yours for a while!

Also from experience a lot of time If the courtesy car isn’t available and your only running a few miles away the FBO may even offer to have one of the line guys or customer service reps drop you off.
 
Courtesy cars are pretty rare animals out West, here. Of the couple of places I have got one, neither of them do it anymore.
 
Generally they want you to only use it to run into town for lunch but it's not unusual for an airport to let you keep it overnight especially if you're making an unexpected overnight weather delay stop. I don't insist but if it's offered I take it because why not? I do always try to put some gas in them. If it was full when I got it, I refill it otherwise I put a couple gallons in.

Don't expect a nice car, they usually seem to be either government hand me downs or something someone picked up for nothing on craigslist. They do usually work well enough for what they're intended for though.
 
simtech said:
Another place I've been to, that ****ed me off for a different reason, had a 2 hour limit and if you were not back within that time you get charged a rental rate for it.
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Sounds like Pinehurst. Of course, the courtesy car is actually one of the Hertz rental cars.

cowman said:
Generally they want you to only use it to run into town for lunch but it's not unusual for an airport to let you keep it overnight especially if you're making an unexpected overnight weather delay stop. I don't insist but if it's offered I take it because why not? I do always try to put some gas in them. If it was full when I got it, I refill it otherwise I put a couple gallons in.
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I've gotten the courtesy overnight twice. Both due to unexpected RONs. In both cases I asked for a cab to the nearest hotel. In both cases they insisted that I take the car. In one case, I actually kept it for two nights.
 
Just be careful when getting the car.

One time in Cincinnati we asked for a courtesy car, and the guy told us the keys are in the red Ford pickup. So we stepped outside and there was a beautifully restored 1972 red Ford pickup parked next to the door with the keys in it. We jumped in and went down the street for lunch. About 40 minutes later we went back to the airport, and there was a police car in the parking lot. The officer was talking to a couple guys. We wondered what was going on when one of the guys started jumping up and down and pointing at us.

Need I say more? We parked the truck, the policeman came over to talk to us, the owner of the red Ford pickup started yelling at us, and there was a nice late model red Ford pickup just a couple parking spots away. Fortunately the guy that told us to use the red Ford pickup was there also or we might still be in the jail house now....
 
Ryanb said:
@FORANE been to GKT lately?
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Hey Ryan

Last time we were at KGKT was a couple years ago. At that time they didn't have courtesy cars but did have a staffed rental car business in the FBO. They were a little over market average cost on the cars as I recall. they didn't offer part day rentals.

We were in gatlinburg last week though. The rebuild on the cabin lost to the Nov 2016 fire is starting. we usually drive in to Gatlinburg; our home is about 100 miles away with good interstate I-81 it is about as fast to drive as flying and trying to get a rental car.
 
My website lists over 1,800 courtesy cars nationwide. Many listings have pictures and other details about the cars or locations, or discounts for using the site. Click the link in my signature. Enjoy! Glenn
 
Rule #1: Be courteous. I err on the side of being too courteous, perhaps, but that's my rule and it has served me well.

Example of someone not being courteous: I was discussing the courtesy car at a Class D airport FBO and they told me that some guy in the past had driven it 100 miles away to another airport, parked it in the paid parking lot, and simply left it there. They had to fly down and pay parking fees to get it back. That guy was NOT courteous.

Example of being too courteous: I diverted to a Class E airport after hours due to weather. There was a sign in the FBO that said the courtesy car was limited to 2 hours. I was spending the night so I spent $70 each way on a taxi to a hotel. When we got back to the FBO to finish our trip home in the morning, the people there told me that I should have called and they would have been glad for me to take the car overnight as long as they knew who had it.

At staffed FBOs, I ask if they have a car available (since it could already be spoken for by the time I arrive) and tell them when I expect to be back with it. They've never been worried about anything up to 4 hours or so, or an overnight when we diverted for weather and asked politely. At unstaffed FBOs, I try to find an obvious place to write down who has the car and how to reach me so if anyone comes in and absolutely needs it they can get in touch with me and I can bring it back for them.
 
When we evacuated for Irma, Videlia gave us a courtesy car to use for the 3 days we were there.

When I stopped at union county SC on a long cross country, they gladly provided me a car for an overnight at a local hotel.
 
We've had numerous times where someone was right ahead of us or right behind us to get the courtesy car.

Always works out the same... there's room for all of us? Which restaurant were you heading too? Sounds good. Where ya from?

2 hours is about normal for the places we've been. Much longer and Uber is preferred.
 
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