unburdened GA access to larger airports

[Let'sgoflying!]

Edited by popular request:
I was surprised and delighted to find, at KMKC - Kansas City downtown on Tue night, a large airport where you could park right next to the self serve pumps, enter the city-operated fbo (complete with all the amenities) and enter/exit the airport at will - even late at night. Plus the gas price was below $4.00.
I have not seen that before in the areas I travel.

 

[murphey]

Centennial (KAPA) south of downtown Denver is one of the busiest GA airports in the country (usually #2 or 3 in operations). Land, taxi over to the self-serve pumps, use your credit card, and away you go. Signature is $5.60, TacAir is $5.50, and SS @ TacAir is $4.99. The ramp fee is unknown and sporadic. Sometimes one of the FBOs will charge it, sometimes not. Always call ahead.

 

[denverpilot]

On the way home from Osh I saw something we don't have down here (that I have seen).
I needed a place to stop overnight about 2&1/2 hours south (I left around 8:20) so I checked out FF for gas prices, 24hr service, likelihood of a hotel nearby - the usual stuff.
Kansas Cities were in that category and when I toggled on the 100LL button, KMKC Kansas City, Mo showed gas at $3.85.
I clicked on FBOs and it shows Sig at $5.90, Atlantic no 100LL and 'Kansas City Downtown airport' at $3.85 The 'comments section' explains it but I did not have that available when I arrived so I didn't know for sure if there was easy access to and from the airport.
I landed, taxied to the 'pump' symbol on the airport diagram and tied down nearby.
At the unmanned building you use a code on your gas receipt to enter (or call security) to enter and leave on the street side. The building has all the usual fbo amenities.

This (unfettered access to a public facility - the airport) is very unusual at a large airport. I'm sure there is something lost if we don't support the Signatures of the world but I have occasionally felt slightly extorted, when I land fat and cannot buy fuel so get dinged with a 50$ fee by a private enterprise to park on public land.

Might be something AOPA should encourage. Perhaps others think the downsides outweigh the advantages; feel free to make that point here. I liked the price, accessibility, the use of public facilities which we have already paid for with our taxes.

I'm trying to figure out what you "saw" that was different from where you usually fly...

A self-serve gas pump?

They're all over out west here... and lots of airports you'd be lucky to even find someone at the counter of the FBO during a weekday/business day... and LOTS of them that are closed at night, but have a ramp side keypad to open the door to go inside and pee, buy a Coke from a vending machine, or just get out of the weather.

Way up north of KLNK somewhere, @jesse took me to one that was just a building... just a pre-fab building with a bulletin board and a couple of couches on an airport in the middle of nowhere. Closest thing to it was apparently the Tractor Supply that you'd jump the airport fence and walk across a road to get to. I don't think that place had fuel at all, though.

 

[Let'sgoflying!]

I'm trying to figure out what you "saw" that was different from where you usually fly...

for eg; Austin, El Paso, Midland - all larger airports I go to regularly.
I have never been able to park then leave the airport on foot or by car, without parking at $ignature/other FBO and either buying their expensive gas or paying a fee.
Plus.....this airport had an fbo style lounge with all the usual amenities paid for by the city.

 

[Kritchlow]

I read the OP three times. I'm confused by the entire thread.... but that's not saying much.

 

[denverpilot]

for eg; Austin, El Paso, Midland - all larger airports I go to regularly.
I have never been able to park then leave the airport on foot or by car, without parking at $ignature/other FBO and either buying their expensive gas or paying a fee.
Plus.....this airport had an fbo style lounge with all the usual amenities paid for by the city.

Ahhh ok. So ... airports and their municipal owners differ on what they think they should pay for and which businesses they should cater to.

But yes. Some cities force business to commercial FBO operators and don't provide transient parking. Others build stuff more like a municipality and offer free access. And just about any level of that in-between.