Arkas Air pilot Hasan Ersoy has flown his company’s Learjet 60 to many different FBOs around Europe over the years and says the standards are very good. That said, he believes the standard of US FBOs is far above that of those in Europe.

He told EBAN: “You cannot compare the US with Europe. In the United States, they have so much experience that they are bound to be better than us. However, I believe the standards are improving over here quite rapidly.”

Asked about the most important attributes of an FBO, Ersoy said: “To make life easy for the crew and passengers. We are often very busy during the flight and it is helpful for someone to relieve some of the burden once we land. In addition, FBO staff should do everything promptly. Time is the most important thing for everyone.

As of 2005, Turkey’s Arkas Air will start flying a brand new Continental jet. Asked about the company’s experiences with the Learjet 60, Ersoy said: “We’re very happy with it. It’s a good aircraft and the operating costs are very low.”