Greer Aviation has opened its second FBO, at Edinburgh Airport, in a bid to broaden its handling capabilities in Scotland. As well as future proofing its facilities for impending security legislation, the company states that Scottish hospitality and the personal touch are at the top of the list of its priorities and central to its appeal.

EBAN’s Martin Moore paid a visit to Greer’s FBOs at Glasgow Prestwick International and Edinburgh Airports to catch up on the recent developments and see what’s in store for pilots and passengers.

To contend with the traditionally dour Scottish weather, the brightly painted, comfortably furnished facility at Prestwick has been designed to offer an inviting, homely appeal. Greer operates the only FBO at Prestwick but, as md Bert Greer points out, there is no room for complacency in the company. “All of our staff are fully trained and have our way of thinking – we’re in the ‘people’ business.”

Take a look around the apron outside Greer’s Prestwick facility and you can get some idea as to just how flexible the company needs to be. Piper turboprops and Beechcraft jets mingle with Eurocopters and Royal Air Force fighter jets – for Greer, handling such a diverse range of aircraft types is all in a day’s work.

The company prides itself on its all-inclusive service and down-to-earth attitude, offering what it terms as ‘traditional Scottish hospitality.’ With the likes of Hugh Grant and Paul McCartney on its client list, it’s no surprise that the Prestwick FBO is becoming increasingly popular.

To accommodate this growth, Greer doubled the size of the facility in July, adding a second kitchen and bathroom, a large lounge and conference room and a dedicated computer room with internet access. The addition of the computer room is one example of the company’s willingness to take on feedback from its clients and act on it.

A further development for the company comes amid speculation that the UK’s Department for Transport is preparing to introduce legislation in January that will require all passengers and baggage travelling on aircraft of at least 2.7 tonnes to undergo security screening (the minimum weight is currently 10 tonnes). A spokeswoman for Prestwick International Airport confirmed that the legislation will come into effect but that no dates had yet been set.

FBOs that do not have the necessary security equipment and preparations in place may find themselves unable to satisfy clients’ demands. Without the measures in place, the FBOs will have to screen the passengers and baggage through the main airport terminals – defeating one of the key passenger benefits of utilising an FBO or GAT.

With this in mind, Bert Greer decided to err on the side of caution and installed two Rapiscan 527 x-ray baggage scanners and metal detectors, not only to comply with the regulations if and when they come into effect, but also to ensure that all of the passengers and crew have complete peace of mind regarding aircraft and personal safety.

“Other FBO operators might be waiting, saying they’ll see what happens,” he said. “I want to be certain that I can handle aircraft and clients. Forward planning is key.”

The company owns and operates power trucks, a minibus and fuel trucks (at both airports) which, with the recent addition of new security equipment, enable Greer to maintain complete control of the operations, with no need to outsource work to third parties. According to Bert Greer, this offers his staff and his clients peace of mind and assurance that the service on offer will remain consistent.

Of course, many FBOs offer these services, but Greer aims to distinguish itself from its competitors with its homely appeal and old-fashioned approach with the personal touch. “We even wash up the cooking equipment and plates,” said Greer. “After all, there’s nothing worse than landing after an eight hour flight and having to wash up.”

Bert’s logic is typically frank, and typically Scottish. “If you come to my FBO it’s like I have invited you into my home. We don’t charge extra for snacks and drinks, ice, washing up, use of the lounges – it’s all included. And our staff are very accommodating; a phrase you hear a lot around here is: ‘No problem.’”

Following a quick flight on Bert Greer’s Piper PA-28, accompanied by copilot Ranjan Saikia, EBAN touched down to see the company’s latest venture at Edinburgh Airport, as it announced that it is open and ready for business. Like the Prestwick base, things are starting on a relatively small scale, with two lounges, bathrooms and a large kitchen, but there’s plenty of scope for further development.

The company offers two additional services at the new facility, which it hopes will attract clients to the Edinburgh FBO – pilots are offered the free use of a car for 24 hours, as well as free use of the leisure facilities at the nearby Hilton hotel.

The company’s goal is to maintain a consistent experience at both of the FBOs, so that clients who regularly fly into Prestwick can enjoy the same standards of service and comfort at Edinburgh.

Greer saw the choice of Edinburgh as its newest location as an obvious one. “Many of our clients fly into Prestwick to play golf and we found that they will often fly to Edinburgh as well, to enjoy the championship golf courses on the east.” Another reason was that Edinburgh, unlike Glasgow, has a strong, well-established business community. “It’s the financial centre of Scotland,” explained Greer, “and much more business comes here than Prestwick.

“We believe that Prestwick is a superb airport but we are hoping to get the exact same clients – and hopefully some new ones as well – visiting Edinburgh for different reasons.”

The buzz surrounding the new base is positive. Prestwick-based Clasair operates a Piper Chieftain and Embraer Bandeirante and, though it does not use Greer’s FBO there because the company is an AOC holder with its own facility, flight operations manager David Hunt considers the Edinburgh FBO to be a viable option.

“I think Greer will do well there,” he said. “They seem very efficient at Prestwick; they handle

various aircraft, including military aircraft, as well as commercial. They’re used to handling a broad spectrum of aircraft.”

He believes that Greer’s reputation should follow it to Edinburgh and with it, the clients too. “It really comes down to costs. It’s a bit of a dog-eat-dog market out there and you have to keep your costs as low as possible. Also, a lot of people, will happily deal with a company they know at another location, as opposed to going to someone entirely new.”