Best FBO at RDU (Update)

[GeeBee]

Have to take a family member to KRDU for medical treatment at Duke. Limited mobility. Which FBO do you consider the best? Atlantic Aviation or Signature. Price is not a consideration, service is everything.

[laytonl]

I’ve always used Atlantic to RDU.  Haven’t been in  a couple of years though.  Lee

 

 

 

[N201MKTurbo]

It has changed since the last time I was there. It was Signature and Western. Western was bought by Atlantic (I think).

They are right next to each other. 
 

I work for a company in Raleigh. Well Morrisville actually. I was there last week. About a year and a half ago, I was there working and a friend texted me and asked if I was in Raleigh. I said Yes I am. He said, I just bought a turbo Comanche in North Carolina, can you fly it home for me? So I did.

The plane was at a residential airpark north of Charolette. The seller flew it to Raleigh to pick me up.

When I got to the airport I went into Signature and asked if there were any fees for a guy to stop and pick me up? They said there was a $50 ramp fee.

I went into Western and asked the same question. They said there would be no charge. I texted the seller and told him to park at Western.

When he pulled in he taxied into a Signature T. I went out there and had him move it to a Western T. They are right next to each other. He didn’t even shut down the engine in the Signature T. 
 

Considering that I had never flown a Comanche, we spent about 15 minutes on familiarization. When I started up and started to taxi out, signature pulled a golf cart in front of the plane and yelled at me that I owed them a $50 ramp fee. They made me pay it.

So just to make me happy, don’t go to Signature. They are on my s#$* list…

 

[N201MKTurbo]

So the new owner texted me later in the day and said the insurance company said I needed 5 hours in a Comanche. I texted him that I would by the time I land.

[midlifeflyer]

11 hours ago, N201MKTurbo said:

So the new owner texted me later in the day and said the insurance company said I needed 5 hours in a Comanche. I texted him that I would by the time I land.

No problem even if you didn’t. Unless, of course, you had an accident before those 5 hours were complete, in which case you hung the new owner out to dry. But I’m sure you told the owner that, right?

[midlifeflyer]

Atlantic.

Bottom line: if you have a choice between Signature and another FBO for a light piston, choose the other. Unless you have contacted them in advance about fees and have assurance.

is RDU the most convenient? There are some nice airports surrounding it. 

[N201MKTurbo]

1 minute ago, midlifeflyer said:

No problem even if you didn’t. Unless, of course, you had an accident before those 5 hours were complete, in which case you hung the new owner out to dry. But I’m sure you told the owner that, right?

The new owner was very aware of the situation. The next plane I ferried for him, the insurance was arranged during the Uber rude to the airport.

[N201MKTurbo]

1 minute ago, midlifeflyer said:

Atlantic.

Bottom line: if you have a choice between Signature and another FBO for a light piston, choose the other. Unless you have contacted them in advance about fees and have assurance.

is RDU the most convenient? There are some nice airports surrounding it. 

The problem at RDU is the ramps are right next to each other and not marked in any way. Signature is aggressive (helpful?) with their unmarked follow me carts, so even if you want to park at Atlantic, you can end up at Signature.

[N201MKTurbo]

34 minutes ago, midlifeflyer said:

No problem even if you didn’t. Unless, of course, you had an accident before those 5 hours were complete, in which case you hung the new owner out to dry. But I’m sure you told the owner that, right?

I had already contacted my insurance agent. He assured me that I was covered. If I forgot to put the gear handle down, the new owner was covered. If I put the handle down and the gear wouldn't come down, then he was screwed.

I called my agent and asked again if I was covered flying other airplanes and he said I was. Then he asked what kind of airplane it was and I said it was a twin Cessna. He got excited and said he would call me back. He called back a few minutes later and said I was covered flying the twin.

[eman1200]

to get back to the topic at hand, as has already been mentioned, they are right next to each other.  They are both on "ground floors" so to speak so your family member wouldn't be taking stairs at either location.  if you grab an uber, BE SURE TO ENTER IN THE ADDRESS OF EITHER FBO YOU USE, otherwise the last time I used uber the ONLY option in the app was the MAIN terminal.  service-wise, I'm not sure what you'd be looking for, the people at the counter will be nice at either location.  they'll both have couches in the FBO.  Signature as a whole can just suck it so I refuse to use them, however they both will charge you a fee, which you said is not a concern.  again I don't know what kind of service you are looking for, but really I think either would meet your needs, as long as it isn't signature

[N201MKTurbo]

[dzeleski]

Signature is so inconsistent... I generally try to avoid them unless I know its a "good location". Signature North at KAPA was amazing, Signature at KACY.... lets just say its very unfortunate they are the only FBO.

If you call ahead at Atlantic and tell them the situation im sure they would be very accommodating to you. They have always done more then I needed without even asking so if you do ask you'll probably get treated quite nicely.

[midlifeflyer]

22 hours ago, N201MKTurbo said:

I had already contacted my insurance agent. He assured me that I was covered. If I forgot to put the gear handle down, the new owner was covered. If I put the handle down and the gear wouldn't come down, then he was screwed.

I called my agent and asked again if I was covered flying other airplanes and he said I was. Then he asked what kind of airplane it was and I said it was a twin Cessna. He got excited and said he would call me back. He called back a few minutes later and said I was covered flying the twin.

I wasn’t referring to you being covered by your own insurance. By “holding the bag” I was referring to the owner having to deal with a liability claim involving you (and your insurer) as opposed to a no-fault hull claim with the company he’s paying premiums to. 

Not saying it’s a bad thing. Just questioning whether the owner knows the difference between the process of a collision claim on his own insurance and a liability claim against the other driver.

[midlifeflyer]

21 hours ago, dzeleski said:

Signature North at KAPA was amazing,

Signature service is always very good, even where they have a monopoly. And, at KAPA, having another well-run FBO that has been there forever with a business class restaurant in the building in even more accessible parts of the airport, probably counts for a lot. 

[midlifeflyer]

23 hours ago, N201MKTurbo said:

The problem at RDU is the ramps are right next to each other and not marked in any way. Signature is aggressive (helpful?) with their unmarked follow me carts, so even if you want to park at Atlantic, you can end up at Signature.

Suggestion. Look up their dedicated frequencies and call the one you want once in a non-movement area. Maybe even contact them in advance so they know you are coming. Obviously not a guarantee with them basically sharing the space, but it can help.

[N201MKTurbo]

16 minutes ago, midlifeflyer said:

Suggestion. Look up their dedicated frequencies and call the one you want once in a non-movement area. Maybe even contact them in advance so they know you are coming. Obviously not a guarantee with them basically sharing the space, but it can help.

I’m not the one who made the mistake. It was the aircraft seller who was flying in to bring me the plane. He should have known better, he was a jet charter pilot. 

[midlifeflyer]

1 hour ago, N201MKTurbo said:

I’m not the one who made the mistake. It was the aircraft seller who was flying in to bring me the plane. He should have known better, he was a jet charter pilot. 

I didn't think it was your mistake

[GeeBee]

Decided on Atlantic. Called them and everything is set for my arrival.

 

[GeeBee]

Update, it all went very good. Atlantic had the car out on the ramp on our arrival so my passenger was able to go straight to the car. They took great care of my airplane. I could not be happier.