There are currently over 3,200 fixed-base operations (FBOs) conducting business in the United States attempting to meet the demands of FAA Part 91, Part 135, and a limited number of Part 121 operations. With the US economy slowly climbing out of the trough during 2013, the utilization of fixed-base operations has become more attractive and economical to the corporate business and the affluent recreational traveler. Despite the increased flight activities utilizing the services of fixed-base operators, keen competition, rising fuel cost, and the economies of scale recognized by large FBO franchises significantly erode the profitability and sustainability of smaller FBOs. The goal of the current paper is to describe the major systems inherent in fixed-base operations design and apply systems engineering principles to develop and document a set of requirements and identify the relevant technical components that are needed to maintain a sustainable fixed-base operation. Requirements from the industry should be met by a customer-oriented, environmentally friendly operation that meets the ever-changing demands of clientele and the market. Future design work will build on the proposed preliminary architecture to satisfy these requirements.
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