FBO's Charging for Loaner Headsets?

BoilerPilot2007 · September 11th, 2004, 16:12

Have you heard of FBOs charging a rental fee for loaner headsets?

The one here seems to be on and off about this policy, with one employee enforcing it, and the others not enforcing it..

Anyone heard of this practice? It seems new to me, not to mention unfair.

I_Money · September 11th, 2004, 16:18

Yeap - certainly seen it here.

aloft · September 11th, 2004, 16:24

Most places that I've flown with charge $5, Gibbs Flying Service at MYF in San Diego even credits this fee to the purchase of a new headset.

SteveC · September 11th, 2004, 16:24

Pretty typical, I think.

Just curious, why do you think it would be unfair?

TheWife · September 11th, 2004, 16:30

They do that here too, some times they don't charge but it's usually out of laziness on the part of the employee, which is fine with us.

CaptainChris87 · September 11th, 2004, 16:35

nope never had, MY FBO just lets us use these generic ones.

BoilerPilot2007 · September 11th, 2004, 16:35

[ QUOTE ]
Pretty typical, I think.

Just curious, why do you think it would be unfair?

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, in my three years of flying at multiple FBOs, Id never encountered that before. Usually, if I asked for a loaner headset, I wasn't charged at all..

What's a $5 fee in the whole scheme of things? If one pays $110/hr for an aircraft, charging for a headset just seems pointless and cheasy... just to grab a few extra bucks.

Just my opinion though.

Thanks for everyone's responses by the way!

CaptainMatt · September 11th, 2004, 16:53

I've seen some FBO's have an hourly rate for loaner headsets. Upwards of 8 dollars an hour. I don't particularly like that. But I think Loaner headsets fall into the adage that "Nothing is Free". Why should Loaner Headsets be free to use?

I don't see it as unfair. I think a set fee of 5 dollars upfront is okay. Someone has to pay for the headset. I would think the people that actually use them should pay. I like that thing Aloft said about Gibbs, that sounds pretty neat.

152CPT · September 11th, 2004, 18:17

Yeah, the one here charges $3. And they kill your ears within 20 min too.

mtsu_av8er · September 11th, 2004, 19:02

We charge $2.00 per day for a rental headset.

What's so unfair about it? If it should be free, then provide the flight school with a free headset. You can't get a headset for freE AH-HA! If you don't want to pay it, go buy one.

That's like saying that the flight school shouldn't charge you for the airplane. Grab a few extra dollars? Well, flight schools aren't in the charity business.

Doug Taylor · September 11th, 2004, 19:04

I really don't have a problem with headset rentals. Basically, as long as the revenue they generate goes into keeping them clean and well-maintained, great!

Wouldn't walk into a golf course and display outrage over golf cart rentals, would ya? [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

mtsu_av8er · September 11th, 2004, 19:04

[ QUOTE ]
Wouldn't walk into a golf course and display outrage over golf cart rentals, would ya? [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

Oh, some people certainly would... [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Raskolnikov · September 11th, 2004, 19:08

Um, Lloyd, that avatar is really, um, odd. You okay? [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img]

RPM · September 11th, 2004, 19:12

$2 per day at my FBO...great for passengers, but I wouldn't wanna wear the rentals and get some funky ear fungus from somebody. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

mtsu_av8er · September 11th, 2004, 19:12

[ QUOTE ]
Um, Lloyd, that avatar is really, um, odd. You okay? [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

[img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/spin2.gif[/img] I feel fine!!! [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

MarineNav · September 11th, 2004, 19:24

[ QUOTE ]
Um, Lloyd, that avatar is really, um, odd. You okay?

[/ QUOTE ] Uh, disturbing is more like it! [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

JR

rhs · September 11th, 2004, 20:49

An FBO in Hawaii I visited charged $5/flight hr for headsets. Needless to say, next time we schlepped our own. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

I don't mind a per-flight charge, but a per-hour charge seems a bit excessive...especially in a place where you know people (tourists) won't have their own.

pilot602 · September 13th, 2004, 01:14

No it's not new and don't really seewhere it's unfair ... renters = destruction (airplanes, facilities and loaner headsets) a small fee ot help keep 'em up (or replaced) isn't asking too much, IMHO.

jtrain609 · September 13th, 2004, 13:44

One of the FBO's I flew with charged $1 an hour for their headsets. Their reasoning was to make sure people realized that the FBO had to pay for the headsets that people were destroying. They had less of a problem once people had an investment into using the headset, albeit a small one.

ready2fly · September 13th, 2004, 15:02

Ours are free.

jtrain609 · September 13th, 2004, 15:03

Loser

SteveC · September 13th, 2004, 15:36

[ QUOTE ]
Ours are free.

[/ QUOTE ]

Don't you mean to say that the plane rental price includes enough overhead to allow the FBO to offer the headset usage at no additional charge? Key word being "additional".

[img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

"There ain't no such thing as a free lunch."

ready2fly · September 13th, 2004, 15:40

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Ours are free.

[/ QUOTE ]

Don't you mean to say that the plane rental price includes enough overhead to allow the FBO to offer the headset usage at no additional charge? Key word being "additional".

[img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]
Oh..... yeah..... what he said. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

ready2fly · September 13th, 2004, 15:40

[ QUOTE ]
Loser

[/ QUOTE ]
Yeah... so... and????

John · September 13th, 2004, 18:52

Where I train (Niagara Air Tours) they have headsets in all of their planes so you don't have to pay to rent them or even worry about taking them out to the plane [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img] I like that.

September 11th, 2004, 16:12	#1
BoilerPilot2007 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Chicago Posts: 444	FBO\'s Charging for Loaner Headsets? Have you heard of FBOs charging a rental fee for loaner headsets? The one here seems to be on and off about this policy, with one employee enforcing it, and the others not enforcing it.. Anyone heard of this practice? It seems new to me, not to mention unfair.

September 11th, 2004, 16:18	#2
I_Money Moderator Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Socal Posts: 5,649	Re: FBO\'s Charging for Loaner Headsets? Yeap - certainly seen it here.

September 11th, 2004, 16:24	#3
aloft Old Skool Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Inside your OODA loop Posts: 6,737	Re: FBO\'s Charging for Loaner Headsets? Most places that I've flown with charge $5, Gibbs Flying Service at MYF in San Diego even credits this fee to the purchase of a new headset.

September 11th, 2004, 16:24	#4
SteveC Moderator Join Date: May 2003 Location: GRR Posts: 8,413	Re: FBO\'s Charging for Loaner Headsets? Pretty typical, I think. Just curious, why do you think it would be unfair?

September 11th, 2004, 16:30	#5
TheWife Old Skool Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Utah Posts: 4,180	Re: FBO\'s Charging for Loaner Headsets? They do that here too, some times they don't charge but it's usually out of laziness on the part of the employee, which is fine with us.

September 11th, 2004, 16:35	#6
CaptainChris87 Old Skool Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 1,760	Re: FBO\'s Charging for Loaner Headsets? nope never had, MY FBO just lets us use these generic ones.

September 11th, 2004, 16:53	#8
CaptainMatt Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Space Shuttle Posts: 620	Re: FBO\'s Charging for Loaner Headsets? I've seen some FBO's have an hourly rate for loaner headsets. Upwards of 8 dollars an hour. I don't particularly like that. But I think Loaner headsets fall into the adage that "Nothing is Free". Why should Loaner Headsets be free to use? I don't see it as unfair. I think a set fee of 5 dollars upfront is okay. Someone has to pay for the headset. I would think the people that actually use them should pay. I like that thing Aloft said about Gibbs, that sounds pretty neat.

September 11th, 2004, 18:17	#9
152CPT Junior Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: SC Posts: 46	Re: FBO\'s Charging for Loaner Headsets? Yeah, the one here charges $3. And they kill your ears within 20 min too.

September 11th, 2004, 19:02	#10
mtsu_av8er Old Skool Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Utopia Posts: 12,426	Re: FBO\'s Charging for Loaner Headsets? We charge $2.00 per day for a rental headset. What's so unfair about it? If it should be free, then provide the flight school with a free headset. You can't get a headset for freE AH-HA! If you don't want to pay it, go buy one. That's like saying that the flight school shouldn't charge you for the airplane. Grab a few extra dollars? Well, flight schools aren't in the charity business.

September 11th, 2004, 19:04	#11
Doug Taylor Agent Smith Join Date: Dec 1969 Location: KSDL Posts: 39,931 Blog Entries: 1	Re: FBO\'s Charging for Loaner Headsets? I really don't have a problem with headset rentals. Basically, as long as the revenue they generate goes into keeping them clean and well-maintained, great! Wouldn't walk into a golf course and display outrage over golf cart rentals, would ya? [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

September 11th, 2004, 19:08	#13
Raskolnikov Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Oregon Posts: 266	Re: FBO\'s Charging for Loaner Headsets? Um, Lloyd, that avatar is really, um, odd. You okay? [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img]

September 11th, 2004, 19:12	#14
RPM Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: LAX Posts: 658	Re: FBO\'s Charging for Loaner Headsets? $2 per day at my FBO...great for passengers, but I wouldn't wanna wear the rentals and get some funky ear fungus from somebody. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

September 11th, 2004, 19:24	#16
MarineNav Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Santa Clara, CA Posts: 301	Re: FBO\'s Charging for Loaner Headsets? [ QUOTE ] Um, Lloyd, that avatar is really, um, odd. You okay? [/ QUOTE ] Uh, disturbing is more like it! [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img] JR

September 11th, 2004, 20:49	#17
rhs Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: The Lone Star State Posts: 219	Re: FBO\'s Charging for Loaner Headsets? An FBO in Hawaii I visited charged $5/flight hr for headsets. Needless to say, next time we schlepped our own. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img] I don't mind a per-flight charge, but a per-hour charge seems a bit excessive...especially in a place where you know people (tourists) won't have their own.

September 13th, 2004, 01:14	#18
pilot602 Old Skool Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: who haa Posts: 3,750	Re: FBO\'s Charging for Loaner Headsets? No it's not new and don't really seewhere it's unfair ... renters = destruction (airplanes, facilities and loaner headsets) a small fee ot help keep 'em up (or replaced) isn't asking too much, IMHO.

September 13th, 2004, 13:44	#19
jtrain609 Old Skool Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Park City, UT Posts: 12,195	Re: FBO\'s Charging for Loaner Headsets? One of the FBO's I flew with charged $1 an hour for their headsets. Their reasoning was to make sure people realized that the FBO had to pay for the headsets that people were destroying. They had less of a problem once people had an investment into using the headset, albeit a small one.

September 13th, 2004, 15:02	#20
ready2fly Old Skool Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: DFW Posts: 7,103	Re: FBO\'s Charging for Loaner Headsets? Ours are free.

September 13th, 2004, 15:03	#21
jtrain609 Old Skool Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Park City, UT Posts: 12,195	Re: FBO\'s Charging for Loaner Headsets? Loser

September 13th, 2004, 15:36	#22
SteveC Moderator Join Date: May 2003 Location: GRR Posts: 8,413	Re: FBO\'s Charging for Loaner Headsets? [ QUOTE ] Ours are free. [/ QUOTE ] Don't you mean to say that the plane rental price includes enough overhead to allow the FBO to offer the headset usage at no additional charge? Key word being "additional". [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] "There ain't no such thing as a free lunch."

September 13th, 2004, 15:40	#23
ready2fly Old Skool Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: DFW Posts: 7,103	Re: FBO\'s Charging for Loaner Headsets? [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] Ours are free. [/ QUOTE ] Don't you mean to say that the plane rental price includes enough overhead to allow the FBO to offer the headset usage at no additional charge? Key word being "additional". [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] [/ QUOTE ] Oh..... yeah..... what he said. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

September 13th, 2004, 18:52	#25
John Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: CYSN/KBUF/CYYZ Posts: 321	Re: FBO\'s Charging for Loaner Headsets? Where I train (Niagara Air Tours) they have headsets in all of their planes so you don't have to pay to rent them or even worry about taking them out to the plane [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img] I like that.

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