American Aero FTW, a Fort Worth fixed-base operator (FBO) at Meacham International Airport (KFTW), continues to redefine service and safety for the aviation industry, reclaiming a number one worldwide ranking in the 2021 Aviation International News (AIN) FBO Survey. The AIN survey is the only annual, independent, online evaluation of more than 4,500 FBO operators.
AIN survey results are based on reviews by passengers, pilots, flight crews and dispatchers, who are asked to grade FBOs in five categories — pilot amenities, passenger amenities, customer service representatives, line service and facilities. American Aero has ranked in the top five percent of FBOs in the AIN survey since opening the doors to its new facility in 2017. The FBO took over first place worldwide in the 2020 survey and shared that top spot in the 2021 results, released in April.
“I created American Aero with the goal of redefining the FBO experience for flight crews and passengers,” said American Aero founder Robert M. Bass. “That means continually raising the industry bar on customer service and ground handling safety and creating exceptional experiences every day.”
AIN readers also recognized American Aero team member Sara Zarate for “Above and Beyond” service. Zarate has worked at the FBO since 2018 and made AIN’s list of the top customer service representatives in the world, based on customer comments. Zarate is the fifth American Aero team member to be honored in the survey in as many years.
“We are truly grateful to the customers who put their trust in us every day,” said Angela Thurmond, American Aero general manager. “When American Aero and its team members are recognized at this level, it demonstrates that we are living our mission and strengthening the industry that we love so much.”
In 2018, American Aero was the first FBO in the world to earn Stage 3 in the International Standard for Business Aircraft Handling (IS-BAH) certification for advanced ground handling safety. The FBO’s safety efforts have been led by Bob Agostino, vice president, whose 50 years of corporate flight operations experience includes 15 years as director of flight operations for Learjet/Bombardier. While at Learjet, Agostino created what is now known as the Bombardier Safety Standdown.
“FBO customers may take ground handling safety for granted, but the truth is it can never be assumed,” explained Agostino. “Safety is a byproduct of competencies that go beyond even IS-BAH Stage 3. It is a daily discipline ingrained in our culture, from the newest employee to the highest executive.”
American Aero also announced expansion efforts, adding five acres to its 11-acre ramp, already the largest at KFTW. The FBO also increased its Avfuel-branded fuel storage to 70,000 gallons of jet-A and 33,000 gallons of avgas, with the addition of a 10,000-gallon jet-A tank and two 10,000-gallon avgas tanks.
