BusinessAbout 30 days from first contact to first paid job

How to Build a Relationship with an FBO

The path from cold introduction to active FBO relationship runs about thirty days when executed well. This guide walks through the seven steps that establish you as the go to detailer at a target FBO.

Braxton

Founder, CoreOP

Published 2026-04-27, updated 2026-04-28

FBO relationships compound. The first relationship takes thirty days. The second takes fifteen. The third takes a week because by then you have references, photos, and a track record. Treat the first FBO as the investment that unlocks the rest of your business.

Steps

Step 11.0 hours
Research the FBO and identify decision makers
Spend an hour researching the FBO before any outreach. Identify the general manager, the line crew lead, and the customer service manager. Look up the based aircraft list. Note any charter operators or flight departments that operate from the FBO. The information shapes your approach and shows you respect their operation when you reach out.
Step 230 minutes
Make initial contact with a value first message
Send a short message that leads with value rather than a pitch. Reference a specific aircraft type you have detailed that operates from their field. Mention a charter operator who can vouch for your work if applicable. Ask for a ten minute meeting to drop off a portfolio. Keep the message under one hundred words. Long pitch messages lose attention before the second paragraph.
Step 31.5 hours
Visit on site with samples or portfolio
Show up in person within a week of the initial contact. Bring a printed portfolio with before and after photos of recent work. Bring coffee for the line crew. Walk the ramp briefly and introduce yourself to anyone in uniform. Spend ten minutes with the FBO manager. Leave the portfolio. Do not push for a job at this visit.
Step 430 minutes
Offer a discounted first job to demonstrate quality
Follow up the visit within three days with a written offer for a first job at a twenty to thirty percent discount. The discount signals you are serious about earning the relationship. Keep the offer specific. One aircraft. Defined scope. Fixed price. Within thirty days. The simplicity makes it easy for the FBO manager to say yes.
Step 51.0 hours
Follow up with documented results
Execute the first job to your highest standard. Document with before and after photos at standard angles. Generate a job summary report including products used, time on site, and recommended next service interval. Deliver the report to the FBO manager in person within two days of completion. Include a printed copy. The documentation becomes your credibility going forward.
Step 61.0 hours
Propose a recurring arrangement
Two weeks after the first job, propose a recurring arrangement. Could be a preferred vendor relationship for transient aircraft. Could be a fleet contract for based aircraft. Could be a referral arrangement for FBO clients. Match the proposal to the FBO's operation and what you learned during the first job. The proposal should be one page. Long proposals lose attention.
Step 730 minutes
Maintain consistent communication
Once the relationship is established, maintain a regular cadence of communication. Drop in monthly. Send a quarterly summary of work completed. Show up at any FBO events. Aviation is a relationship business and the relationships fade without consistent investment. Most lost FBO relationships die from neglect, not from any specific failure.