Okay, perhaps this has a pretty obvious answer, but  it's been nagging me for a while now. What are the airport procedures for pilots of private/corporate jets? Their planes aren't parked at gates, and I'm pretty sure they don't have to go through security, so where would they enter an international airport? Is there a particular terminal for them to register flightplans, after which they just walk to their plane?

 

Thanks,

Bram Osterhout

'Signature' Private Jet FBO terminals (or the like)... Every medium to large airport has one.

 

'Million Air' is another one.

Many airports have FBOs that are like gas stations and concierge services rolled into one.

 

Signature and Millionaire is a chain of FBOs that bought out some of the smaller FBOs at International airports. We usually try to avoid the chains whenever we can because their service is usually lacking. The smaller ones have more pride in their work and it shows. Or we go to the ones with avtrip because the free money is nice!

Many airports have FBOs that are like gas stations and concierge services rolled into one.

 

Signature and Millionaire is a chain of FBOs that bought out some of the smaller FBOs at International airports. We usually try to avoid the chains whenever we can because their service is usually lacking. The smaller ones have more pride in their work and it shows. Or we go to the ones with avtrip because the free money is nice!

Another consideration is Signature and Millianaire are very pricey... They have private exclusive terminals for corporate flyers so the average GA slob need not apply...

 

and I'm pretty sure they don't have to go through security,

 

I'm pretty sure that everyone at a major airport is checked before being allowed airside

I'm not sure... According to this article, it looks like there isn't much in the way of security.

I remember flying in a private jet to Saudi Arabia and the armed guards were around the plane out as soon as the jet stopped.  That was in ooo, in the early 80s.

There would be a lot of mad people if we had to go through any kind of security. Pilot's don't have to go through security at a growing number of airports as well. Lot's of the ground workers don't go through any security at all.