### u.s.Departmentof Transportation OfficeoftheSecretary ofTransportation

Mr. Scott Coffman Airport Manager Middle GeorgiaRegional Airport 1000Terminal Drive Macon, GA 31297
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I would like to update you onthe EssentialAir Service situation at Macon, Georgia and give you an opportunity to submit any comments if you wish. As you know, on April 26, 2012, Pacific Wings L.L.C., d/b/a Georgia Skies, filed a 90-day notice ofits intent to suspend its subsidy-free service at Macon. In response, the Department issued Order 2012-5-25, on May 24, 2012, to solicit proposals from all interested air carriers to provide service at Macon. In response to that Order, wereceived two proposals. Copies of the proposals are attached and may be accessed online through the Depattment's Dockets Management System at: http://www.regulations.gov/ by entering "DOT-OST-2007- 28671" inthe "EnterKeyword orID" field, so Iwill onlybriefly summarizetheproposalshere.
Sun Air Express, LLC d/b/a Sun Air International, proposes to offer four daily round trips per weekday, and two daily round trips on Saturday and two on Sunday (24 a week) betweenMacon and Atlanta Hartsfield International Airport utilizing a nine-passenger twin-engine Piper Chieftain aircraft, for an annual subsidy of$1,946,266. The Departmentrecently found Sun Air fit to conduct scheduled passenger operations as a commuter air carrier, and it is currently working with theFederal AviationAdministration (FAA) to finalize that operating authority.
American Aviation Group, Inc. d/b/a Twin Air Calypso proposes to offer six daily round trips (42 a week) between Macon and Atlanta Hartsfield International Airport utilizing an eightpassenger single-engine Cessna Caravan aircraft, for an annual subsidy of$1,555,825. TwinAir Calypso currently has an application pending before the Department for authority to conduct scheduled passenger operations as a commuter air carrier. That application can be accessed online through the Department's Dockets Management System by entering "DOT-OST-2011- 0143" in the "EnterKeyword or ID" field. Also, I wish to remind you that the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 (Public Law No: 112-95) amended 49 U.S.C. §41731(a)(l)(B) changed the definition of "eligible place" for the purpose of receiving EAS. The amendment states that to be eligible, a community must maintain an average of 10 enplanements or more per service day, as determinedbythe Secretary,during the most recent fiscal year beginning after September 30, 2012.1 The legislation exe1:npts locations in Alaska and Hawaii and communities that are more than 175 driving miles from the nearest large or medium hub airport. As Macon is only about 81 miles from the Atlanta airport, the community must meet the 10-enplanement-a-day threshold for EAS to continue after FY2013, barring a waiverfrom the Secretary.
In the most recent fiscal year for which data are available, FY2011 (October 2010-September 2011), Pacific Wings generated a total of 1,988 passengers (inbound and outbound), or an average of about 3 enplanements per day.2 The community should also be aware that the Department will continue to monitor Macon's eligibility to receive EAS in light of these new requirements throughout the life of any executed contract. The Department may cancel a contract for any community receiving EAS if enplanements remain below 10 per day during FY2013.
I want to give you an opportunity to submit any formal comments for the record before submitting a recommendation to the Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International Affairs. We requestthat you submit anycomments you mayhave as soon as possible, but in any case no later than August 1, 2012. We will carefully consider your comments before submitting a recommendation to the Assistant Secretary for a decision. Ifyou have any questions or ifyou find that you need additional timeto draft your comments, please let meknow.
Please send your comments to the Department at the following email address: EAS@dot.gov or by fax to 202-366-7838. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at scott.faulk@dot.govor 202-366-9967. Sincerely,

# ~~· ScottFaulk Essential Air ServiceDivision Office ofAviationAnalysis U.S. Department ofTransportation

1 The Secretary also has authority to waive the I0 passengerrequirement, on an annual basis, ifthe community can demonstrate that the reason the location averages fewer than I0 passengers perday is due to atemporary decline in enplanements. See 49U.S.C. §41731(e). 2 Source: Bureau ofTransportation Statistics; Form 41, ScheduleT-I00. Daily averages are based on one-halfof the O&D passengers. divided by 313 service days (314 during leap years).