### Martin , Michae l (OST ) -^MCWTO t From : Jame s Davi s |jdavis@pineshealth.org ]

. - "'PQT'^Tir'' ' Sent : Sunday , Februar y05 , 201 2 5:4 9 P M •i^v!^'.0-'/?.'|r:-V: ' rTo : EAS(OST ) •,.,: [ ijYfMMrJ'- ^ Cc : Lis a Caron ; kdoody@carynned.org ; sadc@aroostook2 1 .com ; Phi l Boss e (Phil_Bosse@collins.senate.gov) ; Sharo n Campbel l (sharon_cafnpbelf@PPpwcs6ga<$.gov) ; Lis a R

. Davi s (cicirdavis@yahoo.com ) ' '' ^ ' ^'" ^ Subject : Revie wof Proposal s t o serv e th e Norther n Main e Regiona l Airport (PQI ) i n Presqu e Isle , M E

Gentlemen , Than k yo u fo rth e opportunit yt o commen t o n th e prioritie s tha t shoul d b e considere d whe n reviewin g an d awardin g a n Essentia l Ai rServic e contrac t t o an yairlin e proposin g t o serv e th e Norther n Main e Regiona l Airport i n Presqu e Isle , ME

. I a m th e Chie f Executiv e of Pine s Healt h Services , th e larges t physicia n practic e i n Aroostoo k Count yan d a Federall y Qualifie d Healt h Center

. Ove rth e pas t fou ryears , th e practic e ha s successfull yrecruite d a numbe rofphysician s fro m acros s th e country

. One of th e reason s fo rthi s succes s ha s bee n th e availabilit yofa nearb yregiona l airport wit h direc t flight s t o wha t man yse e a s a hu b airport - - Boston' s Loga n International

. Whil e physician s recogniz e th e man ypositive s associate d wit h ou rrural , family-friendl yenvironment , the yals o wan t t o hav e acces s t o commercia l trave l tha t enable s the m t o connec t t o famil ymember s an d othe rinterest s acros s th e Unite d State s an d aroun d th e world

. Ou rclinica l staffi s trul yinternationa l i n origin , an d a s th e relativ e suppl yofprimarycar e physician s continue s t o declin e relativ e t o th e deman d fro m ou ragin g an d poore rpopulation , w e wil l se e increase d importanc e place d o n th e abilit yt o easil yfl yi n an d ou t of th e Norther n Main e Regiona l Airport

. Wit h thi s contex t i n mind , i t i s essentia l tha t an ycarrie rproposin g t o serv e th e NMR Ab e abl e t o delive rth e following :

• Adequat e siz e plan e - - minimu m of 3 4 seats ; a smal l regiona l je t woul d b e highl ydesirabl e an d provid e greate r flexibilit ya s t o th e hu b airport destination

. W e als o cate rt o a larg e numbe rofvacationer s visitin g Norther n Maine

. Asmalle rplan e woul d b e inadequat e t o accommodat e th e luggag e need s o fcasua l vacationers , fisherme n an d hunters

. Sinc e ou rCounty' s populatio n i s amon g th e oldes t i n th e State , an d Main e i s secon d onl y t o Florid a a s th e oldes t stat e i n th e nation , a plan e mus t b e larg e enoug h t o hav e a n on-boar d lavatoryan d b e wheelchai raccessible

. • Selectio n o fhu b - - Bosto n ha s serve d adequatel ya s th e sol e destinatio n fro m Presqu e Isle , bu t frequentl yha s weathe rproblem s tha t caus e substantia l ai rtraffi cback-ups

. Ou rNMR Ahandle s advers e weathe rconditions fa r bette rtha n Logan , bu t ou rpassenger s ar e essentiall yhel d hostag e t o th e vagarie s ofoperation s a t Logan

. Thi s ca n mea n cancelle d flight s ou t of NMR Adu e t o th e aircraf t bein g unabl e t o take-of ffro m Loga n or , a s a resul t of delaye d arrival s fro m othe rcitie s int o Logan , missin g th e las t fligh t ofth e da yfro m Bosto n t o Presqu e Isle

. Logan' s terminal s effectivel yclos e veryearl yi n th e evening , an d there' s nothin g wors e (fro m multipl e persona l experiences ) tha n bein g strande d a t Logan

. Aregiona l je t coul d easil yconnec t wit h Ne wYork' s LaGuardi a o r Ne wJersey' s Newar k

Internationa l airports , jus t a s Bango rno wconnect s wit h Atlanta' s Hartsfiel d an d Detroit' s airports

. • Fligh t schedul e - - a minimu m o f thre e roun d tri p flight s shoul d b e established , wit h a stron g preferenc e give n t o an yproposa l providin g mor e dail yflight s (Sunda y- Friday ) an d a t leas t thre e flight s o n Saturday

. Ou rlas t departur e i s currentl y3:1 5 P M Monda y- Friday , makin g i t impossibl e fo rbusines s traveler s t o conclud e a ful l day' s wort h of busines s i n Aroostoo k Count ybefor e headin g t o th e airport

. W e nee d a fourth , late rdail y departure

. • Competitiv e fare s - - I t make s n o sens e fo ra round-tri p far e fro m Presqu e Isl e t o Bosto n t o cos t $30 0 o rmore , eve n wit h a n advanc e reservation , whe n othe rcommercia l airline s ca n fl ypassenger s fro m coast-to-coas t fo rles s (fa rless , whe n takin g int o accoun t sale s an d promotions)

. An ycarrie rservin g th e NMR Ashoul d hav e th e busines s objectiv e o

f makin g th e rout e commerciall yviable

. Competitiv e fare s wil l rapidl yge t peopl e ou t ofcar s an d int o airplanes

. Whil e thi s migh t no t b e withi n th e purvie wofth e Departmen t ofTransportation , establishin g a routin e round-tri p far e a t $15 0 - $20 0 wil l markedl yincreas e passenge rmile s i n veryshort order

. Ther e ar e man y Aroostoo k

busines s an d casua l traveler s wh o no wmak e th e 3-hou r(one-way ) driv e t o Bango rInternationa l Airport (BGR ) t o obtai n lowe rfares , mor e attractiv e hu b destinations , an d greate rflexibilit yi n schedulin g whic h tha t airport provides

. Again , than k

yo u fo rth e opportunit yt o commen t o n th e commercia l airlin e need s ofou rnorther n Main e communit yfro m th e perspectiv e o

fa frequen t busines s an d persona l traveler

. Pleas e fee l fre e t o contac t m e usin g th e informatio n supplie d belo wi fI ca n respon d t o an yquestion s tha t migh t arise

. 1Sincerely , Jame s M

. Davi s Chie f Executiv e Office r Pine s Healt h Service s P O Bo x4 0 Caribou , M E 0473 6 207/498-235 9 x202 2 idavis@Dineshealth.or q