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120 0 Ne w Jerse y Avenue , S

E Transportatid n i: 3 ! • ; f ] C Wbshingtor , D C 2059 0 Offic e o f th e Secretar

y o f Transportatio n Apri l 8,201 0 VIA FACSIMIL E Mr . Thoma s E . Heanu e Executiv e Directo r Hattiesburg-Laure l Regional Aiipor t Authorit y 1002 Terminal Driv e Moselle , Mississipp i 3945 9 Dea r Mr . Heanue : I woul d lik

e t o updat e yo

u o n th e essential ai r

servic e situatio n a

t Laurel/Hattiesbur g an

d giv e yo u a n opportunit

y t o submi t comments , i

f you wish . A s yo u know , in anticipatio n of

th e en d o f th e curren t

contrac t o n Jun e 30 , 2010 , b y Orde r 2010-2-29 , issue d Februar y 26 , 2010 , th e Departmen t solicite d proposal s fromai r earner s intereste d i

n providin g essentia

l air * servic e a

t Laurel/Hattiesburg . In respons e to tha t order , w e receive d proposal s fro mMesab aAviation , Inc . (th e incumbent) , an d Sovereig n Air , Inc . I n additio n to ou

r brie f descriptio n below , th e proposals , a s wel l a s Orde r 2010-2-29 , ca

n b e viewe d onlin e a

t ww w .regulations . gov , b y doin g asearc h o n Docke t DOT-OST-2001-10685 , Mesab apropose s to continu e operatin g it s curren t leve l of service , i.e. , 1 4 nonsto p roun d trip s pe r wee k to Memphi s Internationa

l Aii*port , operatin g a s Delt aCormection , wit h 34-sea t Saa b 34 0 aircraft , a

t th e annua l subsid y rat e of $1,398,798 . Sovereig n Ai r

propose s t o provid e fou

r nonsto p roun d trip s pe r

da y t o Loui s Armstron g Ne w Orlean s Internationa

l Airpor t wit h 19-sea t Jetstream3 2 aircraf

t a t th e annua l subsidy rate of $999,248 . W e note tha

t Sovereig n doe s no t

currentl y hav e th e requisite operatin g authorit y fro meither th e Departmen t

o r th e Federa

l Aviatio n Administratio n t o operate th e servic e i t proposes , althoug h i t

ha s applie d fo

r suc h authority . Pleas e note tha

t propose d schedule s are illustrativ e and th e carrier s ma y mak e schedul e change s to reflec t

changin g conditions . Th e Department expect s subsidize d ai r

canier s to maintai n well-time d an d well-space d flights to ensure ful l compensation .M

y purpos e i

n writin g to yo

u a t thi s tim e i s to giv e you a

n opportunit

y to submi t

an y fina l comment s yo

u might hav e o n th e propose d service . W e reques t tha t you revie w thi s informatio n a s expeditiousl y a s possibl e an d submi t an y comment s yo

u ma y hav e a s soo n a s possible , but

i n an y cas e n o late r

tha n Ma y 7 , 2010 . W e wil l carefully consider your comment s befor

e w e submi t

arecommendatio n t o th e Assistan t Secretar y fo r afina l decision . I f yo u hav e questions , o r

i f yo u find tha

t yo u nee d additional tim e t o draf t you r comments , pleas e le t u s know . Pleas e submi t

you r comment s t o m

e at : EAS@dot.go v In addition , w e woul d appreciat e i f yo u woul d emai l you

r comment s to bot

h dennis.devanV@dot.go v and renee . william s ©dot.gov . Yo u shoul d als o sen d acop y of your comment s to bot

h applicants . If

you hav e an

y questions , pleas e fee l free t o contac t m e or Ren6 e William s o

f m y staf f a t 202-366-1058 . A n identical lette r

ha s bee n sen t

to th e Mayor s o f

Laure l and Hattiesburg , MS . Sincerely ,

Denni s J . DeVaViy, Chief

0 EA S & Domesti c Analysi s Divisio n Offic e of Aviatio n Analysi s