### Martin , Michae l (OST) .nC)T~-QST^\^^ ^ -31'^^' ' From : Boutin , Nicol e [Nicole.Boutin@legislature.maine.gov ] Sent : Wednesday , Septembe r29 , 201 0 9:5 2 A M To : Martin , Michae l (OST ) Subject : Docke t # DOT-OST-1997-278 4 Septembe r 29 , 201 0

D >
— * " c n x r ;^.^':^^3 ) 

### -"-•'^^5 5 v_jf~5:r 3 m ^ mNTOFFATIOfRATIO -_^-i- ^ o c Mr . Denni s D e Vany Mr . Michae l Marti n U.S
. Departmen t

of Transportatio n 120 0 Ne w Jerse y Avenue , S E Washington , D C 2059 0 Re : Comment s for

U.S
. Departmen t

o f Transportatio n Docke t #DOT-OST-1997-278 4 EA S Airlin e Contrac t

for th e Augusta , Main e Stat e Airport Dea r Mr . D e Van y an dMr . Martin : I a mprovidin g thes e comment s o n behal f o n constituent s i n my legislativ e district , Main e Hous e Distric t 7 9 (Farmingdale , Hallowel l an dWes t Gardiner)
. I hav e bee n contacte db y resident s o f Distric t 7 9 wh o rel y o n th e Main e Stat e Airport

i n Augusta , Main e for

reliabl e transportatio n an dparticularly , for busines s travel
. W e as k that th e U.S
. Departmen t

of Transportatio n (USDOT ) recogniz e tha t constituent s of

other s than th e August aCit y Counci l ar e serve db y th e August aStat e Airport an dth e airlin e chose n b y USDO T for th e EA S contrac t t o serv e that

airport
. Th e August aCit y Counci l clearl y supporte dth e recommendation s of it s ow n Airport Committee—bu t

tha t Committee' s advice , t o recommen dCap e Ai r ove r U S Air, i s at

complet e odd s wit h overwhelmin g publi c respons e t o th e contrary . A s aStat e Representativ e representin g thre e town s i n clos e proximit y with Augusta , I as k tha t yo u selec t

t o continu e th e servic e of

USAi r a t th e August aAirport
. M y constituent s hav e expresse dthei r concern s t o m e regardin g thi s issue
. On e concer n I hav e hear drepeatedl y i s that th e August aCit y Council , despit e th e Mayo r an dcouncilor s admittin g tha t th e publi c inpu t

wa s virtuall y al l i n favo r

o f USAi r retainin g it s servic e t o th e stat e airport , agree dt o th e recommendatio n o f th e Airport Committee
. I

t i s my understandin g that th e Cit y Council' s recommendatio n doe s no t reflec t th e opinio n o f

eve n it s ow n constituenc y (populatio n 18,440) , muc h les s th e airport-usin g communit y of th e surroundin g area s outside of Augusta
. Anothe r concern i s tha t

th e recommendatio n give n b y th e Airport Committe e i s poorl y supported
. Th e proces s wit h whic h the y obtaine dan dforme dthei r recommendatio n a

t n o tim e aske dth e August aAirport user s (asid e fro mth e pilot s an doccasiona l commercia l flyers ) for input
. Th e publi c wa s not invite dno r

welcom e t o atten d th e Augus t

11 , 2010 , presentation s of th e tw o carrier s competin g for th e contrac t

i n orde r t o as k question s an d judg e for themselve s th e quality of th e proposals
. Further , I as k

tha t yo u conside r

th e followin g whic h obviousl y ar e pushe dasid e i n Federa l EAS/ai r regulation s t o accommodat e th e like s o f Cap e Air
. Bot

h federal an dstat e government , respectively , shoul dnot support o r actuall y awardacontrac t

t o acarrie r

which :• Admit s t o havin g n o ability t o accommodat e th e handicappe dwh o canno t mak e it o n thei r ow n int o th e aircraf t • Utilize s aircraft s withou t secur e fligh t

deck s • Utilize s aircraft s with on e pilo t withou t an y secon dpilo t

backu p incas e of

emergenc y

• Allow s passenger s t o si t a t th e control s i n th e co-pilot' s seat durin g commercia l passenge r flight s Than k yo u for you r consideratio n of

thes e comments . Sincerely , 

# <^o^Afi^\mJr ^

Sharo n Angli n Trea t Stat e Representativ e
Nicol e Boutin

—Legislativ e Aid e Main e Stat e Hous e Majorit y Offic e 2 Stat e Housi ; Station , Augusta , M E 04333-000 2 Phone : 207.287.143 0 Fax : 207.287.833 8 www.housedemocrats.maine.go v