Order 2012-6-16

Served: June 21, 2012

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY

WASHINGTON, D.C.

 

 Issued by the Department of Transportation

on the 21st of June, 2012

ORDER APPROVING ALTERNATE SERVICE PATTERN 

Summary

By this Order, we are approving an alternate service pattern for Huron, South Dakota’s 

subsidized Essential Air Service (EAS), operated by Great Lakes Aviation, Ltd. (“Great Lakes”). 

Service to Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport (MSP) will now be permitted in lieu of 

Denver, Colorado (DEN).

Background

By Order 2010-8-12, August 25, 2010, the Department selected Great Lakes to provide 

subsidized EAS at Huron, South Dakota, for the two-year period from October 1, 2010, through 

September 30, 2012. Huron’s service was to consist of 12 nonstop or one-stop round trips per 

week to DEN with Beechcraft 1900D 19-seat aircraft for an annual subsidy of $1,742,886. 

Proposal and Community Comments

In an e-mail to the Department, Great Lakes proposed to “alter the current service” from Denver, 

Colorado, to Minneapolis, Minnesota. Currently, Huron receives two round trips a day to MSP 

and one to DEN, which is more service than Order 2010-8-12 requires. 

In an e-mail to the Department, Larry E. Cooper, Manager, Huron Regional Airport, requested 

that the “service to Minneapolis, Minnesota (MSP) begin as soon as practical” and stated that the 

“two round trip format is acceptable at this time.” The community also stated that it “would like 

to see the morning flight begin at an earlier time in order to better blend with the morning 

departures out of MSP.” 

Essential Air Service at

HURON, SOUTH DAKOTA

Under 49 U.S.C. 41731 et seq.

 Docket DOT-OST-2000-7138 
Decision

We will approve the alternate pattern, which meets the three conditions necessary for approval

under authority assigned under 14 CFR 385.12(k)(3) of the Department’s Regulations: (1) the 

alternate service pattern is equal to or greater than that determined to be essential; (2) the 

community does not object to the alternate service pattern; and (3) the alternate service pattern 

will not increase Great Lakes’ subsidy.

Because we are simply allowing the alternate service pattern and not requiring it, Great Lakes

may revert to the original service pattern at any time.

The weekly compensation ceiling and subsidy rate per flight amounts remain the same as issued 

in Order 2010-8-12.

This Order is issued under authority assigned in 14 CFR 385.12(k)(3).

ACCORDINGLY,

1. We approve the alternate service pattern for Great Lakes Aviation, Ltd’s Essential Air Service 

at Huron, South Dakota, to substitute service to Minneapolis, Minnesota in lieu of Denver, 

Colorado. 

2. This docket will remain open until further order of the Department; and

3. We will serve a copy of this Order on the Mayor of Huron, the manager of Huron Municipal 

Airport, and Great Lakes Aviation, Ltd.

Persons entitled to petition the Department for review of this Order under the Department’s 

Regulations, 14 CFR 385.30, must file such petitions within ten days after the date of service of

this Order.

This Order will be effective immediately, and the filing of a petition for review shall not 

preclude its effectiveness.

By:

TODD M. HOMAN

Director

Office of Aviation Analysis

(SEAL)

An electronic version of this document is available at http://www.regulations.gov