R. LEE JAMES. MEMBER 

64TH LEGJSLAT!VE DlSTRICT 

HARRISBURG OffiCE 

MAIN CAPITOL BUILDING 

P.O. BOX 202064 

HARRISBURG, PA 17120-2064 

(7!7) 783-8188 

DISTRICT OFFICE 

3220 STATE ROUTE 257,SUITE 8 

POBOX547 

SENECA, PA 16354 

(814)617-6413 

July21,2014 

The Honorable Anthony Foxx 

Secretary ofTransportation 

U S Department of Transportation 

1200 New Jersey Avenue SE 

Washington, DC 20590 

~tioust of 2Reprtstl'rlafiflts 

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 

Harrisburg 

Re: Support for Petition of Franklin/Oil City 10 enplanement statute waiver, Docket No. 1997-2523 

Dear Mr. Foxx: 

COMMITtEES 

FINANCE 

VETERANS AFFAIRS AND 

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS 

COMMERCE 

LOCAL GOVERNMENT 

· . .:) 

:::: ..... .~· 

The communities of Franklin/Oil City and the Venango County Regional Airport were served, on June 24, with the 

Department of Transportation Order 2014·6·6; Terminating EAS Eligibility and Establishing Waiver Procedures for possible 

continuation or reinstatement of commercial air service to the region. 

I write today in support of a waiver request submitted by the Airport Manager on behalf of Franklin/Oil City so that these 

communities and the Oil Heritage Region, served by the Venango Regional Airport, may have reliable commercial air service 

that is so vital to the area's economy. 

The Airport Manager at Venango Regional Airport has represented this region on the Pennsylvania Air Service Committee 

(PASC) since its inception in 2007 and has worked with airport colleagues, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation· 

Bureau of Aviation, (PennDot) and representatives of the Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) to restore service to PIT which 

is the preferred and natural connector for air passengers from this region. The PASC, PIT and f'ennDot contracted the services 

of a consulting firm in 20 II to conduct a multi-year study to determine the viability of restoring intrastate service to PIT from 

both EAS and Non EAS communities. There is an opportunity now to regain service to PIT with an air carrier committed to 

this community operating a business model that has proven successful in many small communities; relatively high frequency, 

9 passenger aircraft, reasonable fares and viable connectivity to major airlines as well as low cost carriers, (lCCs). This is a 

different business model from what we've had and we arc aware of the positive results experienced in many small markers. 

I am encouraged that the (3) airlines that bid on Franklin/Oil City service to PIT all presented essentially that same business 

model as the most viable solution to improve passenger traffic and allow the community to satisfy EAS minimum 

requirements of not only the I 0 enplanements per day but also to attain and maintain the $200 subsidy per passenger rule. O"ur 

citizens look forward to reconnecting with Pittsburgh with the service to be provided by Sun Air International and look to the 

US DOT to allow Franklin/Oil City to start service to PIT under a waiver in order to provide reliable, timely air service to the 

region through the restoration of the connection to PIT. 

Thank you, 

Sincerely, 

~,.~8~ Pa Stale Representative 

64111 Legislative District 

Venango and Butler Counties 

CC: Bany Schoch, PennDot Secretary