u.s. Department of 

Transportation 

Office of the Secretary 

of Transportation 

July 8,2010 

Robert W. Schaffer 

Airport Manager 

The Clearfield-Jefferson Counties Regional Airport Authority 

377 Aviation Way 

Reynoldsville, PA 15851 

Dear Mr. Schaffer: 

1 200 New Jersey Avenue, SE 

Washington, DC 20590 

I would like to update you on the essential air service (EAS) situation at DuBois and 

give you an opportunity to submit any comments if you wish. In anticipation of the end 

of Gulfstream's current contract on September 30,2010, the Department issued 

Order 2010-5-22, May 19,2010, to solicit proposals from all interested air carriers to 

provide EAS at DuBois. At this stage, we would normally ask for your preferences for 

various carrier and service options. However, in response to that order, Gulfstream 

International Airlines, Inc. (Gulfstream), the incumbent, was the only carrier to submit a 

proposal. Nonetheless, we want to give you an opportunity to submit any final comments 

for the record that you may have. 

Copies of Gulfstream's proposal may be accessed online through the Federal Docket 

Management System (FDMS) at: http://www.regulations.gov/by entering "DOT-OST2004-17617" in the "Enter Keyword or ID" field. 

Gulfstream proposes to continue its 24 round trips per week to Cleveland Hopkins 

International Airport, ,operating on a Cleveland - DuBois - Oil CitylFranklin - Cleveland 

or a Cleveland - Oil CitylFranklin - DuBois - Cleveland routing, for an annual subsidy 

of $2,228,996. This assumes Oil CitylFranklin's continued eligibility in the EAS 

program, which the Department is reviewing. If Oil CitylFranklin is deemed no longer 

eligible to participate in the EAS program, Gulfstream proposes 18 nonstop round trips 

per week from DuBois to Cleveland, for an annual subsidy of $2,247,023. All service 

would be operated as Continental COlmection, utilizing Beech 1900D aircraft. We are 

also currently reviewing Gulfstream's compensation requirement. 

My purpose in writing to you at this time is to request any final comments you might 

have on the carriers' service and subsidy proposals before we submit a recommendation 
.- :2 -

on the carrier-selection issue to the Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International 

Affairs. 

Please note that the average passenger fares shown in each proposal do not necessarily 

reflect the average local fare DuBois passengers would actually pay, but, rather, reflect a 

prorated portion of the total ticket price, e.g., the DuBois - Cleveland portion of a 

DuBois - Cleveland - Seattle/Tacoma ticket that the subsidized canier would realize. 

Also, the fare shown is net of certain charges such as Federal transportation security fees, 

excise or ticket taxes, and Passenger Facility Charges. Of course, caniers have the 

discretion to charge fares they deem appropriate, and the passenger fares presented in 

their proposals have been developed for subsidy rate computation purposes only. Based 

on the cost elements incorporated in the canier's computation summaries, Gulfstream 

would have to realize passenger fares comparable to the averages shown in their 

proposals in order to achieve break-even or profitable operations without subsidy. 

You should also note that the schedules that the canier has submitted are illustrative 

only, and that they may make schedule changes to reflect changing conditions, e.g., to 

better meet shifting connecting bank times at the hub. The Department expects 

subsidized air caniers to maintain well-timed and well-spaced flights in order to ensure 

full compensation. 

We ask that you submit any comments you may have as soon as possible, but in any 

case no later than July 30,2010. We will carefully consider your comments before we 

submit a recommendation to the Assistant Secretary for a decision. Should you have any 

questions or need additional time to draft your comments, please let us know. 

Please send your comments via e-mail to EAS@dot.gov or by fax to 202-366-7638. If 

you have any questions, please feel free to contact Kevin Schlemmer of my staff at 

kevin.schlemmer@dot.gov or 202-366-3176. 

Similar letters have been sent to the civic officials of the other EAS communities at 

issue here. 

Sincerely, 

[)Q/W~;~. [j£~ Dennis J. De~ny Chief, Essential Air Service Division, X-53 

Office of Aviation Analysis