Commissioner 

Venang o Count y Timothy S. Brooks 

Venango Regional Airport ?TMyT. wood 

Chess Lamberton Field Janet D. Beichner 

www.flvfranklin.org 

Airport Manager 

1560 Airport Road Franklin, PA 16323 814/432-5333 Fax 814/432-2^'!° *^^^" 

7/12/2010 

-1 

Mr. Dennis J. De Vany c^ 

Chief, Essential Air Service Division, X-53 

Office of Aviation Analysis 

U.S. Dept. of Transportation 

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—H 

Dear Mr. De Vany: o 

I am writing you in support of the Gulfstream Int'l Airlines proposal. Option One (1), to provide 

scheduled air service to Franklin/Oil City (FKL) under the Essential Air Service program. 

Franklin/Oil City (FKL) lost air service along with other EAS communities in May of 2008 when 

the contracted air carrier ceased operations. Service was reinitiated on September 3, 2008 with 

Gulfstream Int'l Airlines operating as Continental Connection through the Continental Airlines 

hub in Cleveland, OH. 

The effort to regain the travel market lost due to the three months without air service is on going 

and substantial. Additionally; the nation experienced the worst recession in the past fifty (50) 

years almost as soon as Gulfstream b^gan FKL service. 

The economic "recovery" has been sporadic nationwide and negligible, thus far, in the 

Franklin/Oil City area. This region, which had been particularly devastated even prior to 2008 

due to plant closings and layoffs, has been working to reinvent its economy. The 2008 recession 

was a further setback. 

Just a little over a year into the new air service, in November 2009, began the worst winter in 

many years. December, January and Febmary saw the air carrier cancel sixty-five (65) FKL 

flights due to weather. That's twenty-one per cent of the FKL flights for those months. 

Additionally, the travel market was negatively impacted in 2008 and 2009 by the SARS virus and 

the Swine Flu. 

These issues really caused a set back for a fragile market that was already shaken due to the lost 

service earlier in the year. 
The communities of Franklin/Oil City support Gulfstream's option # 1 service through 

Cleveland and will work closely with the Airport and Gulfstream through the Save our Service 

(SOS) effort to improve passenger enplanements to again be under the $200 per passenger cap. 

The service offered using Cleveland as a hub gives this community more non stop destinations 

and reasonable connections and fares. Gulfstream has proven to be very customer conscious and 

the Continental Coimection/Continental brand is becoming a favorite in this region. The Airport 

works closely with the public and the air carrier on communication and customer service as well 

as providing a cost free business environment for the carrier. These facts will make the SOS 

effort successful. 

The citizens of Franklin and Oil City as well as the entire Oil Heritage Region want the timely, 

dependable air service proposed by Gulfstream and request that the Department of Transportation 

provide this chance to continue the rebuilding of this economy. Gulfstream's option 1 can serve 

as a huge stimulus to this region. 

The region is experiencing the beginnings of a positive trend in business development thanks to 

the hard work of our legislators and community leaders. Meaningful, scheduled air service is a 

key element in the success of this venture. This rural area should be allowed to compete with the 

larger urban areas on a level playing field. Viable commercial air service helps level that playing 

field and is necessary for business development and sustained economic growth. 

We ask that you recommend this proposal to the Deputy Secretary. 

Thank you for your work on the Essential Air Service program on behalf of the communities of 

Franklin/Oil City and the Oil Region. 

Best Regards, 

Otho C. Bell 

Airport Manager 

County of Venango, Permsylvania