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: ! optmt m Novembe r18 , 201 1

Denni s DeVan y U S Departmen t o fTransportatio n DearDenriis : Thanl < yo u fo rtfi e opportunit yt o respon d t o th e Great Lake s Airline s proposa l t o provid e servic e t o th e Brainer d Lake s Regiona l Airpor t unde rEAS . W e fee l fortunat e t o b e eligibl e fo rth e subsidy , bu t disappointe d tha t w e have t o receiv e i t afte rove r6 5 years o fsuccessfu l cgmmercia l servic e withou t a subsidy . W e do , however , hav e a numbe ro fconcern s regardin g th e proposa l an d reques t tha t yo u conside rthe m seriousl yan d assis t u s i n resolvin g th e issue s a s w e mov e fon/vard . 1 . Aircraft type : Th e Beec h 190 0 bein g propose d i s a majo rste p backward fro m th e Saa b 34 0 whic h ha s service d u s fo rman yyears an d th e CR J 20 0 whic h ha s jus t recentl ybee n servicin g us . Th e 19O0' s lac k o fa restroom , fligh t attendan t an d baggag e capacityar e obstacle s t o encouragin g passenge rutilization . 2 . Accessibility : Th e Brainer d Lake s Are a ha s ove r60 0 lake s an d thousand s o fwha t wer e onc e summe rcabin s whic h hav e nowbee n converte d t o year-roun d homes . Literall y tljousand s o fretirin g bab yboomers wil l b e comin g "home " frori i al l acros s th e country , hopefull ywit h th e disposabl e incom e t o trave l fo rleisur e o rfamily . Tha t agin g populatio n wil l hav e increasin g mobilit yissue s an d i s th e drivin g forc e fo rou rtermina l remode l project an d th e additio n o fa je t bridge . Unfortunately , th e Beec h 190 0 wil l onl ygroun d board , bot h here an d at MSP . Tha t i s somethin g w e clearl yhope d t o ge t ri d o fan d ou rtravelin g publi c wa s lookin g forwar d to . 3 . Scheduling : I knowtha t ever ycommunitywant s a n earl ymornin g departur e an d a lat e night/overnigh t arrival . Tha t i s extremel yimportan t t o th e busines s clientel e an d critica l fo r th e Airport' s survival . Ou rpas t performance s woul d indicat e tha t on e 1 9 seate rfo rmornin g

1 638 4 AIRPOR TROA D •SUITE S •BRAINERD , M N 5640 1 PHONE : 218-825-2 1 6 6 •EAX : 218-825-218 6 vvww.brainerdlnkesairport.co m - brdarpt'S'Urainerd.ne t l.t.?L!Al . OHf'(.)Kri.lNM > [.Mt'l-OYf- KDenni s DeVan y

Novembe r18 , 201 1 Pag e Tw o departure woul d no t b e adequat e s o schedulin g a secon d woul d b e ver ycritical . I knowthi s i s a n issu e w e wil l hav e t o wor k ou t wit h th e airline , bu t I fee l i t i s importan t tha t yo u ar e aware o fthi s concer n an d ar e willin g t o len d what assistanc e yo u ca n o rhel p u s encourag e large raircraft . 4 . Ticketin g an d baggag e handling : I t i s ess6n^rtt)^ t a n interlin e agreemen t i s i n plac e wit h Delt a tha t allow s fo rflo wthroug h baggag e Ti^nellin g an d ticketin g t o th e fina l destination . Passengers wil l no t suppor t separat e ticketin g procedure s o rhavin g t o g o i n an d ou t ofAirpor

t security . Ticke t pricin g i s als o a majo rconcer n a s mos t trave l decision s are mad e base d o n botto m lin e dolla rcosts . 5 . Financia l stability : Althoug h th e EA S progra m ha s bee n aroun d fo rclos e t o 4 0 years , i t i s receivin g muc h more attentio n todaytha n i n th e past . Th e futur e o fth e progra m i s certainl y contentiou s t o sayth e least . Great Lake s i s ver yrelian t o n EA S subsid ydollars an d thei r futur e woul d appea rt o b e questionabl e i fth e progra m wer e t o g o away . Wha t protection s are afforde d t o th e communityi n th e even t o fprogra m los s o rGreat Lake s ow n financia l viability ? Finally , w e nee d t o b e assure d tha t th e airlin e ha s th e capacityan d abilit yt o adjus t fo rou r seasona l fluctuations . Summe ri s a n importan t tim e i n th e Lake s Area . O n behal fofth e Airport Commissio n an d myself , than k yo u fo rgivin g consideratio n t o thes e concerns . 1 appreciat e th e difficul t tas k yo u hav e wit h 2 4 communitie s at on e tim e al l wantin g th e sam e things . Wit h you rassistance , w e wil l d o ou rutmos t t o nTak e thi s work . Sincerely , Stev e D . Sleve k Airpor t Manage r r m cc : Th e Honorabl e Am yKlobucha r Th e Honorabl e A l Franke n Th e Honorabl e Chi p Cravaac k