September 20, 2011 

Michael Martin 

United States Department of Transportation 

Office of Aviation Analysis 

Essential Air Service Program 

Washington, D.C. 

Dear Mr. Martin: 

CODY YELLOWSTONE 

AIR IMPROVEMENT RESOURCES 

1131 131h Street Suite 106 

Cody~ WY 82414 

(307) 5-87-3] 36 

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We appreciate the opportunity to express our support for SkyWest Airlines proposal to prov'ii:fe Essential 

Air Service to Cody, Wyoming. As you might expect, we strongly encourage you to select them as a 

provider for our community. 

Our local community is served by the Cody Yellowstone Air Improvement Resources organization 

(CYAIR), a collection of local government officials and business leaders committed to enhancing air 

service to our community. As a collective body, we plan for our community's future air service needs 

and work to solve emerging challenges in an ever changing aviation industry. The group has considered 

SkyWest's proposal and herein, offer our support for the proposal as one united voice. This letter serves 

as our official community response to the EAS Proposal as requested in your communication last week. 

Cody has enjoyed a long relationship with SkyWest and Delta, beginning in 1994. Many of our 

community residents have a great allegiance to that carrier, primarily duet~ its hub in Salt lake City. 

This hub has become a focal point for many residents of our community seeking advanced medical 

services, educational opportunities and also for religious purposes. The Salt lake Hub has also played a 

key role in Cody having year round, stable, and reliable air service in the past. losing this connection 

would be extremely detrimental to many people in our region. 

Cody is a community with strong tourism attractions and as such, relies on inbound air service to 

support many of our local small businesses. In recent years; however, we have seen growth in 

businesses that also rely on air service as a means to sustain and grow their enterprises. These 

businesses have specifically stated that consistent air service connections are critical in maintaining a 

viable business presence. In addition, air service is one of our leading business recruitment tools and 

key to our future economic success. 
The potential loss of the connection to the Salt lake hub also threatened our ability to maintain quality 

competition in the market and as a result, competitive fares and schedules. The SkyWest proposal 

creates an equal playing field with the other air seriice available in the community. SkyWest's inclusion 

of jet service and a schedule that enables good east/west connections at the hub, will ensure that 

passenger targets will be met and allow us to continue growing the users in this market area. 

Finally, in December of 2010, Yellowstone Regional Airport opened a new $12 million dollar terminal in 

Cody. We were making great strides in growing the usage of this airport and anticipate a record number 

of enplanements in 2011. We believe that commercial air service will con~inue to grow in our region. 

Awarding SkyWest this Essential Air Service contract will allow us to continue our work in creating 

passenger demand and establish a market base which will eventually be able to operate independent of 

subsidy programs. 

We strongly encourage you to support the SkyWest proposal. 

y 

owstone Air Improvement Resources 

ewton, Chairman of the Board 

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Alan K. Simpson 

U.S. Senator, Wyo. (Retired) 

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Claudia Wade, Executive Director 

Park County Travel Council 

s!~ve Director 

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on, Executive Director 

ild Sheep Foundation of America 

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