## MICHIGAN STAT E UNIVERSIT Y 

### OEl^\RTMh^! T O F Mv'NSPORl/VHOI' i 'OCKh]OPEHAIiON S 

## mm

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## i : 5

b Docke t Managemen t

Facilit y U.S
. Departmen t

o f Transportatio n 120 0 Ne w Jerse y Avenue , S E Wes t Buildin g Groun dFloor , Roo mW12-14 0 Washington , D C 2059 0 Februar y 8 , 201 2 Re : Su n Country.Slot.Exemption , Docke t Numbe r FAA-2012-008 9 Ladie s an dGentlemen :

WASHINGTO N OFFIC E

499S.CapitotSi..S W

Suite 500 A Washinglon , D

C 20003*4013 ' 202-MSU-400 0 FAX - 202-488-059 0 A s yo u know , Su n Countr y ha s requeste da

n exemptio n fro

mth e slo t limi t fo r Ronal dReaga

n Washingto n Nationa l Airport (DCA ) set

fort h i n § 93.123(a) , t o permi t th e Federal Aviatio n Administratio n (FAA ) t o creat e ai r carrie r slot s durin g certai n limite dhour s fo r Su n Country' s use . Th e propose dair carrie r slot s woul dreplac e tw o slo t

exemption s under

DO T Orde r

2010-12-1 6 awarde dt o Su n Country
. O n Januar

y 6 , 2012 , th e Unite dState s Cour t o f Appeal s fo

r th e Distric t o f Columbi aCircui t

vacate dth e DO T Orde r

an dSun Country will los e it s existin g servic e betwee n DC A an dLansing , Michigan , Capito l Regio n International Airport
. Specifically , Sun Countr y desire s on e dail y slo t

durin g eac h o f th e 1000 an d1100 hours
. Th e propose dexemptio n woul dpermi t Sun Countr y t o continu e operatin g it s existin g service s an davoi da n inequitabl e resul t ofth e Court' s order
. Su n Countr y i s vita l to th e Michigan Stat e Universit y (MSU ) community
. I

t provide s efficient

an dessentia l trave l fro

mLansin g t o th e federa

l agencie s i

n Washington
. I

n FYIO , thes e agencie s provide d6 6 percen t o f al l o f MSU' s :researc h funds.-A s you-know,-university-based-researchcontributes.toboth

maintainin g U.S
. technologica l leadershi p world-wid e an dt o buildin g ne w innovativ e businesse s an dindustr y i n th e region
. Th e direc t

flight s als o ensur e tha t MS U faculty , student s an dstaf f ar e abl e to directl y trave l t o Washingto n t o provid e valuabl e insight

an ddat ato polic y maker s o n topic s o f importanc e to th e university , th e stat e an dth e nation
. Th e Su n Countr

y DCA servic e i s essentia l no t onl y t o researc h progres s an d innovativ e growt

h but t o th e overal l economi c recover y o f ou r region
. Th e dail y servic e i s th e only larg e aircraf t (737-800 ) servic e t o DCA i n th e stat e o f Michigan outsid e o f

Detroit
. Prio r

to Sun Country , th e regional community had requeste dth e introductio n o f thi s servic e fro

mnumerou s othe r

airlin e operator s withou t success . Accordingly , i

t i s critica l tha

t th e FA A tak e th e necessar

y step s

MS U I S a n alliimalive-sclion
. equsl-oppoflunit y Instilution
.to ensur e th e continuatio n ofth e Sun Countr y slot s a t th e establishe dfligh

t time s i n suppor t o f Greate r Lansing' s busines s an deconomi c growth
. You r immediat e approval o f

thi s exemption , s o tha

t Su n Countr y ca n star t to ente r fligh t schedule s fo

r sale s fo r th e balanc e o f

2012 , will b e greatl y appreciated
. Sincerely ,
Sara h Walte r Associat e Vic e President.for.Govemmental.Affair s Michigan Stat e Universit

y

Cc ; Mar

k Bumham Vic e Presiden t

fo r Governmenta l Affair s Michigan Stat e Universit

y