HAWAII'S #t ISLAND HOPPER 

Monday, April14, 2014 

VIA FEDERAL EXPRESS 

Mr. Kevin D. Schlemmer 

Essential Air Service & Domestic Analysis Division 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

1200 New Jersey Ave., SE 

Washington, DC 20590 

Re: Docket DOT-OST-2000-6773: Application to Delay Award of Contract to Provide 

Essential Air Service at Kalaupapa, Hawaii commencing on or about May 31, 2014 

Dear Mr. Shlemmer: 

As you are aware, the undersigned is the President and CEO of Mokulele Flight Service, Inc. d/b/a 

Mokulele Airlines. Mokulele Airlines is one of four air carriers that submitted proposals in response to 

DOT Order 2013-10-3 requesting proposals to provide Essential Air Service ("EAS") at Kalaupapa, 

Hawaii for a contract term that was set to being on January 1, 2014. The existing contract with the 

incumbent provider expired on December 31, 2013 and the DOT had not concluded its review of the four 

proposals submitted in response to DOT Order 2013-10-3. Therefore, by DOT Order 2014-1-22 the 

contract term for the incumbent provider Schuman Aviation Company, Ltd d/b/a Makani Kai Charters was 

extended until May 31, 2014. Makani Kai Charters was also one ofthe four carriers submitting proposals 

in response to DOT Order 2013-10-3. 

Unfortunately, both Mokulele Airlines and Makani Kai Charters had aircraft in their fleet involved 

in accidents within the last 7 months. On October 21,2013 a Mokulele Cessna 208B was forced to make 

an emergency landing 13 miles south of the Kahului Airport (OGG) and sustained substantial damage. 

Fortunately, the two person crew and eight passengers were not injured in the emergency landing. On 

December 11, 2013 a Cessna 208B operated by Makani Kai Charters lost engine power and crashed into 

the Pacific Ocean near Kalaupapa, Hawaii. The Makani Kai Charter accident resulted in a fatality, three 

passengers were seriously injured and five other passengers sustained minor injuries. Both of these 

accidents are presently being investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board ("NTSB"). Copies 

of the NTSB's preliminary report's relating to these two accidents are attached hereto for your 

convemence. 

The NTSB' s investigation into both accidents is ongoing. The NTSB has not issued either its final 

factual report or its probable cause determination with respect to either of the accidents. NTSB is an 

independent Federal agency charged by Congress with investigating every civil aviation accident. The 

NTSB determines the probable cause of the accidents and issues safety recommendations aimed at 

preventing future accidents. The results of the NTSB's investigation into the two accidents is likely to 

73-350 t/'u Street: Koilw-I<Mo, Jl/ 967"10 

Of'fice: 8"08"-930-5015 Fqx.· 8"08"-326-!266' 

www·moA'ule/eoir/iiJes·com 
HAWA!I'S #t tSL.AND HOPPER 

provide the Department and general public with significant information relating to the safety of both 

Mokulele Airlines and Makani Kai Charters. The general public should have the benefit of the results of 

the NTSB investigation when commenting on the proposals presented. The public perception of each the 

carrier's may be impacted once the details and conclusions of the NTSB' s investigation are publically 

released. Therefore, the public should have the benefit of reviewing the NTSB' s conclusions before 

finalizing their comments. Additionally, the Department of Transportation should have the benefit of the 

NTSB' s conclusions when making a determination with respect to each of the carrier's proposals. 

For the foregoing reasons, Mokulele Airlines respectfully requests that the Department of 

Transportation delay further consideration and a determination with respect to the four proposals 

submitted in response to DOT Order 2013-10-3 until such time as the NTSB completes its investigations 

and the general public has an opportunity to review the results of the investigations and comment on the 

proposals. 

Enclosures 

cc: EAS@dot.gov 

Scott.faulk@dot.gov 

Sincerely, 

~P~·- Ron Hansen 

73-.350 t/'t1 Street Koilw-1<0/lq, Ill 96'7-70 

Oflice: 8'08"-930-5015 Fa-!': 8'08"-326'-126'6' 

www·molfulelePirlilles·com