00T-0Sr-l^nV"l2X(^ 

e ARTr.^rK;T 0 ^ 

us . Deportment of i ,:; v^/LlV'^':wi ;J 1200 New jersey Avenue, SE 

Transportation Washington, DC 20590 

Office Of the Secretary ''^ :;M1 ! 3 A 10- 2U 

of Transportation 

^AR 9 20i2 

The Honorable Dan Benishek, M.D. 

U.S. House of Representatives 

Washington, DC 20515 

Dear Congressman Benishek: 

Thank you for your March 7 letter forwarding correspondence from Mr. Duane DuRay, 

Airport Manager of the Gogebic-Iron County Airport in Lronwood. He expressed 

concerns about the Essential Air Service (EAS) situation at Ironwood, particularly the 

flight schedule proposed by Great Lakes Aviation, Ltd. (Great Lakes). 

As you may know, on October 20, 2011, the U.S. Department of Transportation issued 

Order 2011-10-15, requesting proposals from carriers interested in providing EAS at 

Ironwood and/or Rhinelander, Wisconsin, for a two-year period, with or without subsidy. 

In response to Order 2011-10-15, Great Lakes was the only carrier to submit a proposal 

and by Order 2012-3-5, March 7, 2012, the Department selected Great Lakes. 

While Great Lakes' proposal meets the core objective of the program, we understand the 

community's concerns regarding scheduling and reliability issues and will work with 

them and Great Lakes to optimize the service. 

As is our normal practice in such matters, I am placing a copy of your letter and my 

response in DOT-OST-1996-1266, the official records of this case. Should you have any 

additional questions regarding the EAS program, please do not hesitate to contact me at 

(202) 366-1061. 

Sincerely yours, 

Dennis J. DeVany 

Chief, Essential Air Service Division, X-53 

Office of Aviation Analysis 
DAN BENISHEK M.D. ^,,^ „ _ . „ ,.. 

514 Cannon House Office Buifdtng 

MEMBER OF CONGRESS i»/,,t.i„„t„„ n r w;ir^970 i 

.^» ^ V / ^ V ' V /*y Washington, UC zUbl>-^zUl 

RrstDistrict, Michigan COHgte^S^ Of ti}t Winitth ^tatt ^ (202)225 4735 

www.benishGk.house.gov 

^ou^e of i^eprc^entatibesJ 

March 7, 2012 

Mr. Dennis J. DeVany 

Chief, Essential Air Service Division, X-53 

Office of Aviation Analysis 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

400 7^*" Street SW 

Washington, D.C. 20050 

Dear Mr. DeVany: 

I am writing on behalf of the passengers of Gogebic-Iron County Airport (IWD) and the need for a 

workable flight schedule. 

First and foremost, I appreciate Great Lakes Airlines proposal to continue air service to the IWD 

after Frontier Airlines decided to exit the market. However, I am disappointed that the currently 

proposed flight schedule does not support the local passenger needs or Essential Air Service (EAS) 

program requirements. 

It is my understanding that EAS airlines and airports have a responsibility to provide service that 

takes into account passenger needs and connecting flights. In the case of the IWD, business 

passengers must be able to meet their connecting flights in Minneapolis, MN (MSP) at a reasonable 

time. With the current flight schedule proposed by Great Lakes Airlines, the arrival time in MSP will 

not effectively coincide with the connecting flight banks. 

If the currently proposed flight schedule is not altered, I am concerned passenger utilization at the 

IWD will diminish due to scheduling and reliability concerns. This loss could have an adverse effect 

on business and recreational travel, thus further hurting Michigan's struggling economy. 

Enclosed is data provided to my office by Mr. Duane Duray, Airport Manager, IWD, regarding 

enplanement/deplanement numbers and flight schedules from 2008. I trust that the U.S. 

Department of Transportation will consider this information and the adverse effect an unviable 

flight schedule will have on the residents of the Upper Peninsula. 

Sincerely, 

Dan Benishek M.D. 

Member of Congress 

Michigan's First District 

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(ft 11 

1 
GOGEBIC-IRON COUNTY AIRPORT 

E5560 Airport Road, Ironwood, Michigan 49938 

Phone: (906) 932-3121 Fax; (906) 932-4401 

FRONTIER AIRLINES 

Flight Schedule Subject to Change 

1 

Iror^wood to Milwaukee 

Departs 

5:12 a.m. 

10:12 a.m. 

4:43 p.m. 

Arrives 

6:50 a.m 

11:52 a.m. 

6:23 p.m. 

'*• ' 

Frequency 

Daily, except Sunday 

Sunday Only 

Daily, except Saturday 

Flight« 

1972 

1956 

1970 

Milwaukee to IronwOiCKt . | 

Departs 

2:35 p.m. 

7:45 p.m. 

Arrives 

4:18 p.m. 

9:28 p.m. 

Frequency 

Daily 

Daily, except Saturday 

Flight n 

1973 

1908 

^%.t:!.lf¥ ^ 

"Begin Your Journey Here - Fly Frontier" 

GOGEBIC-IRON COUNTY AIRPORT 

E5560 Airport Road, lror\wood, Michigan 49938 

Phone: (906) 932-3121 Fax: (906) 932-4401 

FRONTIER AIRLINES 

Flight Schedule Subject to Change 

Ironwood t o Milwaukee | 

Departs 

5:12 a.m. 

10:12 a.m. 

4:43 p.m. 

Arrives 

6:50 a.m. 

11.52 a.m. 

6:23 p.m. 

Frequency 

Daily, except Sunday 

Sunday Only 

Daily, except Saturday 

Flight # 

1972 

1956 

1970 

Milwaukee/Rhinelander to Ironwood | 

Departs 

2:35 p.m. 

7:45 p.m. 

Arrives 

4:18 p.m. 

9:28 p.m. 

Frequency 

Daily 

Daily, except Saturday 

Flight tt 

1973 

3908 

"Begin Your Journey Here - Fly Frontier" 
GREAT LAKES AIRLINES 

FLIGHT SCHEDULE 

Effective June 1,2008 

ARRIVALS 

FLIGHT # 

7197 

7182 

FLIGHT # 

Same 

Weekdays 

TIME 

10:11 a.m. 

4:26 p.m. 

Saturdays 

TIME 

as 

FROM 

MKE 

MKE 

FROM 

weekdays. 

DEPARTURES 

FLIGHT# 

7198 

7183 

FLIGHT # 

Same 

Weekdays 

TIME 

10:21 a.m. 

4:36 p.m. 

Saturday? 

TIME 

as 

TO 

MKE 

MKE 

TO 

weekdays. 

FLIGHT # 

Same 

Sundays 

TIME 

as 

FROM 

weekdays. 

FLIGHT # 

Same 

Sundays 

TIME 

as 

TO 

weekdays. 
Great Lakes Aviation, Ltd. 

ftnrvus! Compsn&aliQrv Requ)ren?fints fc- Esseriisi Air Seivce st 

Ironvtfood, Michigan to Minneapolis/St. Paul (MSP ) 

Tv;o Round Trips • B1900 

95.0% compi«{(Oti (actor 

DspsrtLjrffS 

Biocic Hours 

Revenue Passenger Miles 

Avsiisble Sea: Miies 

':,22r 

1 '22 000 

Operating Revenues' 

PasseTigar IWO-MSP e.OOO psgrssl .S3T92 SSSr.KO 

Otn.Sf (St C 52VJ af passenns^ rei.'erws) 

To^tai Oper3l'.r>3 R^v^ny^s 

$3771 

ssso.-si 

Operating expenses 

Direct AiTcraft and Huii insursna* 

Puri sfic Oi! 

FK"ng Operations 

Marnienance 

$.182,565 

5765,0^5 

S2.'i4,E97 

5'JJUl,4Sf 

Total 0 rec Expenses 

Tola! (Id reel Expenses 

Tela' OpereJinc Expenses 

S1.507.;S5 

S&S2 536 

S2.16?,B35 

Operat ig Loss 

Prafst ESsmen: [5 0% of Tots) Op&'ating Experissi;! 

Annus! Compensation Requirenrant; 

"- {IWD] IRONWOOD. M(CHIG*.N ' " 

DEPARTURESFLT DPT ARR 

.2702: . rwi>- •• •ta4& 

! 

TO 

•.MSP 

E5P 

S108.452 

$1,747,326 

FREQ 

.- ARRIVAL S 

FLT EQP FREQ FROW DPT ARR 

;7Jfe "8pS DafSjr . . ftSSf? : &^"*v 'ia34S6r: 

No Upline Scheduling Restritttons