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Subject: 

From: 

U.S. Department of 

Transportation 

Office of the Secretary 

of Transportation 

Authorizing EAS Payments for Cancelled Flights 

Resulting from Airport Closures 

A7~~f2/~ Dennis J. De~n~, Chief 

EAS & Domestic Analysis, X-53 

Memorandum 

Date: December 27, 2012 

Reply to A.J. Muldoon, X-53 

Attn. of: X-61058 

To: Greg Frazier, S-3.6 

On October 4th' 11th' and 14t\ 2012, Chadron Municipal Airport (Chadron, NE) experienced 

intermittent runway closures due to ongoing construction activity. Great Lakes Aviation, Ltd. 

(Great Lakes) provides subsidized Essential Air Service at this airport. As a result of these 

closures, Great Lakes was not able to operate some or all of its regularly scheduled flights on 

these dates. 

It has been our policy, on a case-by-case basis, to pay a subsidized carrier its usual subsidy rate 

when airports have been closed on the grounds that the circumstances are beyond the carrier's 

control and it would realize only minimal cost savings while losing all revenue. (E.g. the carrier 

would save on fuel and a portion of maintenance, but would be unable to return aircraft to lessors 

or lay off personnel.) Consistent with that precedent, we request that you compensate Great 

Lakes for flights that could not be operated at the following airports and dates: 

• Chadron, NE (CDR)- October 4, 11, and 14,2012. 

Attachments 

Cc: 

Great Lakes 
Muldoon, Albert (OST) 

Subject: Airport closures 

From: Milo Rust [mailto:publicworks@chadron-nebraska.com] 

Sent: Wednesday, December 26, 2012 10:52 AM 

To: Justin Irish 

Subject: [PossibleSpam] Re: Airport closures 

Justin Irish 

We still had construction on the Chadron Municipal Airport for the month of October. But we did not fully 

close the Airport to air traHic. Monday October 4th, October 11th, and October 14th we still had some 

construction going on at the airport. 

Milo Rust 

Public Works Director 

On 12/26/2012 8:15AM, Justin Irish wrote: 

Thank You Milo, 

The DOT is requesting an email specifically stating construction on October 4th, 1 fh, and 14th. The 

previous email below only specifies September 22-0ctober 1st Could you please confirm airport 

construction took place on those three days as well? 

Thanks again for your assistance. 

Justin Irish 

From: Milo Rust [mailto:publicworks@chadron-nebraska.com] 

Sent: Monday, December 24, 2012 12:05 PM 

To: Justin Irish 

Subject: Re: Airport closures 

Mr. Irish 

We sent an email to Great lakes out lining the times we had full closure of the airpmi. In 

October we had 02 -20 open or 11 -29 open during different phases of the construction process. 

HERE is a copy of the email sent to Mark Jensen the first time, 

(Mark Jensen 

The City of Chadron Municipal Airport was close for construction on all runways for 

Nine days. This full closure of the Airport started September 22, 2012 to September 30, 

2012. We reopened the airport for traffic on October 1, 2012. A copy of the email out 

lining the closures and times lines were sent to Mr Heying for your company by email on 

September 7, 2012 from Curtis Christianson of Olsson and Associates. If you need any 

other information please let me know. 

1 
Milo Rust 

Public Works Director 

City of Chadron 

308-432-0505 ) 

On 12/24/2012 10:49 AM, Justin Irish wrote: 

Hi Milo, 

I am hoping to get an email from you that I can pass on to the DOT in regards to some 

airport construction that took place on 10/4/12, 10/11/12, and 10/14/12. When you get a 

minute, could you please respond to this email that there was in fact construction these 

days please? 

Thanks for your help, 

Justin Irish 

AP Coordinator 

Great Lakes Aviation 

(307) 432-7055 

jirish(Zl)f1ygreatlakes.com 

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