## Swanson , Bria n (OST ) l>or-osr-i<l11-'3^0 g From : Mik e Petri k [aviatorsOmidrivers.com ] Sent : Friday , Januar y21 , 201 1 1:2 1 P M To : Swanson , Bria n (OST) Subject : Commen t o n EA S i n Montan a Januar y21 , 201 1 Denni s DeVan y Chief , Essentia l ArrServic e Division , X-5 3 Offic e o fAviatio n Analysi s U . S . Departmen t o fTransportaio n 120 0 Ne wJerse yAve , S E Washington , D C 2059 0 RE : Commen t o n EA

S i n Montan a Dea rMr . DeVany , Richlan d Aviatio n base d i n Sidney , M Tha s bee n th e fuel , hangar , an d o n cal l maintenanc e vendo rfo rth e EA S airlin e a tSidne ysinc e 1 971 . Richlan d Aviatio n woul d hav e appreciate d th e opportunit yt o expres s thei rapprova l o fGrea t Lake s Airlines . Hov^'ever , Richlan d Aviatio n wa s neve rconsulte d b yth e M TEA S tac k forc e whe n th e tas k forc e wa s considerin g Culfstrea m Int' l Airline s base d i n Ft . Lauderdale , F Lfo r th e EA S contract . Accordin g t o ne wreports , Culfstrea m wil l contrac t wit h Billing s fo rfueling . Therefore , i fCulfstrea m Int' l get s th e contrac t t o provid e essentia l ai rservic e a t Sidney , th e Sidne yAirpor t Authorit ywil l los e roughl y$ 1 5,00 0 a yea ri n loca l fue l flo wtax . Richlan d Aviatio n wil l certainl ylos e th e fue l storag e an d handlin g busines s tha t Crea t Lake s ha s utilize d faithfull yfo rove rtw o years . Richlan d Aviatio n realize s tha t th e inten t o fth e EA S progra m i s NO Tt o suppor t airport s an d airpor t businesses . However , ou rexperienc e wit h Crea tLake s ha s bee n exceptiona l fro m a busines s poin t o fview . The yneve rgo t behin d o n thei rbill . I t i s Richlan d Aviation' s opinio n tha tfinancia l soundnes s an d responsibilit ysay s a lo t abou t th e overal l qualit yo fa smal l regiona l airline . Accordin g t o variou s new s media , Culfstrea m Int' l file d fo rChapte r1 1 bankruptc yI n Novembe r2010 . Obviously , I a m concerne d abou t that . Richlan d Aviatio n wa s stunne d b yth e 6- 1 vot e i n favo ro fCulfstream . Richlan d Aviatio n ha s bee n a n FBO an d Part 1 3 5 o n deman d ai rtax i operato ri n easter n Montan a fo ralmos t 4 0 years . We kno who wdifficul t th e busines s o faviatio n ca n b e i n Montana . However , w e ar e convince d tha t th e averag e airlin e consume ri s NO Tawar e o fthes e difficulties . Unfortunately , I' m afrai d tha t th e airlin e consume r complaint s wer e th e onl yfacto rtha t wa s considere d b yth e M TEA S tas k force . Man yo fthes e complaint s com e fro m event s suc h a s weathe ran d airpor t maintenanc e tha t ar e beyon d th e airline' s control . Richlan d Aviatio n i s no t alon e whe n w e questio n wha tsourc e th e tas k forc e use d t o bas e thei rdecision . I understan d tha t recentl yCrea t Lake s o n tim e performanc e fo rsom e flight s ha s bee n poor . However , anothe rsourc e ha s tol d m e tha t Crea t Lake s boarding s ar e u p significantl yfo rthi s tim e perio d fro m a yea rago . I' m afrai d tha t th e EA S tas k forc e I s misinforme d o rjus t want s a differen t airlin e n o matte rwhat . Richlan d Aviatio n i s confuse d abou t th e new s report s wher e som e o fth e tas k forc e member s asser t tha t th e Montan a peopl e wan tt o g o t o Billings . Eve n thoug h I haven' t see n an ypubli copinio n poll s t o prov e that . Grea t Lake s DOE S hav e flight s tha t g o t o Billings ! Subsidize d ai rservic e i n Montan a i s NO Tintende d t o b e th e ta xpaye rfunde d persona l airlin e fo ra fe wsel fimportan tpeopl e wh o onl yhav e reaso n t o g o t o Billing s o rHelena ! Eve n wit h ta xpaye rsubsidy . Bi g Sk yAirline s wen t ou t o fbusines s flyin g t o an d fro m Billings .

Culfstrea m an d Grea t Lake s bot h operat e th e sam e typ e o fbusiness , wit h th e sam e equipment , i n th e sam e busines s environment , the n give n Culfstream' s history , wh ywoul d an yreasonabl e perso n expec tbette rservic e fro m Culfstream ? Richlan d Aviatio n i s happ yt o hav e Crea t Lake s a s th e EA S airlin e an d ar e disappointe d tha t w e hav e no t bee n considere d i n th e decisio n makin g process . Richlan d Aviatio n hope s tha t yo u wil l overtur n th e M TEA S tas k force s decision . Also , I ti s ou runderstandin g tha t th e FBOs a tLewistown , Havre , Glasgow , an d Mile s Cit yalon g wit h som e o fth e correspondin g airpor t board s D O NO TAGRE E wit h th e tas k force' s decision . Pleas e retai n Crea t Lake s fo rth e EA

S contrac t i n Montana .

### Thanks

Mike Petri k Manage r Richlan d Aviatio n 54 4 Airpor t Roa

d P. O . Bo x70 1 Sidney , MT5927 0 Ph : (406)482-183 2 Ceil : (406 ) 489-035 6 Fax : (406)482-183 4 Email : aviatQrs@rpidrivers.con i Internet : www.richlandaviation.co m Cc : Bria n Swanson , Essentia l Ai rService Divisio n

Dou g Voss , Creat Lakes Airline s 

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