U.S. Department of 

Transportation 

Office of the Secretary 

Of Transportation 

The Honorable Joe Donnelly 

United States Senate 

Washington, DC 20510 

Dear Senator Donnelly: 

1200 New Jersey Ave., S.E. 

Washington, DC 20590 

Thank you for your letter supporting the application submitted by the Fort Wayne-Allen County 

Airport Authority for a grant under the U.S. Department of Transportation's Small Community 

Air Service Development Program. 

The Small Community Air Service Development Program was established to help smaller 

communities address air service deficiencies, particularly issues related to high airfares or 

insufficient service. Under the statute, the Department may make a maximum of 40 grant 

awards each year, although no more than four awards may be to communities in the same State. 

In order to provide communities with latitude in developing solutions to their air service 

deficiencies, the statute provides flexibility in the types of projects that can be funded. 

On June 24, the Department issued an order setting a deadline of July 26 for applications. As 

these grant requests are pending before the Department, I cannot comment on the merits of any 

particular proposal. I assure you that the Department will give full and fair consideration to all 

proposals that have been properly filed. 

As is our standard practice, I am placing a copy of your letter and this response in Docket 

DOT-OST-2013-0120 as a contact outside the record ofthis matter. I appreciate your interest in 

this program. 

ice Development 
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JOE DONNELLY SUITE 720 

INDIANA HART BUILDING 

WASHINGTON, DC 20510-1406 

(202) 224-4814 

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August 9, 2013 

Brooke Chapman, Associate Director 

Small Community Air Service Development Program 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

1200 New Jersey Ave, SE W86-310 

Washington, DC 20590 

Dear Ms. Chapman, 

One of my top priorities in the Senate is to help foster an environment for economic growth. 

Because adequate transportation is essential for development, I support the Fort Wayne-Allen 

County Airport Authority (FW ACAA) application for funding through the Small Community 

Air Service Development Program. 

The'NOriheastlri.diaha region has become a sought-after area for business development and 

company relocatiop.. Air service is a critical component of success for area businesses in a robust 

and d;iire(s~, econ,omy. SpeCifically, access to a northeast hub has never been more important to 

the C:oi:nmunity whose ilir service needs have quickly outgrown the hub destinations available at 

Fort Wayne International Airport. In addition, the airport loses more than sixty percent of its 

passenger traffic to nearby airports that have more nonstop destinations. 

The FW ACAA and Fort Wayne community are continuing their long-term air service 

development efforts with the current effort to bring US Airways/ American Airlines ser-vice to the 

Philadelphia International Airport.· The requested Small Community Air Service Development 

Program grant funds will be matched with significant local dollars that will be used for airline 

incentives to reduce the .. tisk ofsta:rtir1g ti:tis service. 

I encourage a favorable review of the FWACAA proposal, in accordance with U.S. law and 

public policy, in ·order to help Fort Wayne improve its access to the National Transportation 

System by attracting service-to Philadelphia on the new US Airways/American Airlines. Thank 

you. 

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Senator 1oeHklririeHy · · -~= _-, ·- ... ·-:.:·., ,: ... 

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