CHEYENNE - The president of the Cheyenne Regional Airport Board is optimistic that a second airline will be added here soon.
But it is not a lock, another airport official says.
"It's all but a done deal," said Frank Gerstenkorn, president of the airport board, on Friday.
He was referring to negotiations between the board and officials from a second air carrier.
"I'm very, very enthused," he said. "We're going to have an announcement soon."
But no one has signed off on a final document. A few details must be worked out, so Gerstenkorn said he couldn't say when an announcement might come.
He would not release the name of the airline Friday.
"I wish I could," he said.
The airport board doesn't disagree with any proposals in its discussion with the airline, he said.
"We're very happy," Gerstenkorn added.
If a new air carrier starts at the Cheyenne airport, it would be in addition to Great Lakes Airlines, the existing air carrier.
"These two airlines will not compete with each other for ridership," Gerstenkorn said, adding they would have different routes.
A new airline would expand, not duplicate services, he said.
Tim Barth is director of aviation at the Cheyenne airport. He said he also is hopeful about a new air carrier coming, but he couldn't say when.
Barth did not seem quite as optimistic as Gerstenkorn when interviewed on Thursday.
"We're having ongoing discussions with an air carrier right now," he said.
"But we are not at a point where anything is set in concrete."
Some issues must be worked out, Barth said. For one, officials from the airline are looking at the density altitude issue.
Gerstenkorn agreed with that, saying some airplanes don't perform as well at high altitudes.
Density altitude occurs during times of high temperatures with planes at high altitudes. Some airplanes at 6,000 feet can function as if they are at 8,500 or 9,000 feet, Barth said. They can't take on full fuel and passenger loads.
Gerstenkorn said, "It is always an issue because flight safety is a huge consideration. This particular airline has some other aircraft they fly, and we would hope eventually they could introduce them to the route."
At 6,160 feet, Cheyenne Regional Airport is considered "a high altitude" airfield that has weight restrictions on aircraft, Barth said.
"(The airline officials) are trying to look at it from the perspective of how many seats can they fill versus how many they have to leave empty so the plane is at a proper weight to operate safely," he added.
An aircraft that may need only 6,000 feet of runway to safely take off in the winter requires 9,000 feet during hot summer days, he said.
The Cheyenne airport's main runway is 9,270 feet long and its cross-wind runway is 6,690 feet.
Airline officials have to look at all factors, including the cost of fuel, density altitude, whether there are any obstructions and whether the route can be profitable.
The airport board decided in January to look for a second airline to increase air traffic.
Forecasts showed the airport could see fewer than 10,000 enplanements in 2014. An enplanement is a passenger who boards an airplane and takes off from an airport.
If the Cheyenne airport fell below that number, it would lose $1 million a year in federal entitlement money.
The airport did not meet the 10,000 goal in 2014. It is likely to lose funding unless the U.S. Congress changes a fairly new federal law.
Great Lakes officials and other airlines have seen drops in passengers over the last year. They blame the law, saying it caused a pilot shortage.
The law, which became an FAA rule, requires copilots to have more flying time. They can't work until they get the extra training.
Original article can be found here: http://www.wyomingnews.com
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment