HomeMy Public PortalAbout2019.02.07 AAC letter Correspondence EricksonFebruary 7, 2019
TO: McCall Idaho Municipal Airport Advisory Committee
FROM: Alana Erickson/”Exodus Flying Service”
CC: Melvin Waggoner, Rod Nielsen, Jackie Aymon
Dear ACC Members:
I apologize for my late attendance at today’s meeting – as I mentioned Jay put me on the agenda
contrary to our conversation this week. It was only when a friend forwarded me the agenda yesterday
that I found out and I’d already booked a meeting at noon.
I don’t know why he would do that unless it was to show that there is interest in a “terminal”, or
possibly he misunderstood me, but either way it was not optimal to have this initial conversation
without being prepared and having done the proper application. Additionally, my current employer was
represented there, and I had not yet had the chance to have a conversation with them about this
project. Some damage control will be required now I imagine.
The concept I was interested in pursuing was to take advantage of the underserved local population as
well as the ever-increasing influx of new residents and visitors in a way that would not necessarily
compete with the existing operators, but to absorb business that they either don’t have the capacity for
or desire to serve. I would operate under an existing part 135 as a DBA. My goal after determining if
there was adequate demand and if the cost/profit structure was feasible was to approach the existing
operators to see if they would like to partner with me.
As far as my company/business plan, I had asked Jay two months ago for costs related to the tenant
improvements and monthly lease/overhead rates. I reminded him a couple of times via email. When
we spoke a couple of days ago, he said he had not had the chance to put the numbers together, plus he
thought I wanted to do scheduled service – none of the documents I shared with him said anything
other than “on-demand”, but of course we have discussed EAS and some other ideas. The point of that
is that if I were a scheduled operator, it would require 1,400 SF and two restrooms (although I can’t find
anything in the FARS so it must be a city requirement for part 135).
When I clarified that, he said that made things simpler, but that he’d been out of town and thus unable
to run numbers. I said I understood, but that without those base operating costs I wouldn’t be able to
make a go/no-go decision about the prospective company. I asked him to get me numbers in a week or
two and be tabled until the March meeting. We were also to meet in January with GEM air and the
skydiving operator to see who needed what and could contribute or not. This never transpired.
I believe in free competition and I believe that the mission/vision of the AAC is to facilitate market
competition as the airport is a public property. The lack of infrastructure is a clear roadblock to
operators entering the McCall market, and roadblocks such as I’ve mentioned above would make it very
difficult for anyone to start a new business on the field. If there is a city mission to provide more robust
service, let’s make it a better more transparent process to facilitate this goal.
I think Jay does a fine job, has good vision for growing and improving the airport and has done so many
good things during his tenure, but perhaps this is an example of a need for additional resources for him
to manage this complex facility and operation.
If this situation hasn’t precluded it, I hope to be flying in some fashion locally this summer. So, I’d like to
respectfully request some information from either yourselves or the airport manager as a taxpaying
local resident.
1. Where are the requirements that an on-demand part 135 operator have 1,000 square feet and
one bathroom? I have looked on the city and AAC website and cannot find this requirement
anywhere.
2. As of 15:00 today, none of the minutes from this year are posted on the website – I’d like to ask
that the minutes from today be amended to include this document under the “Exodus Flying
Service (action item)” section as I was unable to properly represent myself for the reasons noted
above.
Thank you all for your service to our community and I appreciate you taking the time to read this
clarification.
Sincerely,
Alana Erickson
PO Box 384
McCall, ID 83638
208-315-4141