County airport gets development grant

The Charles M. Schulz -Sonoma County Airport (STS) was named a
recipient of a 2011 Small Community Air Service Development Program
(SCASDP) grant in the amount of $650,000, airport officials
announced in October.
STS plans to use the money to support nonstop air service to
Denver, Colorado, on Frontier Airlines.
“A Denver flight will allow locals the opportunity to fly east
through the well-connected and busy hub, and will enhance the
ability for visitors to fly into STS,” said Sonoma County Airport
Manager Jon Stout, in a media release.
A letter of support provided by Frontier Airlines, and many support
letters from the community, accompanied the grant application, said
Stout.
It was the second SCASDP grant the airport has received; the first
was awarded in 2004 when the airport was awarded $635,000, said
Stout.
The 2004 grant was used to support the 2007 launch of Horizon Air
service at STS. Airports are allowed three years in which to use
the grant funds, said Stout.
The letters of support, along with the airport’s success with its
last grant, were important factors in this year’s award, said
Stout.
Although the grant is not a guarantee that Frontier will start
service here, “it allows the airport and airline to begin the
negotiations and evaluations involved in initiating a route,” said
Stout.
If Frontier determines the route will be safe and profitable, it
may begin flights as early as June 2012.
An Embraer E-190 99-seat regional jet would be used to fly the
route and it is likely the new service would be seasonal at first,
said Stout.
“Frontier has been watching developments at the Airport,” said
Stout. “The lengthening of the runway, if approved, will increase
the likelihood of year-round daily flights.”
The SCASDP grants, issued by the U. S. Department of Transportation
(DOT) Office of Aviation Analysis, are designed to provide
financial assistance to small communities to help enhance air
service. The program is limited to a maximum of 40 grant awards and
a maximum of four grants per state in each year the program is
funded.
This year, Santa Rosa and Crescent City (awarded $200,000) were the
only California airports to receive grants.