Category: Quincy Regional Airport

Aeronautics Committee exploring options for supervisor at airport

Posted by mhopf – May 21, 2013

The Aeronautics Committee will continue looking at options to have someone oversee the Quincy Regional Airport, after the Federal Aviation Administration told the city it would like an on-site manager.

Director of Human Resources Doug Olson told the committee Monday that a union employee has taken a “quasi-supervisor” role at the airport, potentially causing issues, as union employees are not allowed to hold supervisor roles over other union employees.

“We feel we need to move forward with some type of either manager or supervisor to alleviate that problem,” he said.

The airport hasn’t had a manager or director whose sole responsibility was the airport since Marty Stegeman also began serving as interim director of the Quincy Transit Lines in 2009.

Stegeman is now serving as the airport director on an interim basis. He is the director of Central Services and the Quincy Transit Lines.

“Marty can’t be in all these places at the same time,” Olson said.

Stegeman said the city will have to get specific criteria from the FAA on what type of supervisor they would like to see at the airport.

“Even back when I was doing it as interim transit director, (the FAA) had expressed some concerns that (duties) might slip, which through time it has,” he said. “(The FAA’s) concern is without someone on site managing day-to-day business … that this will continue to slip.”

Number of Cape Air passengers flying in 2011
out of Quincy airport already tops 2010 totals

Posted by mhopf – December 13, 2011

More than 9,000 people should fly out of Quincy Regional Airport this year, which would be well above the 7,795 that flew out in 2010.

Quincy Regional Airport Manager Marty Stegeman told the Aeronautics Committee Monday that Cape Air  reported that 859 people flew out in November. A total of 8,337 have flown out of Quincy Regional Airport in 2011.

The airline started a four-year contract through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Essential Air Service program earlier this month.

Damage from the June windstorm has been repaired, though the committee will have to address the sign visible from Ill. 104. The sign was damaged during the storm.

The airport has $11,200 remaining in insurance money from the storm damage.

The committee discussed the options for signs, including the installation of a digital sign, which would be smaller than the current sign.

Stegeman said if the airport installs a digital sign similar to one installed at Salem Evangelical United Church of Christ, it could cost as much as $25,000. Money would have to come from another fund, which could include money from the hangar fund. The city generates approximately $83,000 from the account.

The committee agreed to allow Stegeman to send requests to various sign contractors to get cost estimates for different types of signs, including signs that are not digital. Any decisions on replacing the current sign is likely months away.

Cape Air set to start new contract on Dec. 1

Posted by mhopf – September 30, 2011

Officials from Cape Air updated members of the Quincy Exchange Club on air service it has provided from Quincy Regional Airport since 2009.

David Terry, a regional director of Cape Air, reviewed many of the details of the company’s four-year contract to provide service to St. Louis from Quincy Regional Airport. The new contract starts Dec. 1.

This includes the opening of a maintenance facility within at Quincy Regional Airport, opening a downtown ticket office and a shuttle in St. Louis to allow passengers transferring to a different flight to avoid going through security again.

Terry also mentioned the airline’s plan to replace its fleet of Cessna 402s, which were last produced in the 1980s.

“Right now, we are working with a couple manufacturers to build a new nine-seat aircraft for us, which will be the future of Cape Air,” he said.

Terry said it was at least two years down the road the airlines began to receive new planes.

When asked whether the airline is pursuing a gate in Chicago at O’Hare International Airport, Terry said it was explored, but it would create a challenge for Cape Air, including the $1.5 million cost to obtain a gate.

“It’s a long flight. It’s about a two-hour flight or more in a Cessna 402, which is challenging for us,” he said. “We don’t have restrooms. We don’t have flight attendants. So it’s going to be a real challenge for our operation to make that happen.”

Airport Manager Marty Stegeman said through August there have been 5,843 people to fly out of Quincy on Cape Air. This is up from 4,836 through August of 2010. Stegeman said unofficial numbers for September are above 800.

Under the new contract, Cape Air will receive an annual subsidy of $1.96 million.

Order giving Cape Air four-year contract at Quincy Regional Airport

Posted by mhopf – April 11, 2011

The U.S. Department of Transportation posted the order giving Cape Air a four-year contract to provide passenger air service out of Quincy Regional Airport on Monday.

Cape Air will receive an annual subsidy of $1.96 million through the Essential Air Service Program during the contract, which starts Dec. 1. The airline receives $1.95 in its current contract.

The order also awarded Cape Air the contract to provide air servie from Marion, Ill. and Cape Girardeau, Mo.

U.S. Department of Transportation order

Letter of support for air service anticipated by month’s end

Posted by mhopf – January 19, 2011

Quincy Mayor John Spring said he hoped to send a letter of support for one of the airlines by the end of the month as bids to provide air service to the Quincy Regional Airport were submitted to the U.S. Department of Transportation by current air service provider Cape Air and St. Louis based Air Choice One.

“I’ll publicly say that I’m extremely high on Cape Air, but I will certainly listen to any proposals that are good for our community and good for the region,” he said. “But I do have to say that Cape Air has exceeded all expectations.”

The comment period for the proposals ends Feb. 14., and the Department of Transportation is expected to award the service 30-60 days later.

Cape Air has proposed continuing service to St. Louis, and has asked for a four-year contract. The airline offered two proposals, one offering 36 round trips to St. Louis and the other offering 42, which would mean six round-trip flights daily. Currently only three are offered on Saturday and Sunday.

Air Choice One has proposed three options for a two-year air service contract to Quincy. One would provide 36 round trips per week — 18 to St. Louis and 18 to Chicago. The other two would provide 36 round trips to either Chicago or St. Louis.

Air Choice One proposal submitted to the U.S. Department of Transportation

Cape Air proposal submitted to the U.S. Department of Transportation

Request for proposals from the U.S. Department of Transportation