By Mary Alice Murphy

The fourth applicant to provide essential air service to the Grant County Airport was contacted by telephone this morning for local officials to hear Mokulele Airlines proposal and to ask questions.

The other three applicants made their proposals about 10 days ago, also by telephone. Those applicants and their responses are covered in an article on the Beat at http://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/17731-county-and-community-officials-asked-questions-of-those-applying-for-essential-air-service .

Today, Sept. 29, 2014, Mokulele Airlines, primarily operating in Hawaii, but wishing to expand essential air services to the mainland, commented on its proposal.

On the phone, representing Mokulele were Owner/Chief Executive Officer Ron Hansen and Mickey Bowman, consultant.

"Over the past three years, we have rebuilt the company from a small regional airline," Hansen said. "We fly Cessna Grand Caravans, all of which we have replaced with new aircraft over the past year. We fly 22,000 passengers monthly on 120 flights a day. We are setting records with our on-time performance."

Hansen explained that he was calling from Scottsdale, Ariz., and that he splits his time between Arizona and Hawaii. "I was an airline pilot for 20 years. I started a couple of airlines. Mokulele has 76 pilots. All our flights have two pilots on board. We are expanding our essential air service from Hawaii to the mainland. We prefer to staff with local folks and will give the first shot to local pilots. If we start quickly, we would bring pilots from Hawaii."

He said the Cessna Grand Caravan is a single-engine turboprop that carries nine passengers. The aircraft has air-conditioning, but is not pressurized. "We cruise at 175 knots and fly below 10,000 feet," Hansen said.

To a question, he replied that flight time between Silver City and Albuquerque, which is the route proposed, would have a time of 1 hour 35 minutes blocked, with the actual flying time at about 1 hour 20 minutes.

Hurley Mayor Edward Encinas asked where the company would base its airplanes.

"We plan on Albuquerque," Hansen replied, "but we could consider basing the aircraft in Silver City, if the schedule is revised for an ealier morning flight."

Bowman said the original bid was based on the need for doctors to fly from Albuquerque to Silver City and back the same day. "This schedule is flexible. It is based on my experience with Mesa Airlines. I emphasize this proposal is a draft. I also remember the importance of decent fares. We propose $50 one way."

New Mexico Sen. Howie Morales, also representing Gila Regional Medical Center, asked: "because reliability is my biggest concern," where the reliability of flights being on time could be reviewed. Hansen said the times are reported on the Department of Transportation website.

Morales also asked about where recognitions and awards could be reviewed. Hansen said the airline had received no awards. "It was our internal records that were broken. I want to emphasize that with the replacement new aircraft, it has enhanced our record. For your area, the airplane would be fresh from the factory. It is earmarked for essential air service."

Hansen suggested anyone with questions could contact the Honolulu Federal Aviation Administration for answers. "Our maintenance is the best in the Pacific area. We operate under the same maintenance standards as larger airlines, such as Delta and United. Our director of maintenance came to us from Virgin America Airlines."

Priscilla Lucero, Southwest New Mexico Council of Governments executive director and facilitator of the phone calls, asked if Mokulele were expanding EAS anywhere near Silver City.

"We have EAS in Hawaii," Hansen said. "It has been so successful, we have added another flight that is unsubsidized." He said he could put those with questions in contact with the Waimea airport manager.

"We become part of the community," Hansen continued. "We advertise locally, give to local charities, and we look to do better than the EAS requirements."

Bayard Mayor Charles Kelly asked if the airline had any trouble hiring and retaining pilots, and whether the pilots have experience flying in mountainous terrain.

"Hawaii has mountains, so they have experience with such terrain," Hansen said. "And we do have some pilots who come from the Southwest. All our pilots are certified to operate throughout the U.S. and the world. We have no retention problem, because we operate with two pilots. Most captains, in the left seat, have more than 2,000 flying hours. The one in the right seat, as he or she gains in the number of flying hours, moves to the left seat. We have an unlimited amount of pilots wanting to work for us. Our pay scale is higher than others."

Bowman said the Part 135 operator requirements have not been hit as hard as the Part 121 operators. "We meet all requirements and have modern aircraft."

Lucero asked about the availability of bulk ticketing. Hansen said the airline has its own ticketing process, but a person can book with any ticketing source.

Morales said: "In a rural area such as ours, sometimes there is an emergency need to fly. Do you have e-ticketing or bulk ticketing?"

Hansen said yes to e-ticketing and Bowman chimed in with an affirmative to bulk ticketing. "We are talking about selling tickets at one price, about $50 one-way, no matter whether it is booked weeks in advance or that day," Bowman said. "We want to build ridership. Maybe later, there will be a lower price for earlier booking and a higher price on the day of the flight."

Kelly noted that in years past, an airline would get the contract with the Department of Transportation "after listening to our needs. Then after that, there was no way to communicate from the community when needs changed."

"That's why we've been successful with EAS," Hansen said. "We listen to the needs of the community. We have an 80 percent load factor on our EAS flights. That's why we added another flight. We provide low cost, reliable and safe service."

Bowman said the proposed schedule was drafted with the idea of flying out of Albuquerque in the morning. "But we want to sit down with community leaders, and we want to fit the needs of the community. Hansen has the most responsive people we've seen in EAS. His management team sits down to listen and learn. They are adding an unsubsidized flight, because they have made money on reliable, low-cost service."

Kelly made a comment. "The Albuquerque area has lots of casinos. Have you thought that the airline could do packages with the casinos?"

"We are exactly doing that in Hawaii," Hansen said. "We package the hotel, car rental and flight. We could conceivably do that on weekends and could add flights. I am very familiar with the package concept."

Mokulele proposes 12 flights a day, with two flights daily on weekdays and one flight daily each on Saturdays and Sundays.

"If you want me to, I can come personally to talk to you," Hansen offered.

Lucero ended the call without asking him to visit.

Morales noted that Great Lakes is the only airline to propose flights to Phoenix, Ariz. "Their problem is reliability."

Lucero said that Boutique Air, which had also pitched its proposal at the earlier session, seemed open to adding a flight to Phoenix, if the airline is successful in its bid.

Silver City Mayor Michael Morones said he has talked to people in Clovis, which has flights on Boutique Air to Dallas. "You would think they were salespeople for Boutique they are so pleased. There are two different markets here. Albuquerque, which would serve the medical and governmental people, and Phoenix, which would serve private industry."

The Grant County Commission, at its combined work and regular session slated for October 7, has invited public feedback on essential air service.