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Show Moab figures prominently in commuter air study The Utah Transportation Com-jssion Com-jssion Friday accepted the Compter Com-pter Air Service Study and . -ected the Utah Aeronautical 1 vjjmittee to develop methods of elementing the study's recom- andations. u The Commuter Air Sen-ice ;dv was commissioned by the 'Y Asportation Commission to as-jess as-jess the need for air service to rural ;'ah and methods of encouraging tr service. The study was i i sducted by UDOT staff with the distance of T.A.P., Inc., a .-suiting firm from Bozeman, ; SLratana. The S171.000 study was tzied jointly by the Utah State legislature, The Four Corners s.-iegional Commission, and the Frderal Aviation Administration. The study concluded there was definite need for air service and recommended a two-corridor sys-J:-a. The southeastern corridor . : t:uld provide service from Salt X like City to Cedar City and St. llii)rSe- A "stub" leg would :::aect Logan and Salt Lake City. 2; An estimated 43,900 passen-" passen-" irrs annually would use the It i-r-em. Air fares would range from 111 between Salt Lake and Logan to 3 between Salt Lake and St. 'large. The eastern corridor would run -:m Salt Lake City to Price, Moab d Blanding, with connections to rajor airlines in Grand Junction. . Considered for the Moab stop tjuld be twice a day service both The proposed system would squire an annual operating subsi- of between $110,000 and !r 1133,000. If the Logan to Salt Lake pile were completely developed, ';:3fits from that run could -Mnss-subsidize the operations al-the al-the other two corridors. Total ft' ?-3sidy need could be reduced to I mni $42,000. Eventually the - -tire system would probably be yle to operate without subsidy. In a related action, the Commission agreed to prepare a rsolution supporting the pending plication for certification of Sky ''est Airlines before the Civil Aeronautics Board. That resolution would also be forwarded to Utah's congressional delegation. The Commission made clear it was not supporting Sky West Airlines in preference over any other airline. The Commission said it desired getting certificated carriers to serve rural Utah. Sky West currently flies between Salt Lake City, Cedar City, and St. George. Certificated carriers can become be-come eligible for operating subsidies subsi-dies from the CAB, federal equipment loan guarantees, and route protection. Airports utilized by certificated carriers also receive special Airport Development Aid Program funds from the FAA for airport improvements. In other action, the Commission Commis-sion gave final approval to the Rules and Regulations for Tow Trucks and the state adoption of the Federal Railroad Safety Regulations. Regula-tions. Both sets of regulations had been submitted to the State Archivist for public review and comment. The Commission noted that no negative comments or requests for a public hearing were received. |