Wed, Jan 23, 2008
Says Taos Not Certified For Planes Over Nine Seats
The northern New Mexico town of Taos only has about 5,200
permanent residents... but it's big enough to have an airline
interested in providing scheduled service, especially during ski
season. It wouldn't be the first time -- Westward Airways and Rio
Grande Airlines both served Taos in years past. Both carriers are
now out of business.
New Mexico Airlines recently approached the town about flying in
with single-engine Cessna Caravans, but it can't -- the FAA says
the airport is not adequate for planes having more than nine seats
but fewer than 31. New Mexico Airlines' single-engine Caravans
carry only nine seats during New Mexico flights, but can hold up to
14.
New Mexico Airlines CEO Greg Kahlstorf calls it surprising. He
told the Associated Press, "I've never had the FAA reject an
airport."
The FAA ruled last month that Taos Regional Airport (SKX) does
not have certification to accommodate the Caravans flown by New
Mexico Airlines, a subsidiary of Hawaii-based Pacific Wings. The
airline serves Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Carlsbad and Hobbs. Taos was
on a planned list of new destinations including Ruidoso, Alamogordo
and Midland-Odessa in Texas.
Mark Fratrick, manager of the Taos airport, says he doesn't
consider the lack of air service a hardship, just an inconvenience.
Still, Kahlstorf said his airline has asked the FAA to reconsider
its decision, a request the agency is not bound to honor.
Taos has been without scheduled airline service since June 2005,
when Westward Airways stopped flying after less than a year in
operation. They followed a path similar to Rio Grande Airlines,
which operated flights to Taos for a few years, before folding up
shop in June 2004.
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