Bedford Minuteman
March 14, 2002

New destinations for Shuttle America

By BARBARA FORSTER
CORRESPONDENT

Last Thursday’s announcement that Shuttle America flights will head to Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket Island, starting in May, isn’t welcome news to many in the towns surrounding Hanscom Field.

"I’m surprised since at the last meeting we heard there were no changes, " said Concord Selectman Gary Clayton, chairman of the Hanscom Area Towns Committee. "But there is mounting frustration in working with Massport, who is unwilling to provide information about changes at Hanscom."

At a meeting of the Hanscom Field Advisory Commission on Feb. 26, Shuttle America’s Mark Cestari reported that the airline had no changes to announce. He did, however, indicate that flights to Washington, D.C., and the Cape islands were among customers’ most requested routes.

Richard Walsh of the Massachusetts Port Authority, which operates Hanscom Field, gave a similar report at the HATS committee meeting on Feb. 28. "We received a press release (about the change) on Thursday," added Walsh. "But I’m not surprised. He’s been talking about it for a while."

According to Cestari, the final decision to go with the new route was made on Wednesday, March 6.

Clayton sees the additional flights as more of the same: creeping increases of commercial and corporate activity at Hanscom. "This is part of Massport’s not so subtle efforts to fundamentally change the character of the field and doing so at the expense of the communities and the national park," he said.

Walsh, however, disagrees. "We are not spending money to market the field," he said, stressing that aviation businesses like Mercury and Jet Aviation, which serve the corporate market, are doing their own marketing.

"We will ask the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) to do a Section 106 review and an environmental assessment," said Marty Pepper-Aisenberg of Save Our Heritage, a Concord-based group that opposes commercial aviation expansion at Hanscom.

Save Our Heritage plans to take action as soon as Shuttle America petitions the FAA to approve the new schedule. FAA approval is necessary before flights to new destinations leave the ground.

Section 106 is part of the Historic Preservation Act and examines the effects of an "undertaking" — in this case, additional flights from Hanscom to the Cape islands — on nearby historic properties.

An environmental assessments determines whether there is sufficient need for a more comprehensive environmental review.

"We think an environmental review will be needed because of the cumulative impact," said Pepper-Aisenberg.

Last year, judges at the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston wrote that cumulative effects could have a major impact on the region. If any plans or proof exist that this could happen, that "could conceivably" require an overall assessment.

"If Shuttle America or other airlines undertake a series of proposed expansions, it will be time enough to consider whether new and projected activities need to be considered together, Judge Michael Boudin wrote in the October court decision that rejected an appeal for a review for Shuttle America’s flight plan for New York’s LaGuardia Airport.

"Shuttle America has had three new destination proposals in a row," said Pepper-Aisenberg. "If that isn’t a clear plan, I don¹t what is."

The airline stopped flying to Buffalo after it affiliated with US Airways and began the Philadelphia route. LaGuardia was the second addition.

Even with the additional destination, Shuttle America is not over the magical number of daily flights. Currently, the maximum number of daily commercial flights at Hanscom is limited to 48 (including arrivals and
departures) because Massport has studied only the environmental impact of that many flights. The findings in the last environmental review were that 48 flights had no environmental impact on the area; the state require reviews every five years.

Sheldon Moll of Bedford, chairman of the Hanscom Field Advisory Commission, points out that Shuttle America isn’t doing anything that wrong. "He (Cestari) is keeping to his promise that between now and the end of summer to honor our concerns about the 48 limit," he said. "Mark has said that they are more interested in pursuing business elsewhere."

But the artificial limit is just that — artificial and not a guarantee.

"I have little confidence in Massport’s ability to consider the impact of additional operations on the communities," said Clayton. " We have real concerns that we will find ourselves in a position where there will be proposals for significant expansion before an appropriate review is in place as Massport promised. "

Another environmental review for the air field is in the works but won’t be completed for at least a year. The number 48 will most likely be replaced; the issue is exactly the size of the new number.

Initially Shuttle America’s island-bound flights will be limited to Friday through Sunday and on a seasonal basis only.

"This is one of the most requested routes we’ve been asked to look at," said Cestari. "We’re pretty sure that it can support itself on a seasonal basis."

In addition, Cestari is optimistic that the route is strong enough to handle year-round flights. That decision will be made down the road.

Cestari acknowledges that the inauguration of the Hanscom-LaGuardia route has been "less than stellar," with several flights being canceled. The airline executive cites weather-related problems and lack of aircraft during the first few days of operation.

"But bookings for LaGuardia are strong," he added.

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