The Cortez City Council is endorsing Boutique Air for its EAS (essential airline services) needs. This recommendation was made by the council with no notice to or input from the community. I think that the city should refrain from awarding this contract to Boutique Air instead of Great Lakes until more information can be gathered to allow the proper decision to be made.
The city needs to understand the safety issues surrounding use of a single-engine versus a twin-engine aircraft. Both the Pilatus PC-12 (single-engine) used by Boutique Air and the Beechcraft 1900-D (twin-engine) flown by Great Lakes are excellent aircraft. Both are perfectly capable of flying over the mountains and accomplishing the job that Cortez wants and needs – in good weather and under normal flight conditions.
However, if an aircraft is in poor weather or visibility and something goes wrong, the twin-engine is a much safer and reliable option. If necessary, the twin can continue to fly on only one engine, maintaining its pressurization, de-icing, instrumentation and electrical systems. All of this would be lost in the single-engine aircraft – when the engine goes, everything goes. The twin could continue flying with one engine, if necessary, until it either reaches its destination or can be landed safely somewhere else for maintenance. Survivability in the single-engine aircraft under the same conditions would not be likely. The plane has nowhere to land and no other option.
It is my understanding that Boutique Air underbid Great Lakes by 1 percent for this service. Given that single-engine operations cost considerably less than twin-engine operations, is this 1 percent decrease in costs actually worth more than the safety and reliability which we have experienced with Great Lakes for many years? Are we willing to jeopardize lives by reducing safety?
Garth Greenlee
Cortez