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Flagstaff airport submits $800,000 DOT grant application with 44.8% community match; Wiseman Aviation pledges $100,000
Summary
Airport staff said it submitted an $800,000 Small Community Air Service Development Grant application to the U.S. Department of Transportation with a 44.8% community cash match, including a $100,000 pledge from Wiseman Aviation and 23 letters of support.
Flagstaff City airport staff told the commission on May 14 that they formally submitted an $800,000 Small Community Air Service Development Grant application to the U.S. Department of Transportation to support new airline service to the city. Claire, the airport’s grant lead, said the application includes a 44.8% community cash match and 23 letters of support from regional partners and stakeholders.
“We submitted our application on May 1,” Claire said. “The federal ask was $800,000 and that helps subsidize the cost of a new airline coming into Flagstaff.” She said the application included two letters of support from airlines, two from potential destination airports and a 44.8% cash match that staff and their consultant believe will make the application more competitive.
Staff identified the city, Discover Flagstaff and private contributions as part of the match. Claire said Wiseman Aviation (Orville) pledged $100,000 in cash, an amount she called “huge” for the application’s competitiveness. Orville was publicly thanked during the meeting for his contribution.
Officials described how the DOT program typically operates: grant funds are used over an initial period (commonly up to three years) to subsidize airline operations if seat revenue falls short, allowing carriers to experiment with schedules and frequencies until routes reach sustainability. Claire said award decisions normally take about five months, although the commission was told there were rumors of a faster review this cycle.
Commission members also asked about community outreach and who contributed to the match. Staff said they secured 23 letters of support and roughly $360,000 in cash from a combination of municipal and private sources; Discover Flagstaff’s contribution was funded from visitor-related BBB funds. Claire and the airport consultant said the size of the cash match is a distinguishing factor for the application.
If awarded, staff said the funds would be used to incubate a new carrier’s service with an eye toward phasing out subsidies once demand and revenue stabilize. The commission did not take a vote on the grant application at the meeting. Staff said they will notify the commission when the DOT announces recipients.
