CommuteAir (C5, Cleveland Hopkins) is to acquire an E175 for training purposes and then for limited single-entity charter services. The plane is defined as a large aircraft by the Department of Transportation (DOT) and requires the airline to apply for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity which CommuteAir did on October 26.
The airline, which is 60% owned by Vermont-based Champlain Enterprises and 40% owned by United Airlines, presently operates a fleet of sixty-four E145s flying United Express branded services under a capacity purchase agreement with United Airlines.
"CommuteAir is in active discussions with multiple lessors regarding the E175 fleet addition," says the DOT filing. "The company is in strong financial condition, with an adequate cash balance to fund both the pre-operating expenses of the E175 and the costs of its first twelve months of operation.
Projected results for the E175's first year of certified operations show that CommuteAir believes the aircraft will generate USD447,560 per month in charter revenue for an annual total of USD5,370,714. Monthly operating expenses are projected to vary between USD406,816 and USD429,663 for an annual total of USD5,035,012, giving CommuteAir a projected net annual income in its first year of E175 operations of USD335,702.
In the first year of operations, the airline anticipates nine charter departures per month operating a total of 22 block hours and making available 1,272 seats per month. Beyond training and limited single-entity charter flights, CommuteAir also told the DOT would also examine commercial opportunities for a larger deployment.
