Hovercraft Stand Down Continues For 11 Additional Days
Operations Resume April 13, 2008 with a 3-Day per Week Schedule
The Aleutians East Borough has decided to continue the hovercraft hiatus through April 12, 2008. The following day, abbreviated operations will resume, with one round trip, three days per week (Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday) between King Cove and Cold Bay. “We have the utmost confidence in the hovercraft and its crew,” said Aleutians East Borough Administrator Bob Juettner, “but it is taking a little longer to develop a new operating plan and to re-fund the project than we had originally thought.”
In the Loop Published by the Aleutians East Borough April 1, 2008 Page 2 The hiatus began March 1, 2008. The stand down was originally scheduled for two weeks. It was extended to give the Borough administration additional time to resolve the financial deficit that the hovercraft operation has been incurring. It costs approximately $120,000 per month (more than $1.4 million per year) for the Borough to operate the hovercraft. Mechanical problems, delays in getting replacement parts from the United Kingdom and poor weather have combined to keep the hovercraft out of service much more than previously anticipated. Between the beginning of the fiscal year (which began July 1, 2007) and the end of February 2008, the Borough has incurred a hovercraft-related loss of $832,000. All hovercraft operations will be subject to weather and maintenance limitations. Every effort will be made to keep the hovercraft available for medevacs as and when necessary. Charters will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
Operations Resume April 13, 2008 with a 3-Day per Week Schedule
The Aleutians East Borough has decided to continue the hovercraft hiatus through April 12, 2008. The following day, abbreviated operations will resume, with one round trip, three days per week (Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday) between King Cove and Cold Bay. “We have the utmost confidence in the hovercraft and its crew,” said Aleutians East Borough Administrator Bob Juettner, “but it is taking a little longer to develop a new operating plan and to re-fund the project than we had originally thought.”
In the Loop Published by the Aleutians East Borough April 1, 2008 Page 2 The hiatus began March 1, 2008. The stand down was originally scheduled for two weeks. It was extended to give the Borough administration additional time to resolve the financial deficit that the hovercraft operation has been incurring. It costs approximately $120,000 per month (more than $1.4 million per year) for the Borough to operate the hovercraft. Mechanical problems, delays in getting replacement parts from the United Kingdom and poor weather have combined to keep the hovercraft out of service much more than previously anticipated. Between the beginning of the fiscal year (which began July 1, 2007) and the end of February 2008, the Borough has incurred a hovercraft-related loss of $832,000. All hovercraft operations will be subject to weather and maintenance limitations. Every effort will be made to keep the hovercraft available for medevacs as and when necessary. Charters will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.