Wow! I'm impressed!

[Ocklawaha]

The USDOT reports

December 2004 Airline Traffic
In December 2004, U.S. airlines carried 51.2 million domestic passengers, 2.2 percent more than in December 2003 (Table 5).

This is very good for you fly boys, you finally passed the passenger count at Grand Central Station and Penn Station in New York, per month, roughly 48 MILLION.

The only weak spot I can see is your numbers are for EVERY SINGLE AIRPORT in the USA.... Mine are simply the numbers of two urban terminals. (And before some smart butt gets on here to say this is commuter rail, let me remind you this is ALSO COMMUTER AIR!).

Makes one wonder, WHAT IF? What if we funded a true passenger train network? (Would you still buy into the argument that AIR is number one? HA! RAILS RULE!

OCKLAWAHA

[CMG22]

Well, if we want to compare apples to oranges, let's compare oranges to bananas.  The US Highway System carries a lot more than trains do.  Guess we should scrap air travel and rail.

Second, air carriers do not fly into every airport in the US.  Not even close.  There are over 5,000 airports in the US.  However, there are only 562 airports that hold a current 14 CFR Part 139 Airport Certification--airports that are allowed scheduled air carriers.

Speaking of scheduled air carriers, they operate under 14 CFR Part 121.  "Commuter Air," as you call it, by definition, operates under a completely separate set of laws:  14 CFR Part 135.  Commuter air would not be counted in your numbers.

Finally, I just checked the Bureau of Transportation Statistics' website.  The number of domestic passengers is correct.  However, that's a misleading statistic.  It is the number of revenue passenger enplanements.  The million dollar statistic for airlines, however, is revenue passenger miles (RPM).  In December of 2004, passengers went 45,182,784,000--that's 45 billion miles.  How many people out of Grand Central and Penn Station got off two stops down the track?

I love the idea of expanding commuter rail--I wouldn't check this site if I didn't.  Just don't slam airlines--we pilots need jobs!!

[Ocklawaha]

My transportation life started at PIEDMONT (PI) followed quickly by United (UA) and Continental (CO) at Jacksonville (JAX). I'm VERY up on air travel and by no means mean to demean the air industry. My point is, those who have never seen rail in action (the average Florida Resident) have no idea what an awesome capacity it has. My dream would be to see Commuter Rail run right into or under JIA. So this is just a kicker to get the attention of those who are asleep at the wheel.

LEAD ON CAPTAIN!

Fire Two
Fire One
FIVE
flag right
SALUTE!

OCKLAWAHA