IRONWOOD TOWNSHIP -- The work pace is hectic at Gogebic-Iron County Airport in preparation for Sunday's return to commercial air service when Great Lakes Airlines begins daily arrivals and departures.
Both airline and airport crews have been busy getting ready for the big day.
"There's been a lot of work done behind the scenes as far as retaining our advertising campaign," airport manager Duane DuRay said. "We are very hopeful that the word will get out, and our local community will once again be able to utilize the air service that we have available to us."
As of Thursday afternoon less than five reservations had been made for Sunday's initial flight.
The first flight is scheduled to arrive in Ironwood at 10:11 a.m. and is scheduled to depart for Rhinelander, Wis., and Milwaukee at 10:21 a.m.
"Our community is extremely fortunate to have the air service. We live in a time when the need for a connection to the world is absolutely essential, especially with our economy going global."
Ever since Midwest Connect left last month, DuRay and his crew have been busy going through the terminal station -- cleaning, painting, installing lighting and flooring -- in preparation for the return that DuRay was "fairly confident" would happen.
Daily commercial flights provided by Midwest Connect halted in early April when the essential air service provided by its Skyway Airlines discontinued. Talks between the U.S. Department of Transportation, the airport board, state legislatures and county governments finally resulted in a $1.3 million contract agreement with Great Lakes Airlines.
The return of the Cheyenne, Wyo.-based airline was sealed after it acquired two Beechcraft 1900s from Skyway necessary to open the terminal doors and begin scheduling flights again.
DuRay and Great Lakes officials anticipate an official grand opening of its return to airline service to Ironwood in about a month.
For now, however, Great Lakes Airlines CEO Chuck Howell said he is excited about Sunday.
"It's a great facility," Howell said. "We're excited to be back. The most important highway in any community is the runways.
"We've had to install phone and computer lines. For the most part, we have been able to hire existing service personnel."
Most of the former Skyway personnel hired, he added, are from the Ironwood area and did not have to move to begin their new jobs for Great Lakes Airlines.
Great Lakes Airlines will have a service crew of five, according to station manager Marti Armata of Ironwood.
Armata worked for Skyways for five years, and said her and the other new Great Lakes Airline service employees have been busy being trained for their positions at the airport.
"It's pretty much the same (as with Skyway)," she said. "The paperwork and computer system is different."
The situation is pretty much the same for DuRay and his crew as well. They are responsible for terminal station and runway maintenance, fueling and also administering the general aviation segment of the airport.
"We're working to make your traveling experience as seamless as possible," he said. "Once we've opened for a week, it will all come together.
"I know it will."
Great Lakes Airlines will have two arrivals and two departures a day out of Gogebic-Iron County Airport.
