New DVL Airport manager Dominic Eritano speaking at the Rotary Club.
The Devils Lake Airport was recently expanded with many new additions. Those include a luggage carousel, an expanded waiting room, and much more. In March, the airport will be getting a new manager.
Current airport manager Scott Cruse will be retiring in March. Taking over his position will be 23-year-old Dominic Eritano.
Born in Flint, MI, aviation was something that interested him at an early age. While with his parents at Gulf Shores, the Blue Angels were practicing their routine. Seeing the amazing routine of the famous Blue Angels piqued his interest in aviation
Eritano graduated from Indiana State University with a major in airport management and a minor in unmanned systems. The latter teaches how to build drones, program drones, and explain how drones basically work.
He told the Journal he was interning at Minot International Airport where he heard about the airport manager position opening. Eritano said he “didn’t go after it” initially. As the internship was coming to an end, he had a change of heart. “This would be a great stepping stone,” he said.
He met Cruse and Dennis Olsen, chairman of the Devils Lake Regional Airport Authority. They gave him a tour of the airport and he accepted the position. Eritano said Cruse “is still around to teach me. It’s been good to get knowledge from him. He’s been able to help me learn a lot that I wouldn’t have known or seen what to do.”
“My first impression was ‘wow’ this is a beautiful small airport,” he said “With what I’m seeing now and everything I’m looking at it’s unlike anything else I’ve seen.”
He said that some of his goals are to “try to bring the community closer to the airport” and “continue the rise of passenger boardings.”
Eritano said Devils Lake Airport has huge benefits in terms of location and what’s around.
“If you look at Grand Forks, they don’t have a flight to Denver,” he said. He added that it’s easy to get to for people coming down from Canada and people in the Lake Region area.”Denver is a hub for United, which can go anywhere in the world.” Eritano also said that the airport having free parking is also a major advantage. Most other airports, including regional ones, charge for parking.
Eritano said he can see the airport being expanded under his tenure. “I think there’s a huge chance for expansion. It’s 100% a long-term goal.”
While speaking at the Rotary Club on Wednesday, Eritano said since moving to Devils Lake what has stuck out to him is “how nice everyone here is.”
Eritano said his favorite plane is a Warbird F4U Corsair. You can see the plane in the 2022 war film “Devotion.” He is also a huge Detroit sports fan. He is a fan of the Red Wings and Tigers. The only team he doesn’t like is the Pistons. He is also a big fan of the Michigan State Spartans. He also enjoys watching MMA.
