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Theodore Roosevelt 

REGIONA L AIRPOR T 

11120 42nd St. SW, Suite A • Dickinson, ND 58601 

Phone: 701-483-1062 • Fax: 701-483-1072 

dickinsonairport@ndsupemet.com • www.dickinsonairport.com 

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CO 

October 20, 2010 

Mr. Dennis DeVany 

United States Department of Transportation 

Office of Aviation Analysis X-53 

400 l"^ Street SW 

Washington D.C. 20590 

Dear Mr. DeVany, 

Thank you for giving Dickinson the opportunity to respond to the Great Lakes Airline 

proposal for air service to Dickinson under the Essential Air Service Program. 

I feel the proposal Great Lakes has submitted is another positive step forward for 

Dickinson. I am extremely pleased to see that twelve of the eighteen roundtrips are stand 

alone roundtrips. Great Lakes was able to provide Dickinson with a standalone round trip 

in August of this year. The success of that roundtrip has been phenomenal. September 

2010 was the busiest month ever for corrunercial airline enplanements at the Dickinson 

Airport. I have never seen a September so busy, and attribute that success to the 

standalone roundtrip. The standalone roundtrips provide the airport with much better 

reliability, which the community needs to remain competitive. The standalone flights also 

allow for more availability, which is excellent for customers that utilize air service, and 

the airport. Great Lakes is very close to enplaning 10,000 passengers and allowing the 

airport to move into the next level of funding. There is no doubt that with another stand 

alone roundtrip Great Lakes will only become busier. 

The need for more air service in southwest North Dakota has never been greater than the 

present. The increase in air travel in southwestern North Dakota has been a product of 

energy development and the addition of air service. Southwest North Dakota has been in 

an energy boom that has grown steadily since 2007. The oil rig counts are the highest 

they have ever been, two pipelines are being installed in the region and a coal mine and 

gasification plant is currently being developed. The energy companies in Dickinson and 

southwest North Dakota rely heavily on air service for the growth and sustainability of 

their companies. In 2Mi^:i^d 2009 Great Lakes enplanement numbers stayed very steady 

with aifevera^igj^^^Pfiassengers enplaned per year. In 2010 however Great Lakes is 

i£5W'Pia^fe^^^^^ps3y 0,000 passengers, an increase of 12%. The hard of work of 
Great Lakes management has resulted in Dickinson receiving more reliable, convenient 

air service that meets the needs of our growing region. 

Reliable convenient air service is a must have in southwest North Dakota. Having the 

availability to the national airway system is a key component to the growth of Dickinson 

and southwest North Dakota. I respectfully request that you award the Great Lakes 

proposal for Dickinson and Southwestern North Dakota. 

Again, I thank you for the opportunity to comment on the proposals. I would also like to 

thank you and your staff for all the hard work you do to assure small communities like 

Dickinson have safe, reliable, convenient air service. 

Sincerely, 

Matthew Remynse 

Airport Manager 

Cc : Jon Frantsvog, Chairman, DMAA 

Larry Taborsky, Director,North Dakota State Aeronautics 

Dennis W. Johnson, Mayor, City of Dickinson 

Governor John Hoeven 

Senator Kent Coiu"ad 

Senator Byron Dorgan 

Representative Earl Pomeroy