Williston Airport Director looks back as he prepares for new job in Nebraska

WILLISTON, N.D. (KUMV) - At the peak of the Bakken oil boom in the late 2000s, city leaders said Sloulin Field Airport in Williston needed a major expansion to keep up with the growing number of passengers wanting to fly in and out of Williston.

“All of the infrastructure was not designed for the 50-passenger regional jets. The really small jets that people think are small today were twice the size of what that facility was designed to handle,” said Williston Airport Director Anthony Dudas.

Instead, the city decided to build the Williston Basin International Airport from scratch, the first airport built from the ground up in the U.S. in 16 years. Dudas played an active role in the airport’s planning and construction since joining the city in 2011.

“It was really surreal. I still kind of feel that way each day I walk into this facility. We’re so fortunate to have the facilities and the infrastructure we have,” said Dudas.

As airport director, Dudas also had to manage the airport during the pandemic when flights were hard to come by, while also trying to add new destinations, like Las Vegas in 2021.

“That was a tremendous win for our community. It was something that city leaders have really identified as a priority to enhance the quality of life for our region,” said Dudas.

Besides his duties at the airport, Dudas also served on the Make-A-Wish North Dakota Board of Directors, organizing a “plane-pull” earlier this year. Dudas also helped support aviation education at Williston High School and TrainND Northwest.

“I want people to be able to come out and visit their airport. This is the people’s airport here, and we want people to enjoy aviation. I want to get those young people out here and get them that aviation itch so they want to join the aviation industry in their future as well,” said Dudas.

In January, Dudas will be the executive director of the Lincoln, Nebraska, airport. He’ll oversee not just commercial flights, but also air national guard and general aviation traffic.

“They made tremendous progress over the last decade, and I want to continue to help them on that momentum and build upon that success,” said Dudas.

Dudas will leave XWA with significantly higher boardings than when he first became airport director in 2017. Data from the North Dakota Aeronautics Commission show numbers are up 54% comparing January to October 2017 to the same period this year.

Mayor Howard Klug said Assistant Airport Director Ryan O’Rear will serve in the interim while a search for Dudas’s replacement gets underway.