Front row, left to right: Angela Holm – Aviation Lead at Bollig Engineering, Deb Hengel – Mayor at City of Elbow Lake, Gloria Trustheim – Aviation Planner at Bollig Engineering, Joey Lohse – Elbow Lake City Superintendent
For Immediate Release
April 23, 2026, Elbow Lake, MN – Elbow Lake Municipal Airport (Y63) has earned two prestigious aviation awards. The 2025 MCOA Project of the Year in the Intermediate Small General Aviation Airport category was awarded for the airport’s recent Apron Expansion and Taxiway Alpha construction project. The second award that Elbow Lake Airport won is the 2026 MnDOT Aeronautics Award of Excellence. The honors were presented during the Minnesota Council of Airports (MCOA) Conference awards ceremony in Nisswa on April 23, 2026, recognizing the airport’s role in boosting safety, efficiency, and economic vitality for this rural hub in west-central Minnesota.
2025 MCOA Project of the Year
Intermediate Small General Aviation (GA) Airport
Elbow Lake Apron Expansion & Taxiway Alpha Construction
Elbow Lake Municipal Airport (Y63) underwent Apron Expansion and Taxiway Alpha construction to strengthen safety and airfield efficiency at this rural hub. The project resolved apron circulation and obstacle-free access, improving pilot situational awareness during ramp-to-runway movements and increasing capacity for itinerant traffic and local business services. Angela Holm, Aviation Division Lead at Bollig Engineering, acknowledged, “This project has been a long-term goal for the City of Elbow Lake, when it was originally identified through the master plan process that started about ten years ago. It was especially successful due to the commitment to teamwork between the City of Elbow Lake, the Bollig Engineering team, and Joe Riley Construction…This kind of synergy can only be accomplished with the deep trust between project partners, established through long-term relationships and a commitment to the success of the project for all involved.”
For more information and photos on the Elbow Lake Apron Expansion & Taxiway Alpha Construction project, view the MCOA Aviation poster submission (PDF) or visit https://bollig-engineering.com/elbow-lake.
2026 MnDOT Aeronautics Award of Excellence
The MnDOT Aeronautics Award of Excellence recognizes airports that demonstrate sustained stewardship, strategic planning, and measurable community benefit. Elbow Lake’s recent projects, paired with long‑term master planning and creative funding, have strengthened multimodal links, supported FBO growth and jobs, and improved year‑round reliability for emergency medical, agricultural, and business flights. This award honors the City, Airport Board, Prairie Air, and partner agencies for translating vision into practical, long‑term value for Grant County. Paul Brutlag, Elbow Lake Airport Board Chair stated, “The Elbow Lake Airport’s success and achievement has resulted from a ‘Team’ of very functional players working and strategizing together. The City of Elbow Lake, working through the City Council, the City Administrator, the Airport Board of Directors, the Airport Manager/Operator, being represented by Bollig Engineering, connecting ALL with MnDOT (Aviation) and the FAA. This ‘Team’ of players maximized the benefits, the programs, and the funding available to achieve the development and the operation of today’s Elbow Lake Airport (Y63)!”
About Bollig Engineering
Founded in 2007, Bollig Engineering has been helping municipalities and airports deliver cost-effective, community-driven infrastructure solutions. With an approach Designed for Small Cities®, Bollig specializes in addressing the unique needs of rural communities by securing funding and creating affordable solutions that sustain community vitality for generations to come. Today, the Bollig team includes more than 50 engineers, architects, construction managers, funding specialists, and support staff. With its headquarters in Willmar, Minnesota and additional offices in Two Harbors and Sartell, MN, Sioux Falls, SD, and Fargo, ND, Bollig continues to expand its reach while staying true to its small-city roots. Learn more at https://www.bollig-engineering.com.
About Elbow Lake Airport
Elbow Lake, Minnesota (population approximately 1,290) is home to the Elbow Lake Municipal Airport, which serves the region with general aviation access and supports local economic activity and emergency services. The airport’s Fixed-Base Operator (FBO), Prairie Air Inc., is operated by Joe LaRue, and is a Diamond Level Robinson Helicopter Service center that provides fueling, aircraft maintenance, and pilot services to local and visiting aircraft. Learn more about the City of Elbow Lake https://www.thecityofelbowlake.com/ or Prairie Air Inc. at https://prairie-air.net/.
Media Contact
Jackie Kaufenberg, Marketing & Communications Director
Bollig Engineering
jkaufenberg@bollig-engineering.com
(320)403-5628
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