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Dubuque Airport outlines FY27 capital work and FAA funding prospects
Summary
Dubuque Regional Airport officials presented the FY27 operating request and multi‑phase Taxiway Alpha capital program, told council the project is largely FAA‑funded (many phases 90% federal/10% local), and said pending FAA enplanement figures make the airport eligible for roughly $1 million in entitlement funding for FY27.
Dubuque Regional Airport staff told the City Council on April 21 that the airport’s FY27 budget centers on completing multi‑phase airfield projects and supporting growth tied to University of Dubuque campus improvements.
Todd Dalsing, speaking for the airport, reviewed the 2021 Master Plan and outlined ongoing capital work including Taxiway Alpha phases, reconstruction of the general aviation apron and airfield markings. He said many Taxiway Alpha phases are funded at about 90% federal and 10% local, and that Phase 5 is currently eligible for FAA AIP program funding while Phase 6 remains pending.
The presentation said Dubuque reported approximately 8,264 enplanements for the 2025 calendar year (pending FAA confirmation), which, according to FAA guidance explained during the presentation, makes the city eligible for entitlement funding in the coming federal fiscal year. Dalsing also described staff efforts to pursue discretionary FAA funds for safety‑driven phases that separate training aircraft operations from other traffic.
Councilmembers asked operational questions about fuel supply and storage tied to large upcoming events. Dalsing described fuel as a volatile global market, explained how the airport manages fuel loads and pricing by shipment and overhead costs, and confirmed the airport is staging tanks and delivery trucks to meet demand for the Field of Dreams event and other summer activity. He said general aviation accounts for the majority of the airport’s operations and pointed to University of Dubuque expansion projects — a proposed 17,000‑square‑foot addition to the Babka Flight Center, a parking lot expansion to about 275 stalls, a 43,000‑square‑foot hangar and a nearly 60,000‑square‑foot apron increase — as factors shaping near‑term capital needs.
On hangar accounting, staff clarified a line‑item reclassification separating privately owned hangars on city land (land‑lease) from airport‑owned hangars, and agreed to follow up on a question about a projected fuel increase shown in the packet.
The presentation closed with council thanks for airport staff work on commercial service efforts and ongoing projects. No formal action or vote occurred during the session.
The airport’s budget slides and the Master Plan are available on the airport website; staff said federal eligibility and exact entitlement amounts remain contingent on the FAA’s official 2025 enplanement numbers.
