The New Jersey Forest Fire Service has issued eviction notices to tenants of hangars at Aeroflex-Andover Airport (12N) effective Dec. 31. The tenants, which include a flight school and a repair business, were given notice in June that the buildings had to come down because of “critical repair and condition issues,” but evidence is mounting that the state’s assessment is exaggerated at best. According to AOPA, the heritage buildings, which are made of concrete block, have been inspected by independent engineers who have said it will be less expensive to make the minor repairs they need than to tear them down. The facility’s well-maintained grass runway is a popular training and destination site and the fear is that once the hangars are gone, the next step will be to close it to all but Forest Fire service traffic. The department bases a helicopter there.
AOPA’s Vice President of Airports and State Advocacy Leon Jackler visited the airport and he agrees with the private engineers. “I visited Aeroflex-Andover shortly after the eviction was announced this summer to meet with tenants,” Jackler said. “Based on the state’s assertions, I expected to walk into dilapidated hangars that were falling apart, but that’s not remotely what I found. The hangars are historically and architecturally significant, having been constructed in a classic style from solid concrete block, providing a ‘golden age’ experience for pilots and visitors. While the hangars may need some minor repairs and updates, they are in overall excellent shape.” AOPA is trying to get a meeting with New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill and is also talking with state officials.
This is the first step in a developer land grab, pure and simple. We’ve seen this movie countless times as GA facilities have been shuttered and repurposed for “better economic opportunities.”
For campaign contributors…
If they’re really playing long ball like this, that’s pretty dang evil. Why do we have people working in government that exhibit this kind of behavior? It is sociopathic.
Because people vote that way. But you knew that….
Exactly. Voting always has consequences.
Good, old fashioned, power corrupts.
The battles against GA continue… I don’t have high hopes for the outcome of the war.
Our local airport in Pennsylvania went through a similar threat a number of years ago. The Airport Authority that owns it claimed the old hangar was in bad shape and they needed to demolish it. Tenant pilots and our EAA Chapter protested and the airport authority applied for and received a grant to “study” the condition of the building. More than $ 30,000.00 later a consulting firm gave them a 100-page report that said the building was in good condition other than the roof needing some attention. They could have spent only $3,000.00 to apply a coating to the roof but instead spent more than 10 times that and got a report they didn’t want. It’s a shame that good-old common sense is a thing of the past with most of government.
Thank you for continuing to report on this topic. I was wondering where it stood.
Beautiful, historic hangers. The little glass observation tower is so cool. What a crime if they knock it all down. Please keep us up to date Russ.