Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields:
Central New York State
© 2002, © 2008 by Paul Freeman. Revised 10/5/08.
Canastota Airport (revised 7/21/08) - Central Square Airport / Syracuse Suburban Airport (revised 9/17/07)
Ithaca Municipal Airport (revised 7/19/08) - Kamp Airport (revised 10/5/08)
Nedrow Airpark (revised 10/5/08) - Oneida County Airport (revised 10/3/08) - Syracuse Municipal (revised 10/2/08)
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Oneida County Airport, Utica, NY
43.15 North / 75.38 West (Northwest of New York, NY)
Oneida County Airport, as depicted on the June 1953 Hudson River World Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
The Oneida County Airport was evidently established at some point between 1950-52,
as it was not yet depicted at all on the 1950 Albany Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe).
According to the Oneida County Airport website,
in 1952 Robinson Airlines made Oneida County Airport its hub.
It provided DC-3 air service to virtually every major city in the Northeast.
The earliest depiction of the Oneida County Airport which has been located
was on the June 1953 Hudson River World Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It depicted Oneida County as having a 5,000' paved runway.
According to the Oneida County Airport website,
Robinson Airlines was taken over in a buyout by Robert Peach in 1956.
The name was then changed to Mohawk Airlines.
An undated postcard of a Mohawk Airlines DC-3 in front of the Oneida County Airport control tower.
Mohawk Airlines continued service from the Oneida County Airport
to points in the Northeast, adding flights to Montreal, Quebec City, and Toronto
with the purchase of Convair 580 turboprops.
The 1960 Jeppesen Airway Manual (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
depicted the Oneida County Airport as having 2 paved runways: 5,000' Runway 15/33 & 4,400' Runway 9/27.
In 1960 Mohawk had enplanements in excess of 40,000 per year
and the purchase of BAC-111 jets boosted enplanements to over 55,000 by 1970.
Mohawk Airlines employed over 400 people in 1970.
The variety of flight options offered by Mohawk Airlines
made Oneida County Airport the transportation hub of the Mohawk Valley.
In addition to its executive offices, reservation center, and maintenance facility
Mohawk Airlines also established a jet training facility at the airport.
The combination of these facilities & services made Oneida County Airport the premier regional airline hub at the time.
In 1970, Allegheny Airlines, based in Washington, DC, purchased Mohawk Airlines
and continued to utilize the Oneida County Airport as its hub.
However in 1975 Allegheny Airlines relocated its Oneida County operations,
which included reservation centers & maintenance facilities, to Pittsburgh.
In 1978 Paul Quackenbush founded Empire Airlines, and began service with twin-engine Navajos.
Empire began to fill the void left by Allegheny's departure.
In 1980 Empire purchased 10 Fokker 28 jets
and in 1981 began to utilize the reservation & maintenance center left vacant with Allegheny's departure.
Empire's growth in the mid-1980s, coming from added flights to New England & the Middle Atlantic states,
made it one of the busiest regional jet carriers in the Northeast.
There were over 24 departures per day in 1987.
In 1987 Empire was acquired by Piedmont Airlines.
Several years later Piedmont merged with USAir, formally Allegheny Air.
Both Piedmont & USAir utilized the reservation & maintenance facilities
until USAir relocated the operations to various locations in 1995.
USAirways began to downsize its operations at Oneida County Airport in 1995.
At this time it discontinued its DC-9 & 737 service.
A 1995 photo by Jim Hann of a 1980 Piper Aerostar 600 at Oneida County Airport.
Jim recalled, “The primary airplane that I flew, all operated by USCheck, now AirNet Express.
We hauled canceled checks between bank processing centers, only 2 seats up front.
Utica has a Federal Reserve Bank & also had a processing center for one of the big banks in the northeast.
The outside shot of 45M pictures the plane sitting directly in front of the FBO where the county fuelers worked out of.
There was no Signature or Basler or AMR Combs FBO, just the County. The county did all the fueling, and it wasn't cheap (for the time).
The hangar you can see in the picture housed equipment such as tugs, and deicers, not airplanes, it was fairly old but in decent shape.”
Jim Hann recalled, “I only flew out of there a couple of months & actually lived closer to the base than UCA.
The airport was (and probably still is) in good shape, all the ramps, taxiways, and runways were smooth,
there was an ILS approach to both ends of Runway 15/33 and they did a pretty good job of keeping the snow off the runways & taxiways.
There was also the Horizon hotel right on the main drag into the airport. It wasn't bad for a small town airport hotel.”
A 1995 photo by Jim Hann of a Piper Aerostar 601 inside the main community hangar at Oneida County Airport.
Jim observed, “There were several resident aircraft & then the transients.
Commutair kept 2 Beechcraft 1900Ds in there every night. USCheck always had 2 slots for Barons & Aerostars.
The MU-2 was also a check-hauler, Epps Air headquartered in Atlanta.
There was a Seneca I in there that might have also hauled some checks, but I believe it was based there.
There was a pair of Falcon 20s owned by a union (clothing workers?) that flew rarely.
Also a Twin Commander, a Cessna 421, and a Cessna Citation.
There were a bunch of T-hangars and other group storage hangars in addition to a maintenance hangar that always had airplanes in it.”
According to the Oneida County Airport website,
Commute Air, a subsidiary of Continental Connection flew Beech 1900s from Oneida County Airport
until it discontinued service on June 30, 2002.
A 2006 aerial photo of the Oneida County Airport.
A 2006 aerial photo depicted a total of 17 light single & twin-engine aircraft on the east ramp of the Oneida County Airport.
The November 2006 Albany Sectional Chart depicted Oneida County Airport as having 2 paved runways, with the longest being 6,000'.
Warren Zelenski reported in February 2007 that the nearby former Griffis AFB had reopened as a civilian airport,
and that “The nearby Utica - Oneida County airport (UCA) has closed.
All flight operations formerly located at UCA have relocated to RME [Griffis].
Notices to Airmen reflecting the changes have been posted.”
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Ithaca Municipal Airport, Ithaca, NY
42.46 North / 76.52 West (Northwest of New York, NY)
Ithaca Municipal Airport, as depicted on the 1929 Rand-McNally Standard Indexed Map with Air Trails of NY (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
The original airport for the town of Ithaca was located on the southern edge of Cuyuga Lake.
The date of construction of Ithaca Municipal Airport has not been determined.
The Ithaca Airport is believed to have been the 2nd airport in New York State,
according to the website of the current Ithaca Airport.
According to the Centennial of Flight website (via Chris Kennedy),
the Thomas Brothers Aeroplane Company moved to Ithaca in 1914,
so the airfield may date from that time.
The Thomas Brothers Aeroplane Company later merged with Morse Chain Company in 1917
to become Thomas-Morse Aircraft Corporation.
The earliest specific depiction of the Ithaca Airport which has been located
on the 1929 Rand-McNally Standard Indexed Map with Air Trails of NY (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
The map described Ithaca Field as a municipal airport, operated by the Thomas-Morse Aircraft Corporation.
The airfield was said to measure 2,700' x 1,500'.
The Airport Directory Company's 1933 Airports Directory (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
described Ithaca Municipal Airport as having two sod runways, 3,000' northwest/southeast & 2,600' north/south.
An aerial view looking northwest at the Ithaca Municipal Airport
from The Airport Directory Company's 1937 Airports Directory (courtesy of Bob Rambo).
The directory described the field as having a single 2,700' north/south asphalt runway,
along with a 2,250' east/west turf strip.
A single hangar was depicted on the west side of the field.
A 1938 aerial view depicted the Ithaca Municipal Airport as having a single northwest/southeast paved runway,
with a single hangar on the west side of the field.
The April 1944 US Army/Navy Directory of Airfields (courtesy of Ken Mercer)
described Ithaca as having a 2,500' unpaved runway,
and indicated that Navy flight operations were conducted from the field.
The December 1944 Army/Navy Directory of Airfields (according to Ron Plante)
described a Ithaca as having a 2,500' hard-surface runway.
According to the website of the current Ithaca Airport,
"Cecil Robinson began conducting aerial photography mapping for the government out of Ithaca Municipal Airport.
His two 4-place monoplanes became the cornerstone of Robinson Airlines at the end of the Second World War.
Shortly thereafter, Robinson Airlines was growing & their operation was moved to the new East Hill Airport,
opened by Cornell University in 1948."
[This new East Hill Airport eventually became the present-day Ithaca Airport].
A 1954 aerial view depicted the Ithaca Municipal Airport as largely unchanged compared to the 1938 photo.
Several aircraft were visible in front of the hangar on the west side of the field.
The 1962 Albany Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe)
depicted Ithaca Municipal Airport as having a 2,700' hard surface runway.
Ron Plante recalled of the original Ithaca Airport, "This closed before we moved to nearby Cortland in 1962,
but a teenager in the 1960s I recall picnics in Cass Park & seeing the hangar, which later became a theater."
In a 1964 aerial view of the Ithaca Municipal Airport the field was still completely intact,
but no aircraft were visible on the field.
By the time of the 1973 Albany Sectional Chart (according to Ron Plante),
the original Ithaca Airport was no longer depicted at all.
In 1975, the Hangar Theatre was opened in the original hangar from the former airport.
By the time of a 1980 aerial view, only a southern portion of the runway pavement still remained,
but the hangar still remained standing.
The 1995 USGS aerial photo showed that the former hangar still remains standing (left-center of photo),
as well as what appears to be the southern half of the former asphalt runway
(running south-southeast toward the light-colored building at the bottom of the photo).
A marina inlet had been dug over the northern area of the former airport.
As of 2004, the Hangar Theatre continues to operate in the original hangar from the former airport.
A circa 2006 aerial view looking west at the former hangar at the site of the original Ithaca Airport.
A 2008 photo by Ron Plante of the former hangar at the site of the original Ithaca Airport.
The site of the original Ithaca Airport is located east of Route 89, in Cass Park.
Thanks to Ron Plante for pointing out this airfield.
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Canastota Airport (1B8), Canastota, NY
43.07 North / 75.77 West (East of Syracuse, NY)
The Canastota Airport, as depicted on the 1946 USGS topo map.
The date of establishment of this general aviation airport has not been firmly established.
The earliest reference to the Canastota Airport which has been located
was in The Airport Directory Company's 1937 Airports Directory (courtesy of Bob Rambo).
It described Canastota as an auxiliary airfield having two 2,000' sod runways, oriented east/west & northeast/southwest.
A beacon on a tower with red course lights was said to flash a characteristic "4".
However, a State of NY Historical Marker (according to Sterling Brisbin)
stated that Canastota Airport was dedicated by Amelia Earhart in 1938.
The April 1944 US Army/Navy Directory of Airfields (courtesy of Ken Mercer)
described Canastota Airport as having a 2,200' unpaved runway.
The 1946 USGS topo map depicted a single east/west runway, labeled generically as "Airport".
A cluster of several small buildings was situated on the southeast corner of the field,
and the beacon was depicted on the south side of the runway.
The runway at Canastota had evidently been lengthened at some point between 1944-50,
as the 1950 Albany Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe)
depicted Canastota as having a 3,200' unpaved runway.
George Johnson recalled, “I remember flying into Canastota Airport in 1958 on my solo cross-country.
I was surprised to see an entire Canadian Squadron of P-51s all over the airport
and for sale for the huge sum of $2,300.”
Canastota gained a paved runway at some point between 1950-62,
as the 1962 AOPA Airport Directory described Canastota Municipal Airport
as having a total of three runways: a 3,200' paved Runway 9/27,
a 1,500' turf runway 4/22, and an 800' turf Runway 18/36.
The operator was listed as Canastota Aircraft, Inc.
Sterling Brisbin recalled, “Canastota Airport was the site of my first general aviation experience as a boy in the late 1960s,
when my father's business partner, Gordon Wheler, was kind enough to take me on a flight in his Cessna 210 that was based there.
He let me fly the takeoff & I still remember trying uselessly to counteract the torque swerve to the left with right aileron!”
The Canastota Airport, as depicted on the 1969 Albany Sectional Chart (courtesy of John Voss).
The 1982 AOPA Airport Directory (courtesy of Ed Drury) described Canastota Municipal Airport
as having a 3,200' paved Runway 9/27 & a 1,500' turf runway 5/23.
The operators were listed as Canastota Aircraft Company, Reutter Aircraft Service, and Bisha Avionics.
Herb Reutter recalled, “My father & and brother operated the airport until it closed by order of the city in the early 1980s.
I was all set to return to my roots & join the family business
after the City fathers had voted to accept Federal funding to extend & reorient the paved runway.
It was going to be a major upgrade, and would have allowed small business jets to land,
which would have been good for the business.
The city fathers later changed their minds & voted to close the airport
and make it into an industrial park reasoning that they would make more money that way.
In reality, developers who owned nearby land were anxious to rid the area of the 'noise' & make their property more valuable.
My father had to move his business to Oneida County Airport
and leave the hangar & shop he had invested his money in.
In reality, it turned out to be a good move.
A longer commute from his home maybe,
but he ended up with more business & better accommodations at Oneida.
And as he put it, he didn't have to deal with the fickle small town politics anymore.
Actually he had more descriptive words for the Italian city fathers.”
A State of NY Historical Marker (according to Sterling Brisbin)
stated that Canastota Airport was was closed in 1989.
The Canastota Airport was still depicted on the 1993 USGS topo map,
even though it was evidently already closed by that point.
The 1994 USGS aerial photo of the site of Canastota Airport
showed that several buildings had been built directly adjacent to the west side of the former paved runway,
which was also being used to store some kind of unidentified items (trailers?).
The entire length of the runway remained intact,
and the number "9" was still intact on the western end of the runway.
The former ramp on the southeast side of the field also remained intact,
along which were several buildings (possible former hangars?).
A 2002 photo by Mark Hrutkay of “the hangar next to the main terminal (which is gone).
They used to have Republic Seabees in there (2 or 3 of them).”
Herb Reutter reported in 2005, “The grand industrial park [which was intended to replace the airport]
is now hodgepodge of dilapidated buildings.”
A circa 2006 aerial view appears to show that the remaining hangar has been modernized (recovered) or replaced.
Sterling Brisbin reported in 2007, “I was just driving by there recently
and noticed that the State of NY has erected an Historical Marker at the former airport access road off Route 5.”
A 2008 photo by Peter Ricciardiello looking east
along the remains of Canastota's “Runway 9 approach end, with the faded runway number still visible.
This end of the runway is nothing more than a collection of tires, pallets, and trailers as seen in the picture.
Very sad end to what was once a very exciting ribbon of asphalt.”
The site of Canastota Airport is located at the intersection of Route 5 & Dominic Bruno Boulevard.
Thanks to John Buck for pointing out this airfield.
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Kamp Airport (1B4), Durhamville, NY
43.14 North / 75.67 West (East of Syracuse, NY)
The 1985 USGS topo map depicted Kamp Airport as having a single east/west runway.
The date of construction of this small general aviation airport has not been determined.
It was evidently built at some point between 1976-79,
as it was not listed in the 1976 AOPA Airport Directory (according to Chris Kennedy).
The earliest reference to the field which has been located
was in the "Low Use Airports" section of the 1979 Flight Guide (according to Chris Kennedy).
The 1982 AOPA Airport Directory (courtesy of Ed Drury)
described Kamp Airport as having a single 3,000' asphalt Runway 10/28,
listed the operator as Kamp Airport.
Kamp Airport was owned by Bernard & Marylin Kamp.
Mark Bailey recalled flying into Kamp Airport in the early 1980s.
"Kamp was a favorite place for us Aero Clubbers to fly most any Saturday we could.
The airport was busy then & sported a nice little cafe run by Susie.
Kamp also had a number of pancake breakfasts as well as an air show for a number of years.
There were trees on the west side of the field on the approach,
but other than that, it was a nice little field, and I am sorry to see it go."
The earliest depiction which has been located of Kamp Airport was on the 1985 USGS topo map.
It depicted Kamp Airport as having a single east/west runway.
The 1994 USGS aerial photo depicted Kamp Airport as having a total of 5 light single-engine aircraft visible on the field,
parked around a cluster of small buildings & hangars on the northwest corner of the field.
Another building or hangar was located southwest of the runway intersection.
The 1995 Jeppesen Airport Directory depicted Kamp Airport
as having a 3,225' paved Runway 10/28 & a 3,750' unpaved Runway 17/35.
The offices of Kamp Air Aviation Inc. were depicted on a ramp northwest of the runway intersection,
and a radio-controlled model airplane flying field was depicted just north of the ramp.
John Reep recalled of a visit to Kamp Airport, “in 1998... I purchased an Aero Commander Lark from a fellow in Chittenango, NY.
The airplane was not in particularly great condition,
and when I took off for Syracuse, I couldn't get the radios to cooperate.
Through the scratchy, weak radios, Syracuse approach advised me to head elsewhere,
and for some reason I had turned east.
I saw an airport on the chart & found it on the ground, and went to land there for fuel.
This airport turned out to be Kamp Airport.”
John continued, “It had, as I recall, one or two large hangars, painted with red & white stripes.
There were quite a few airplanes on the ramp.
The place had certainly seen better days.
Inside, there were two or three old-timers.
There was a pilot shop which mainly consisted of a glass display counter with items like fuel testers & other basics.
I bought a sectional chart & fuel.
There was also a kitchen right there in the place which seemed long abandoned.
Overall, the airport looked like a place that had once had a fine heyday but had become forgotten & forlorn.
I wished I had been there when it was at its peak.”
John reported that he was “amazed” to learn that Kamp Airport was evidently built in the 1970s.
“I would have guessed it was at least 10 years older than that.
I guess the place looked older than it really was.
When I departed it's long & very narrow paved runway,
I felt like I was leaving behind a part of General Aviation history; and I guess I really was.”
Kamp Airport was still listed in the 2001 AOPA Airport Directory.
The field was described as having a 3,2,25' asphalt Runway 10/28 & a 3,750' turf Runway 17/35.
The operator was listed as Kamp Air Aviation, Inc.
Note that the crosswind runway was incorrectly depicted as being perpendicular to the paved runway.
According to the 2003 Annual Report of the NY Department of Transportation,
Kamp Airport was one of two public use airports in NY which closed in 2002 (the other was Angola).
"This airport was purchased by the Oneida Indian Nation, which closed it for aviation use."
[I guess that's fair, after all, given that we took the property from them a few hundred years ago!]
A circa 2000-2005 USGS aerial photo showed the field to remain completely intact.
A circa 2006 aerial view looking north at the former hangars which remain at the site of Kamp Airport.
A 2008 aerial view by Phil Brooks looking east at Kamp Airport shows that the site remains intact,
with all of the hangars remained standing.
However the paved runway had deteriorated considerably.
Kamp Airport is located southeast of the intersection of Route 31 & Irish Ridge Road.
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Syracuse Municipal Airport, Amboy, NY
43.07 North / 76.26 West (Northwest of Syracuse, NY)
Syracuse Municipal Airport,
as depicted on a 1929 "Rand-McNally Standard Map of NY with Air Trails" (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
According to the web site of the Syracuse Airport Aircraft Rescue & Fire Fighting Department (courtesy of Drew Van Horne),
the City of Syracuse (led by mayor & former WW1 flier Charles Hanna)
purchased the former Hinsdale farm in Amboy for $50,000 in 1926,
after deciding that Syracuse should have its own municipal airport.
The "Old Hinsdale Field" site was chosen as it was very level & offered room for expansion
(according to the Syracuse Hancock Field web site, courtesy of Drew Van Horne).
Syracuse City Airport (Municipal Field) officially opened in 1927,
and was operated by the city parks department.
Thousands flocked to the grass strip for air shows
that featured famed aviators & personalities of the day
such as Charles Lindbergh, Amelia Earhart, Kate Smith and Lowell Thomas.
The first airmail arrived at Syracuse City Airport on May 1, 1928.
Syracuse Municipal Airport described on the 1929 "Rand-McNally Standard Map of NY with Air Trails" (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
as having a 2,000' x 3,600' field.
American Airways' Ford Tri-Motors were routinely touching down on the airport's three grass runways by 1931.
On August 28, 1933, aviator Wiley Post landed at the Syracuse Airport in his "Winnie Mae".
Syracuse Municipal Airport, as depicted on a 1935 Regional Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Scott O'Donnell).
An aerial view looking north at Syracuse Municipal Airport,
from The Airport Directory Company's 1937 Airports Directory (courtesy of Bob Rambo).
The field was described as having 2 sod runways,
with the longest being a 3,125' east/west strip.
The aerial photo in the directory depicted two hangars & at least one other building.
Airline traffic quickly outgrew Syracuse Municipal Airport,
and by the end of the 1930s, it was already somewhat behind the times.
An aerial view looking north at the Syracuse Municipal Airport,
from The Airport Directory Company's 1941 Airports Directory (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
The field had apparently been upgraded with paved runways at some point between 1937-41,
as it was described as having three 3,000' paved runways, oriented northwest/southeast, northeast/southwest, and north/south.
Two hangars were depicted in the aerial photo.
showing the field to have 3 paved runways, and several hangars southeast of the runway intersection.
Note the construction in the foreground, to extend the northeast/southwest runway further to the southwest.
With the outbreak of WW2, several local flying instructors at the Airport were pressed into military duty
and the Amboy City Airport became a flight training center.
The April 1944 US Army/Navy Directory of Airfields (courtesy of Ken Mercer)
described the field as having a 5,000' hard-surfaced runway,
and indicated that Army operations were conducted from the field.
The 1949 USAF Target Complex Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
depicted Syracuse Municipal Airport as having three paved runways
(with the longest being a 4,000' northwest/southeast strip),
and a ramp with at least two hangars south of the runway intersection.
Syracuse Municipal Airport was still depicted on the July 1949 Albany Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy),
but it was evidently closed within the next year,
as it was not depicted at all on the 1950 Albany Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe).
The reason for the airport's closure was that the much larger former Syracuse Army Air Base
had been rededicated on September 17, 1949 as the new Clarence E. Hancock Airport.
The original Syracuse Airport eventually became a chemical waste bed for Allied Chemical & Dye Corporation by 1951.
Remains of 2 runways were still visible, as well as the ramp & the foundations of hangars.
The site of the airport was labeled as "Tailings Pond" on the 1957 USGS topo map.
From an overall inspection of the 1994 USGS aerial photo,
it appears as if not a trace of the former airfield still remained.
The majority of the land of the former airport had been thoroughly covered-over.
However, a closer inspection of the west side of the former airport on the 1994 USGS aerial photo
reveals a former hangar (at the top of the photo),
as well as a the distinct remains of the southwest end of the former northeast/southwest runway,
complete with its distinctive turnaround at the end of the runway.
A small parcel of land along the western portion of the site
was labeled as Reed Webster Park on 2003 road maps.
Kevin Kemp reported in 2004 of the former hangar on the west side of the site,
"From the side you can still see the painted 'Meyers Flyers' sign."
A circa 2001-2005 aerial view looking east at the former hangar which remains standing
on the northwest side of the former Syracuse Municipal Airport.
A circa 2001-2005 aerial view looking south at the southern end of the former northeast/southwest runway,
complete with a distinctive circular turnaround pad.
Although overgrown, the presence of asphalt has mad the outline of the former runway still remain perceptible.
The site of Syracuse Municipal Airport is located east of the intersection
of Route 173 & Airport Road (appropriately enough).
Thanks to Chris Kennedy for pointing out Syracuse Municipal Airport.
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Central Square Airport / Syracuse Suburban Airport (NY08), Central Square, NY
43.26 North / 76.18 West (North of Syracuse, NY)
"Central Square" Airport, as depicted on the 1962 Albany Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe).
Photo of the airfield while open has not been located.
This small general aviation airport was apparently built at some point between 1956-62,
as it was not yet depicted on the 1956 Albany Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
The earliest reference to the airfield which has been located
was on the 1962 Albany Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe),
which listed it under its original name of "Central Square" Airport.
The 1962 AOPA Airport Directory described Central Square as having a single 2,000' turf Runway 15/33,
and listed the operator as Central Square Fliers Inc.
Central Square was still depicted as a public-use airport
on the 1963 Albany Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe),
but it was depicted as a private airfield on the 1967 Albany Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe).
Central Square was once again depicted as a public-use airfield
on the July 1969 Albany Sectional Chart (courtesy of John Voss).
At some point between 1969-76, the airport was renamed Syracuse Suburban Airport,
and it also had its runway paved,
as the 1976 AOPA Airport Directory (according to Chris Kennedy)
depicted "Suburban Syracuse (Enterprise)" as having a 3,000' asphalt Runway 15/33.
The operator was listed as Gilley Airways, Inc., a Cessna dealer.
The 1980 Sectional Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Ed Drury)
depicted Syracuse Suburban Airport as having a 3,000' paved runway.
Mark Bailey recalled, "When I first moved to Syracuse in 1980,
the field was technically open but had no activity.
Activity started to come back in late 1982
and we started using the field for training by the Air Force Aero Club.
The runway was in OK shape, but the facilities were a little spartan.
Syracuse Suburban Airport closed again sometime after Spring 1983, the date of my last flight there."
Suburban Airport was still depicted as an active airport in the 1985 Flight Guide (courtesy of Chris Kennedy),
although the runway length had decreased to 2,650'.
An office & one other small building were depicted at the southeast corner of the field,
and a parachute drop zone was depicted on the west side of the runway.
Syracuse Suburban Airport evidently closed (for reasons unknown) at some point between 1985-95,
as it was no longer listed among active airports in the 1995 Jeppesen Airport Directory.
The 1995 USGS aerial photo depicted Syracuse Suburban Airport after it had closed;
the runway was painted with closed "X" markings.
It also depicted a single hangar east of the runway.
Andrew Kinne reported in 2004, "I was raised on Gildner Road & am currently still there.
As of the last few months this airport was sold to some lawyers as I understand it.
The last owner just finished moving his stuff out.
The latest word is that its going to be an overflow for Syracuse Hancock Airport."
A circa 2006 aerial view looking north at the site of Central Square Airport,
showing that the runway pavement remains intact, with a closed-runway “X” symbol,
and showing a single hangar.
A 2006 aerial view looking northwest at the remains of the Syracuse Suburban Airport.
The airport is located northwest of the intersection of Gildner Road & Route 37,
two miles southwest of Central Square.
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Nedrow Airpark (NY38), Nedrow, NY
42.98 North / 76.14 West (South of Syracuse, NY)
Nedrow Airpark, as depicted on the July 1949 Albany Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
Photo of the airfield while open has not been located.
The date of construction of this small general aviation airport had not been determined.
Nedrow Airpark apparently dates back to before 1926,
as that is when "Nedrow Field" was considered by Syracuse Mayor Charles Hanna
as one of several sites for a new Syracuse Municipal Airport
(according to the Syracuse Hancock Field web site, courtesy of Drew Van Horne).
Nedrow was not chosen (for reasons not specified),
but instead continued to operate as a general aviation airport.
Nedrow Airpark was evidently temporarily closed during WW2
(like many other small civilian airports, due to wartime security concerns),
as it was not depicted on the 1945 Albany Sectional Chart (according to Chris Kennedy).
Nedrow apparently was reopened at some point between 1945-49,
as it was depicted as a commercial airport on the July 1949 Albany Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
According to Pat Lyons, “The Airpark was operated by my father, Francis W. 'Red' Lyons
for approximately 10 years starting around 1949/50.
I remember the grass runways well, as it was my job as a kid to cut the grass with an old tractor we had.
The office was at the far north end of the field
and there were a few (5) small hangars on the east side of the strip.
A wind sock stood at the entrance to the park in the far northeast corner.
I believe my father had a 10 year lease from the Onondaga Nation on the property.
My father was a very well-known pilot, flight instructor & regional flight examiner for the area.
He was known as 'Mr. Aviation of Our Community'
and there is a plaque honoring him at the current terminal of Hancock International Airport in Syracuse.”
The 1950 Albany Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe)
described Nedrow Airpark as having a single 2,100' unpaved runway.
Bill Wilcox recalled "Nedrow Air Park was there in 1950-52.
I was a senior at Mexico NY & we had a gym cadet from Syracuse University who used to fly to school.
The SU flying club had at least one J-3 [Cub] they kept there.
I remember flying back to Syracuse with Joe,
and on one occasion I went there with a friend of his for a ride."
The 1955 USGS topo map depicted Nedrow Air Park as having a single unpaved northeast/southwest runway.
The 1962 AOPA Airport Directory described Nedrow as having a single 2,100' turf Runway 18/36,
and listed the operator as Nedrow Airpark Inc.
According to Eric Hansen (Lockheed Martin Test Pilot),
"As a high school senior in 1966, our Air Force family moved to Syracuse, NY.
I had received my private pilot's license in Arkansas only a few months before,
and I was looking for a place to rent flying time to keep up my 'habit'.
My father was assigned as the Professor of Aerospace Studies at Syracuse University,
and the Air Force had a contract with Nedrow Air Park
to provide flight screening for ROTC cadets who were potential pilot candidates.
I got a special rate there."
"The chief pilot & airport manager was Marty Springer,
who had a Clark Gable look, with slicked back black hair & a mustache,
a bit rough around the edges, and wore an old leather flight jacket most of the time."
"The field was paved, and had the proverbial 50 foot trees at the north end,
requiring more than the usual pilot technique for landing,
since the full 2,100' was only usable for takeoff.
I rented Cessna 172's there often enough to stay current,
as I finished high school & completed my four year degree at Syracuse University."
Nedrow Airpark was depicted on the July 1969 Albany Sectional Chart (courtesy of John Voss)
as having a single 2,200' paved runway.
Eric Hansen recalled, "My last flight out of Nedrow was in June of 1972,
when I was sent to Oklahoma to become an Air Force pilot myself."
Nedrow Airpark was still depicted as an active airport in the 1979 Flight Guide (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It was depicted as having a single 2,100' paved Runway 3/21, with a parallel taxiway on the east side.
A total of five small buildings (hangars?) were depicted on the northeast corner of the field.
Nedrow Airpark was evidently closed within the next year,
as it was depicted as a closed airport on the 1980 Sectional Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Ed Drury).
In addition to the single runway, the 1988 USGS topo map depicted a parallel taxiway,
a small ramp with two buildings at the north end of the runway,
and what appeared to be a hexagonal hangar west of the runway.
In the 1995 USGS aerial photo (taken after the field's closure),
the airport & buildings still appeared to be completely intact.
A circa 2005 aerial photo looking north at the former hexagonal hangar, runway, and ramp at the former Nedrow Airpark.
A 2006 aerial view looking south at the remains of the Nedrow Airpark.
The site of Nedrow Airpark is located within the Onondaga Indian Reservation,
southwest of the intersection of Route 11A & West Conklin Ave.
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