ZAHNS Airport, Amityville LI

[JHNA57]

Many of you are probably too young to know that there was a small general aviation airfield just south of Republic. (Literally across the street on the other side of Rt. 109)

This article brings you back to a time before TSAs, airport fences and security guards.

I am also happy to say this is where I took my first flying lesson in about 1971 in a Cessna 150, N6711S. I also had a chance to get a few minutes "stick time" in a Piper Cub.

The operations shack was something out of a Hollywood set, and most of the guys hanging around were WW2 pilots. The airport "Cafe" had the best burger and fries, with the model airplanes hanging from the ceiling for effect.

Sorry its broken into individual pages, but this was the only way I could think of posting it.

Enjoy
Page 1: http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4068/448 ... a514_b.jpg (http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4068/4487342346_22aacba514_b.jpg)

Page 2: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2750/448 ... e5ec_b.jpg (http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2750/4486692629_41a924e5ec_b.jpg)

Page 3: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2689/448 ... 78ff_b.jpg (http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2689/4487342532_28dea878ff_b.jpg)

Page 4: http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4039/448 ... d8aa_b.jpg (http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4039/4487342580_5aab24d8aa_b.jpg)

Logbook 3/14/71: http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4005/448 ... 77f9_b.jpg (http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4005/4487502468_7d689077f9_b.jpg)

[Derf]

The operations shack was something out of a Hollywood set.....

we use this at the AAM at KFRG ...the shack was saved.

[cancidas]

This article brings you back to a time before TSAs, airport fences and security guards.
i always knew i was born 50 years too late... wish i could have experienced those times!

[nightbeacons]

For several years, I have been re-creating Zahns Airport as a model for a flight simulator program.
It is based on original topographic maps, land surveys, and about 200 photos.

There is a (somewhat-older) web page that describes the project at http://research.sun.com/zahns

We also have a Facebook page (search for "Zahns Airport Project")

I would be most interested in hearing from anyone who used to fly there (particularly if you have old photos)

Thanks,

Charlie Jackson

[Derf]

http://www.longislandwallpapers.com/Aviation/2009-Jones-Beach-Airshow/IMG2914/548719062_StY4L-L.jpg

The little yellow tower

[moose135]

I never flew into Zahn's, but flew around it many times - I was flying out of FRG in the early '80s, when Zahn's was still open. The pattern for Rwy 32 was right-hand traffic only, we had to turn base early and maneuver to avoid crossing south of the Southern State Parkway. You ended up rolling out on final right over the numbers.

[mirrodie]

ART@ISP has to chime in here soon as I know he flew in and out of there.

[NLovis]

Yea I was too young but sounds very interesting

[ecarfar]

Duplicate post...

[ecarfar]

Thank you so much for posting these articles, it brought back a lot of great memories. When I was in my pre and early teens, during its heyday and at its dilapidated worst, in the early 1970's, I would ride my bike (always dragging along a reluctant friend for company) to Zahn's from Massapequa and hang out there for hours and hours and just watch the planes take off and land. The place was absolutely bustling with activity. Even today, I go to Islip, Republic, Brookhaven and the Bayport Aerodrome and all those places are ghost towns compared to the way Zahn's was in the 70's. Deer Park airport was just as popular as Zahn's. My brother was taking flight lessons around that time and they had many, many Cherokees outside on the tarmac for rent. I also remember exploring in the old hanger (the one with "Zahn's" across the top) thinking I might find an old propeller no one wanted. I also remember a couple of disassembled J-3's way in the back right part of that hanger with all the fabric removed. It was a kid's dream to be there at that time. Another thing I vividly remember was, right by the wind sock and segmented circle, there was always a olive drab Stinson Gullwing with a J-3 cub on either side like a mother and her children (I would love to see a picture of that in anyone has one) I think they might've been CAP airplanes.

In response to one of the other posters regarding the operations shack and picture of it at Republic, I don't think that's what the original topic referred to. From my memory, the operations shack was a brick building connected to the "Zahn's" hanger on the right hand side as you look at the front. There was an old street lamp outside it along with a pay phone and a bench. Inside was a pilot shop where they sold supplies like logbooks and sunglasses and, the big draw of the day, to the right as you walk in was a teletype machine that made a HUGE racket as it spit out the latest weather reports.

The place was in deplorable condition but there was something about it that everyone loved. When I took flight lessons and got my Private license in the mid 80's a lot of the old timers at the Bayport Aerodrome were ex-Zahn's pilots and had their planes based there. They could all recall the exact date the place closed....it was a sad time and I'm glad I was in the service when it happened.

[Art at ISP]

I learned how to fly at Zahns in the early-mid 70's. I flew with Bernie Sherman, who was already well into his senior years, and before that Joe Kuriga, who was a retired cop I believe--both nice gents. Unfortunately I think Joe passed away when he had a heart attack while driving and drove into the bowling alley on 110...if memory serves correctly.

Oh and my private check ride was with none other than Sig Uyldert.....

Great memories --the 32 approach was a dog leg base to final over the numbers as Moose recalled....And no takeoffs ever from 36 at Zahns...

Those were the days my friends....

[moose135]

Oh and my private check ride was with none other than Sig Uyldert.....
Same here, although I did mine at FRG.

Found this Flickr gallery with a ton of old shots from Zahn's:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nightbeaco ... 599141953/ (http://www.flickr.com/photos/nightbeacons/sets/72157601599141953/)

[ecarfar]

Oh and my private check ride was with none other than Sig Uyldert.....
Same here, although I did mine at FRG.

Found this Flickr gallery with a ton of old shots from Zahn's:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nightbeaco ... 599141953/ (http://www.flickr.com/photos/nightbeacons/sets/72157601599141953/)

Yeah, those photos were gathered by Charlie Jackson, one of the guys who made a post here earlier. He also designed an add-on for the computer simulator X-Plane that is an excellent representation of Zahn's and it's free to download:

http://forums.x-plane.org/index.php?aut ... wfile=2545 (http://forums.x-plane.org/index.php?autocom=downloads&showfile=2545)