Carl and Harold found two investors: William Grim and Curvin
Reichert. Thus, four local businessmen signed an agreement and bought the 90 acre Charles
Angstadt farm. Construction of the Kutztown Airpark began: remodeling the barn as a
hangar, runway preparation, purchase and transportation of a Trexlertown food stand to the
Airpark. The food stand served as the Airpark office for several years until the existing
office was built about 1960. The investors approached Fritz Bachman, manager of Berks
Airport. Fritz agreed to a partnership which included managing the new airport.
Diverse backgrounds in business helped their venture succeed. Bieber(trucking), Miller
(lumberyard), Grim and "Shorty" Reichert (owner and manager of a Studebaker
dealership), and Bachman (pilot, instructor and manager), created a team to cover all the
contingencies.
The Kutztown Airpark was officially opened May 30, 1945 with Francis "Fritz"
Bachman as manager and instructor. The airport offered flight instruction, aircraft
maintenance and repair, and entertainment. What is now the rear part of the main hangar
served as both the hangar and maintenance shop. Mechanics jockeyed planes downhill onto a
clay ramp to make room for repairs and maintenance. Entertainment was provided at the end
of a rainy day when mechanics returned planes uphill on a wet clay to the hangar; they
slipped, slid, grunted and said few choice words until they accomplished the task.
Airpark employees included Gus Spanier, Clarence Stein, and Alton Stein. Within the first
year, the maintenance shop and pre-fab hangars were built. The airpark's fleet consisted
of a Piper Supercruiser, a Piper Cub, and a tandem Taylorcraft.
"Fun Days" were held to attract attention and build up business for the new
airport. One of the challenges offered was A MOCK BOMBING RUN. The field was marked with
an "X". Pilots carrying bags filled with flour or lime would aim for the
targeted area and drop their bombs. Another attraction was fritz Bachman's aerobatic
maneuvers in the Piper Cub. He'd finish hIs performance with a bow from the Cub. Has most
impressive bow ended with the tail in the air and the prop in the clay. The crowd cheered
Fritz's special effects, not knowing his three-point finish was unintentional.
From 1946 to 1950 most small airports were doing a booming business. By 1947 aviation in
Kutztown was moving along well. Most students learning to fly were financed by the GI
Bill. The airpark's three flight instructors were kept busy.
By 1947, the cement block hangars, using a new nested design with cantilevered trusses,
were built. An impressive fleet of aircraft was available to students and pilots:
Taylorcraft, Supercruiser, PT 19, BT 13, UC-78 Twin Cessna, Ercoupe, and two J# Cubs.
Merritt Smith, the newly hired A & P mechanic, worked the shop with Gus Spanier. They
restored fabric covered airplanes, repaired engines, did auto body work and painted cars.
In 1950, they painted their first plane, a Cessna 170. Quality work and a word of mouth
sold jobs. The shop grew to nine people. A twin Beech for Air Products of Trexlertown,
Arthur Godfrey's private plane, a Lockheed Loadstar for a the PA Evening Bulletin, and an
Areo-Commander which went to France are well-remembered paint jobs. Over four years, ten
Supercubs, (fish spotters) were recovered out of Lewes, Delaware. Kibbie DuPont was a
customer for painting and upholstery. Advertisements in Trade-A-Plane mentioning a paint
job by Kutztown helped make sales. In Kutztown's heyday, they painted an average of three
planes a month.
Parachutes were packed at Kutztown from 1946 to 1950. The tall section of the building
behind the main hangar was the parachute loft. Parachutes were hung up there to dry while
the long narrow section was used for packing the parachute. At that time, parachutes were
made of silk and were required to opened and dried every 60 days. In those days, stalls
and spins were requirments for earning a private pilot's license. Parachutes were required
for these maneuvers. Packing parachutes for other airports was another money-maker for the
airpark.
About 1959 to 1960, the office building was replaced and runway 17-35 was paved. For many
years, Fritz advertised "Learn to Fly $99.99." The airport was also a dealer for
Gulf fuel, Schweizer, and Cessna.
In the summer of 1959, gliders arrived at Kutztown. A Schweizer 222 and 126. Fritz Bachman
and Clarence Stein bought these from Reading Aviation. These gliders and the PA-18
Supercub towplane were the foundation of soaring at Kutztown. As the gliding business took
off, enthusiasts started the Soaring Dutchmen Club.
Many gliding competitions were entered. Schweizer 1-26 Regattas, assembly races, were held
at Harris Hill. The point of assembly was 50 yards form the start line. A crew of 4 would
race to the assembly area and assemble the glider. Officals would time the event from
start to completion and inspect the finished product for airworthiness. The usual time was
7 to 8 minutes. Kutztown won three years in a row and their best time was 3:23 minutes.
Other times of competitions were held for the time and distance.
Gliders over Kutztown Airport are a familiar sight. One nice day, a glider pilot was
riding the waves over Kutztown. A passerby stopped at the office to tell Fritz a plane was
"stuck up there". In 1965, Soaring Magazine's cover was a photograph of three
gliders soaring in formation over Kutztown Airport. Each Schweizer 126 were piloted by
Kutztown pilots: Dave Beltz, Luther Moyer, and Doc Yund.
In June 1971, the land at Kutztown Airport was sold to Planned Development Corp; However,
Fritz Bachman purchased the aviation service and continued to operate the airport until
1977. At that time, Fred CLemens and Walt Sampson bought the aviation service. Instruction
in gliders and taildraggers became the mainstay of business at Kutztown. Partnerships
changed several times throughout the years.
The present owner/operator, Earl Binder, acquired the business in May 1993. Since then,
roofs on the main hangar, office, and flight school have been repaired. Runway 17-35 was
resurfaced and runway line/numbers painted, and runway lights and a beacon installed.
Runway 10-28 (turf) remains active. Gliders continue to be a big attraction. Tows are available by our 2 Cessna 182's and a Waco. Kutztown Airport's power fleet consists of five Cessnas, a 150, a 152, a
172, two 182's, a Piper 140, and a Waco (Bi-Plane). The sailplanes
are 2 PZl Krosnos, and 232 (three place). Banner tows are also available.
Kutztown Airport is alive in 2003, 58 years after the Airpark's official opening.
Kutztown Airport,
Kutztown, PA * 1- 800-SOAR-999 * (610) 683-5666
