Linden, New Jersey, mayor to focus on airport concerns
AOPA has been urging municipal leaders in Linden, New Jersey, to address a variety of problems identified by the FAA at the city’s airport, and the association followed up with an in-person presentation at a December 2018 meeting of the Linden City Council.
Mike Ginter, AOPA vice president of airports and state advocacy, visited Linden on Dec. 17 and 18, 2018, to meet with Mayor Derek Armstead, city council members, and local pilots.
The discussions followed AOPA’s participation in an October 2018 council session, at which AOPA, in conjunction with local airport advocates, urged the city to act on 12 violations of federal Airport Improvement Program grant agreements cited by the FAA.
In remarks at the December city council session, Ginter said the airport, where 62 aircraft are based and approximately 60,000 flight operations take place annually, has “massive potential” because of its proximity to the New York City metropolitan area and the region’s large consumer base.
AOPA has helped build a vibrant U.S. aviation community that is the envy of the world, and the association is committed to helping Linden Airport realize its potential, he said, urging city officials to “embrace the airport” and commit to resolving the complaints, for which the FAA awaits a compliance plan.
“I implore you to look at your airport as a major part of the growth of Linden,” he said.
Armstead, agreeing that Linden Airport “is a tremendous asset that we have in our city,” said he would make focusing on the facility a priority in 2019, “so we can get a bigger bang for our buck out there.”
The airport’s potential as an economic engine has also been a point of emphasis for the Friends of Linden Airport group, whose president noted in 2018 that its location positioned the airport to inject millions of dollars into the local economy.
