Just to set the record straight, I did not move close to Republic, the air traffic moved closer to me. I have lived in Farmingdale for 67 years, and FRG (Fairchild-Republic Airport) was Republic Aviation, building and flying military aircraft. When Fairchild-Hiller Corporation sold the airport to the MTA in 1965, I had already been living here for 23 years. The "General Aviation" nature of the airport continued until the airport was "acquired" by the NYS Department of Transportation, at which time the airport undertook some modernization projects - including a new control tower and the installation of an ILS system (necessary to attract jet aircraft).
New hangars grew like mushrooms as jet aircraft owners took advantage of the historically low fees charged at FRG, as well as the convenience afforded by its location.Now, the airport has plans for eight new hangars and I can only assume that they are to house more jets and helicopters. (Certainly the owners of Piper Cubs are not going to store them in these new hangars!)
Generally speaking, I do not complain about the aircraft operating out of FRG - except for some of the helicopter pilots who think they're flying close air support missions over Farmingdale, or the Beech twin who regularly turns left to show the residents of Farmingdale what he had for breakfast, or the insistence on flying instructor flights over the Village when flying over the cemeteries would be a much better choice.
