Well someone has there facts wrong, I was a regular at Berz from 1961 to 1970, I was employed there from 1966-1970. No Learjet came in 1967 that's for sure. October 1966 American Jet Leasing was the first Lear to arrive and depart at this airport, the next time a Lear came in was 1968 when Bill Freehan and Denny McClain chartered one from Pepsi-Cola to fly to Denver after winning the World Series. Berz was sold to Rockwell and it became Grand Prix Airport in 1971 that remained until the county bought it where it is now Oakland Troy Executive..
My first flight in the Piper Dakota N2190H was 9/11/92 at Berz McComb with CFII 1936055 L C Jell (sp). Ferried the plane to California in 1992. I bought the plane in 2000 and have flown it in California ever since.
I worked at Berz Airport in 1967. Looking back, it was a dream job..short-lived due to my own short-comings in arriving to work on time. I kick myself for that, as I had opportunities,thanks to Mr. Berz, to take flying lessons at a discount. I frequently returned to Berz Airport to enjoy it again,remembering each time the many planes, people , and overall enjoyment working there. I'm sorry it was sold and although I have returned to remember Berz's aiport, the Troy-Oakland remnant is nothing at all like the original. Mr. Berz was a fair and good man to work for. I was fortunate to have experienced washing, taxiing and caring for the Cherokee and Piper trainers. That summer of 1967, I saw a Lear Jet come in for viewing, walked into the cockpit of a King Air, spoke to a pilot who showed me the STOL capabilities of his military camouflaged turbine-engine plane, was allowed to hand-crank an inertia starter biplane(really cool!), and tanked up some intersting old twin-Beech and Turbo-Commanders' that still remain as highlights of my short job experience. Milt, if you're still listening, "thanks for the memories!".
I use to work at the original Berz Airport off maple rd in the 60's as a teenager for Milt Jr. and his Dad , who we all called "Pappy" he was a great man to work for and I think Sharon was the girl that use to talk to all the pilots. There was another elderly man that use to make coffee in the mornings for all the people that use to just hang out in the terminal, but can't remember his name right now. My father bought into a piper 180 and had it in a hanger, I myself use to fuel the plane and wash them I really enjoyed working there , except when we had to get up at 2 am in the morning and plow the runways because to much snow fallin that night. Jeff Moffett (geoffreyfaulknerz28_47@msn.com)
I used to fly into Berz occasionally when I lived in Troy. In fact, I bought my first airplane there. My partner took flying lessons there and he happened to see a for sale sign in the window of a Piper Arrow just at the time we were looking. Sorry to see another nice GA airport gone in favor of urban sprawl and more sorry to hear of Milt's passing. He was a true friend of aviation.
Berz-Macomb Airport
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Well someone has there facts wrong, I was a regular at Berz from 1961 to 1970, I was employed there from 1966-1970. No Learjet came in 1967 that's for sure. October 1966 American Jet Leasing was the first Lear to arrive and depart at this airport, the next time a Lear came in was 1968 when Bill Freehan and Denny McClain chartered one from Pepsi-Cola to fly to Denver after winning the World Series. Berz was sold to Rockwell and it became Grand Prix Airport in 1971 that remained until the county bought it where it is now Oakland Troy Executive..
My first flight in the Piper Dakota N2190H was 9/11/92 at Berz McComb with CFII 1936055 L C Jell (sp). Ferried the plane to California in 1992. I bought the plane in 2000 and have flown it in California ever since.
I worked at Berz Airport in 1967. Looking back, it was a dream job..short-lived due to my own short-comings in arriving to work on time. I kick myself for that, as I had opportunities,thanks to Mr. Berz, to take flying lessons at a discount. I frequently returned to Berz Airport to enjoy it again,remembering each time the many planes, people , and overall enjoyment working there. I'm sorry it was sold and although I have returned to remember Berz's aiport, the Troy-Oakland remnant is nothing at all like the original. Mr. Berz was a fair and good man to work for. I was fortunate to have experienced washing, taxiing and caring for the Cherokee and Piper trainers. That summer of 1967, I saw a Lear Jet come in for viewing, walked into the cockpit of a King Air, spoke to a pilot who showed me the STOL capabilities of his military camouflaged turbine-engine plane, was allowed to hand-crank an inertia starter biplane(really cool!), and tanked up some intersting old twin-Beech and Turbo-Commanders' that still remain as highlights of my short job experience. Milt, if you're still listening, "thanks for the memories!".
I use to work at the original Berz Airport off maple rd in the 60's as a teenager for Milt Jr. and his Dad , who we all called "Pappy" he was a great man to work for and I think Sharon was the girl that use to talk to all the pilots. There was another elderly man that use to make coffee in the mornings for all the people that use to just hang out in the terminal, but can't remember his name right now. My father bought into a piper 180 and had it in a hanger, I myself use to fuel the plane and wash them I really enjoyed working there , except when we had to get up at 2 am in the morning and plow the runways because to much snow fallin that night. Jeff Moffett (geoffreyfaulknerz28_47@msn.com)
I used to fly into Berz occasionally when I lived in Troy. In fact, I bought my first airplane there. My partner took flying lessons there and he happened to see a for sale sign in the window of a Piper Arrow just at the time we were looking. Sorry to see another nice GA airport gone in favor of urban sprawl and more sorry to hear of Milt's passing. He was a true friend of aviation.
Tom Altobello
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