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New Jersey Forest Fire Service plans hangar eviction, risking local flight school and maintenance shop
The Forest Fire Service at Aeroflex/Andover Airport intends to end hangar leases to undertake critical repairs, threatening key aviation businesses.
The gist
New Jersey’s Forest Fire Service eviction notices at Aeroflex/Andover Airport endanger local pilots and aviation businesses relying on hangar space.
Continuing coverage
All Hangar Eviction →The New Jersey Forest Fire Service, operator of Aeroflex/Andover Airport, has issued eviction notices to local pilots leasing hangar space, citing major construction needed to resolve critical repairs. Tenants have been informed they will receive at least three months’ notice before being required to vacate the hangars, effectively ending their leases. This move specifically targets hangar tenants, though grass tiedown spaces will remain available for transient aircraft activity. The airport continues to function as a base for aerial wildfire suppression operations, which remain unaffected by this decision.
The Forest Fire Service clarified that the hangar complex will be reduced in size during these capital improvements and that the remaining hangar space will be reserved exclusively for its own use. Airport operations beyond the hangar area are set to proceed without interruption. This announcement was also shared on the Service’s official Facebook page underscoring the operational focus on their firefighting mission.
AOPA is actively collaborating with pilots affected by the Forest Fire Service’s decision, raising concerns about the impact on the airport’s user community. Two principal businesses based at Aeroflex/Andover— a flight school and a maintenance shop— face imminent threats to their viability. Both enterprises depend heavily on hangar facilities: the flight school operates a fleet primarily comprised of fabric-covered aircraft that cannot be securely stored outdoors, while the maintenance shop requires hangar space to carry out its repair and servicing tasks.
Sean Collins, AOPA Eastern Regional Manager, publicly criticized the eviction plan, labeling it as neglectful of the tenant pilots and businesses. Collins highlighted that although Aeroflex/Andover experiences mainly transient traffic, the eviction and impending demolition of hangars disregards the operational necessities of the airport's aviation tenants. He urged a reconsideration of the plan, emphasizing its potential to force these aviation businesses to cease operations permanently.
Aeroflex/Andover Airport plays a dual role supporting both recreational and business aviation as well as serving the state's wildfire suppression efforts. The Forest Fire Service’s need to improve and reduce the hangar structures is evidently driven by safety and operational priorities for firefighting, yet this has created a conflict with the tenant community who utilize the facilities for flight training, maintenance, and storage.
Such conflicts between state agencies and general aviation users are not uncommon, especially when airports serve critical public safety missions alongside civilian aviation needs. The situation at Aeroflex/Andover exemplifies the challenge of balancing infrastructure upgrades required for state service facilities while maintaining a viable environment for local aviation businesses and pilot communities.
The forthcoming eviction notices and the hangar demolition raise questions about the future capacity of Aeroflex/Andover Airport to support general aviation activities. The loss of hangar space could diminish the airport’s attractiveness and utility for local pilots and businesses, potentially leading to economic and operational decline for those dependent on the site.
AOPA’s intervention underscores the organization's role as an advocate for general aviation stakeholders facing encroachment or displacement issues. The association is likely to push for dialogue between the Forest Fire Service and the airport tenants to mitigate business disruption, preserve hangar access where possible, or arrange alternative accommodations for displaced operators.
This eviction episode highlights the complex interplay at multipurpose airports, where operational priorities can diverge sharply between public agencies and private aviation users. The coming months of tenant notices and construction will be crucial in determining how Aeroflex/Andover balances firefighting imperatives with the continued support of its aviation community.
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