Aero Park Airfield / Airport
Home to Civil Air Patrol and a Glider School
Lady Lisa Michalak HAPPY BIRTHDAY……..plus I used to live at Aero park, my Great-Grandma owned it. And I lived there while my dad ran it. I have lots of stories….
Cap’n Mike Reilly Aero Park Airfield, closed Dec 2004, was located near Lannon & Lisbon Rds. If anyone has info or stories about it, esp. why it closed, please send to me or Nick Houle. Thanks
The airfield was open for 50+ years. It had a hanger and a few small buildings. It closed and it currently is a farmers with no buildings. Why it closed is still unknown to me.
I know they had a couple of skydiving accidents resulting a deaths, whether or not that played a part in it closing Im not sure.
My mother skydived there for years when I was a child. Lots of memories there. There was a parking lot, a bar, and a big hanger for the skydivers. I don’t know why they turned it into a farm field but I do miss that place.
I do have one sad story I’ll never forget from there though. When I was about 8 years old I had met a young girl about 7 years old. I met her behind the bar in the volley ball court playing in the sand. We talked and played in the sand for a while and she mentioned to me that she was there because it was her fathers birthday and he went up for a…(tharr be more) Peer into the depths tandom jump for his first time. I left a little bit later. Later on the news I heard that two sky divers fell to their deaths in the golf course across the street. It was the young girls father and the tandom master.
Actually I just found out that the lady who owned it had died and her son inherited the airfield. He then sold it out. Don’t know the names.
That father was the husband of a lady my father used to work with & the jumpmaster worked with the wife & my father. I remember my father telling me that story before I went skydiving to try & talk me out of it…
That memory still haunts me. That young girl was so sweet. I can’t imagine how devistated she must have been.
Its still bothers my dad to this day…a special event that went horribly wrong
My Dad used to jump there. I have pictures and stories. I’ll ask my Dad tomorrow why it closed and let you know. It was a neat place I have a lot of memories from when I was a kid. My Dad put my mom’s panty hose on the wind sock. LoL. On the 4th of July these guys used to jump with No clothes on. Though at my age I didn’t get to see. If you look at…(tharr be more) Peer into the depths my pictures there’s one of my Mom and Dad and another guy that used to jump too. I think all the skydivers just got to busy to jump anymore but I will let you know. Sunday. Okay. Night. Thanks for brightening my mind of thoughts of eating the clover flowers.
See also: http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1499&dat=19860719&id=DlcaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=wioEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3798,3100040The Milwaukee Journal – Jul 19, 1986
One 4th of july the was an off duty cop from chicago there who was also a pyrotechnition. He brought this huge stick of dynamite out there. He place the dynamite and two gallon sized zip lock bags full of gasoline about 150 yards out on the field. Biggest explosion I’ve ever seen in my life. It made a mushrooming flame cloud about 30 feet …(tharr be more) Peer into the depthstall. It looked like a minature A bomb. Very dumb but also very cool. BTW no one was injured. Lots of silly things happened at that place. That might have something to do with its closing.
Carl and his wife died. The grandson took it over and then sold it a few years later. My Dad Grant Fairbanks and Fred Astini jumped and then Fred Botini jumped and his shoot never opened he ended up in the golf course he was to be married that Sat. In a fixed Marriage. The Club paid for his body to be shipped home. He was a student at Marquette. At the Time my Dad was the secretary of treasure.
My Mom has more info.
Nick Houle Marrrch 27 roundabouts 1:56 in the evenin’
Here is some of the information I have found about it. Very interesting how it just disappeared. Maybe there was a reason? I know a bad amount of people had died there. I found 18 incidents and about 8 deaths.
Bill Schlafer reported in December 2004, “Sometime in early December the operations were closed & the field was plowed up. I have not been able to find out why the airport was closed or if the plowing was done in preparation for planting crops or to discourage any attempted landings. It was never listed for sale, and its closure didn’t even make the local news.”
http://members.tripod.com/airfields_freeman/WI/Airfields_WI_SE.htm#aeropark
Here are some more things I have found. This is a 1971 article about how a parachutist opened his chute 40 feet from the ground and was unhurt.
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=tvkpAAAAIBAJ&sjid=MREEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3288,4217920&dq=aeropark+menomonee+falls&hl=en
A death in 1970.
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=w84VAAAAIBAJ&sjid=KhEEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5925,3031643&dq=aeropark+menomonee+falls&hl=en
A sky diver stuck on power lines in 1970.
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=jnUfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=RSgEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2231,4368644&dq=aeropark+menomonee+falls&hl=en
Vandals in 1979.
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=2yQvAAAAIBAJ&sjid=2CoEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6631,2397644&dq=aeropark+menomonee+falls&hl=en
Near collisions 1981-
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=tFYaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=vCkEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6626,3854284&dq=aeropark+menomonee+falls&hl=en
A skydiver stuck on powerlines in 1988.
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=zGcaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=xioEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4123,221285&dq=aeropark+menomonee+falls&hl=en
Ultra-light emergency landing 1995-
http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=MWSB&p_theme=mwsb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB828FE4A712082&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM
Stuck in power lines 1995-
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=fXEaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Gy0EAAAAIBAJ&pg=1569,5189009&dq=aeropark+menomonee+falls&hl=en
Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields: Southeastern Wisconsin
http://members.tripod.com/airfields_freeman/WI/Airfields_WI_SE.htm#aeropark
depicted the field as having several grass runways, with about a dozen light aircraft visible on the west side of the field.
A 1950 aerial view of Aero Park Airport (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
depicted the field as having several grass runways, with about a dozen light aircraft visible on the west side of the field.
This general aviation airport was evidently established at some point between 1941-50,
as it was not yet depicted at all on a 1941 aerial photo.
The earliest depiction of Aero Park which has been located
was a 1950 aerial view
(courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It depicted the field as having several grass runways,
with about a dozen light aircraft visible on the west side of the field.
Inexplicably, Aero Park was not yet depicted on the December 1952 Illinois River Word Aeronautical Chart
(according to Chris Kennedy).
It may have been overlooked, as a relatively small airfield
The earliest aeronautical chart depiction which has been located of Aero Park
was on the November 1954 Milwaukee Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It depicted the field as having a 2,700′ unpaved runway.
The 1959 USGS topo map depicted Aero Park as having 2 unpaved runways, with a few small buildings along the west & south sides.
The 1960 WI Airport Directory (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
depicted Aero Park as having three sod runways, with the longest being the 2,700′ northwest/southeast strip.
The 1962 AOPA Airport Directory described Aero Park
as having three sod runways, with the longest being the 2,700′ Runway 13/31.
The operator was listed as Silent Wings, Inc., and the field was said to offer fuel & tiedowns.
A 1963 aerial view of Aero Park Airport (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
depicted the field with noticeably fewer aircraft on the field than was seen in the 1950 photo.
The 1971 Chicago Sectional Chart depicted Aero Park as having a 2,400′ unpaved runway.
The 1982 AOPA Airport Directory
(courtesy of Ed Drury) described Aero Park
as having three sod runways, with the longest being the 2,700′ Runway 15/33.
The operator was listed as Silent Wings, Inc.,
and the field was said to offer tiedowns, flight instruction, and plane rental.
Bill Schlafer reported in 2004, “This small general aviation airport served light aircraft, ultralights,
towed hangliders, and at least several small single-engine fixed-wing aircraft.
One of the unique features of the airport was that the north-south orientated runways crossed a narrow culvert
which allowed a small creek to flow across the south end of the field.
The airport was often closed in the spring after heavy rains due to standing water.
Much of the surrounding area is swampy.
The airport had a bar and restaurant, several small free-standing hangars and a row of T-hangers.”
“During the 1990s there was an active skydiving club in operation at Aero Park.
I recall watching the skydivers free-fall & then float down to the airport from the nearby golf course where I often played.
Watching the overloaded Cessna used as a jump plane struggling to take off from the sod field
was always a bit exciting due to the power lines that crossed the end of Runway 18 next to the roadway.
Indeed the power lines caused several accidents over the years including the Cessna 182 jump plane.”
A
July 2001 articlein the Milwaukee Journal-Sentineldescribed how an ultralight pilot was injured in a crash at Aero Park
when he suffered an engine failure after takeoff.
Bill Schlafer recalled, “I believe the skydiving operation ceased after that accident
and other recent accidents & incidents may have contributed to the airport’s eventual demise.”
A 1999 aerial view of Aero Park from the WI Airport Directory.
The field was depicted as having three grass runways, with the longest being the 1,880′ Runway 15/33.
A hangar was depicted along the west side of the field.
The Fixed Base Operator was listed as Aero Wing, Inc.
The field was said to conduct parachute & ultralight operations,
and to be open to ski aircraft in wintertime.
A circa 2001-2005 USGS aerial view showed the runways & buildings remained intact,
but there was no sign of current aviation use at Aero Park.
Bill Schlafer reported in 2004, “I was at the airport this last summer where EAA Young Eagle flights were held.”
As of December 2004, the FAA Airport Facility Directory data for Aero Park (as published on
described the field as having 3 turf runways,
with the longest being the 1,880′ Runway 15/33.
A total of 27 aircraft were listed as being based on the field (3 single engine aircraft & 24 ultralights).
The field was said to conduct an average of 120 takeoffs or landings per week,
and it was said to conduct parachute & ultralight operations.
Bill Schlafer reported in December 2004, “Sometime in early December the operations were closed & the field was plowed up.
I have not been able to find out why the airport was closed
or if the plowing was done in preparation for planting crops or to discourage any attempted landings.
It was never listed for sale, and its closure didn’t even make the local news.”
“Capitol Airport also resides just a couple of miles to south,
which also may have been a factor in closing the airport.
Having 2 airports in such close proximity had to lead to conflicts for airspace.
There is also quite a bit or new residential development in the area driving the demand for undeveloped tracts of land.”
“The T-hangars have been torn down & the other buildings stripped in preparation of demolition.
There is no evidence of aircraft at the site.
The windsock & runway markers have been removed.”
“The closing of Aero Park leaves Waukesha County with only two operational airports (that I know of):
Crites Field – Waukesha, and Capitol Airport in nearby Brookfield.”
A December 2004 photo by Bill Schlafer of “the remains of the restaurant/clubhouse/bar.
The building on the right was a small hangar which is still intact, but empty.
The foundation of another hangar can be seen in the lower left of the photo.”
A December 2004 photo by Bill Schlafer looking North along the centerline of what was Runway 36,
taken from the roadway on the South end of the field.
A 2005 aerial view showed that all of the buildings at the site had been removed.
The site of Aero Park Airport is located northeast of the intersection of Lisbon Road & Lannon Road.
Thanks to Bill Schlafer for pointing out the unfortunate closure of this airfield.
thefreemans@hotmail.com <thefreemans@hotmail.com>
—
Celebrates Anniversary
Slient Wings, Inc., the state’s only licensed glider school, located just west of Butler, celebrated completion of it;s first year of operation.
Last year the school was based at the Capitol Drive airpport. Karl R. Schaarschmidt, Jr., is president of the school, and other officers are Arthur Mallen and George Polacheck of Milwaukee.
Two Butler men have become associated with the new CAP located at Aero park field.
They are H. W. Swofford, public relations, and Joe Moranty, operations and training officer. This organization is a part of the U.S. Air Force.
The new CAP is interested in obtaining local members and offers educational as well as recreational opportunities to cadets 15 through 21 and also adults. One need not be versed in flying to join. Flight taining may lead to commissions in the Air Force on completion of satisfactory work.
Source: Waukesha Daily Freeman, June 15, 1949, page 8
—
Northwest Part of County Houses an Active Airport
Butler – Surprisingly few people in Waukesha county know that the Aero Park airport, just west of Marcy and about four miles from Butler, is the third largest airport in the vicinity of Milwaukee.
The field holds thee runways, one of them 2,350 feet long and the other two, 1,000 and 2,250 feet long. A complete squadron of the Wisconsin Civil Air Patrol is based at the field, which was the center of a recent CAP maneuver.
At a meeting held last Friday evening, plans were discussed for for the erection of a double unit, 40 by 70 foot flight headquarters and hanger building. The federal government turned the building over to the local CAP.
Aero Park flight is scheduled to receive other government property including aerial camera, telegraph keys, power generator, slide projector, telephone wire, sextant, Link trainer, aerial charts, walkie-talkies, switchboard and complete office furniture.
Seek More Men
Recruiting drive for the new Aero Park flight is under way and prospective cadets and interested adults are invited to join. Cadets must be aged 15 to 18. In the absence of Adjutant Art Barnard, Training and Supply Officer, Joe Moranty of Butler presided at the meeting.
Aero Park flight of the Civil Air Patrol is planning a “Blue Jean” dance for July 30. The dance is to be held to raise funds for the flight of the CAP based at Aero Park Air Base, a short distance from here on Highway K. The Whitcomb barn across from the airport will be thescene of the proposed affair.
Source: Waukesha Daily Freeman, July 8, 1949, page 4.
—
Aero Park CAP Begins Classes
Butler – Aero Park Flight No. 1 of the Civil Air Patrol started Friday October 7 at 8 p.m. with a class in navigation. Other sessions are scheduled for October 14 and 21. Communications officers Gene Shew will conduct the course in radio, and aerodynamics will be in charge of Operations Officer Carl Koelung. A course in the principles of the gas engine will later be taught by Joe Moanty, training officer of Butler. Aero Park Field is the location where the course will be offered. It is on Hampton Rd. west of Marcy near here. (Note: Either the above location is incorrect or the road wasn’t Hwy K or Lisbon Rd. in 1949).
Source: Waukesha Daily Freeman, October 12, 1949, page 9.
—
Skydivers
MENOMONEE FALLS – Eighteen skydivers from rnidwestern states will float intoAero Park Airport, Menomonee Falls Labor Day weekend in colorful competition for trophies and prize money.
The event will feature contests in landing accuracy and “style”, or maneuverability. Entrants, sailing beneath multi-colored parachutes, will attempt to bullseye a 4-inch target.
The meet, open to the public, is sponsored by the Wisconsin Skydivers Parachute Club. Admission is $1 per carload.
Source: Capital Times, Madison, August 29, 1968, page 36.
—
Sno-Birds Snowmoile Club of Menomonee Falls second annual snowmobile races at Aero Park Airport. “two-mile, grand prix type course.
Oshkosh Daily Northwestern, January 5, 1970, page 9.
—
Aero Park Airport serves Menomonee Falls andWaukesha County and is owned by Sophie Schaarschmidt. The airport has more than one runway. The longest is a turf runway extending 1880 feet. The facility is at an elevation of 850 feet at a distance of about 4 miles from Menomonee Falls.
—
Near-collisions at airfields alleged
The Milwaukee Journal Oct 7, 1981
Sophie M. Schaarschmidt and husband Karl, owners, W204 N5022 Lannon Rd., Menomonee Falls
Dean Mitchell, operator of Capitol Airport, 21500 Gumina Rd. Brookfield.
—
Aero Park Airport
N48w14570 Hampton Ave, Menomonee Falls, WI 53051, (262) 252-3266
http://localbusinessexplorer.com/Yellow_Pages/A/Wisconsin/Airports.html
—
Crash landing is laid to gas supply misuse
The Milwaukee Journal Dec 13, 1948
—
Karl Schaarschmidt learned to fly in 1939 but was unable to pass the phyical for the Air force in World War II because of an eye injury. In 1948 he was bitten by the gliding bug and started Silent Wings gliding school at Aero Park. Gliding hit its peak about 8 or 10 years ago when we had 10 gliders here. Now (in 1979), only two gliders are housed at the small landing strip.
Source: Excerpts from The Milwaukee Journal April 28, 1979
—
Karl R. Schaarschmid, 2 May 1920, 17 Jun 1997