Was a Friday. VFR and gorgeous day. Saw about 8 airplanes tied down. None of them looked like they were airworthy except a cub well maintained. Many had flat tires. The "FBO" was open but deserted. Some bottled water and an old broken microwave. No plumbing/running water. The hanger was locked but I could see inside there were some planes in there. In the one hour i was there, not a soul came by, drove by, or landed. My dog and I sat on the picnic bench and had some lunch. I was dreaming about turning this place into something that people could enjoy. Maybe a small greasy spoon eatery. Or give "Cub" rides on Sundays for $5 like the 30s. I hate to see small grassroots airports wither away, but such is General Aviation really. Not enough people interested to pass the torch.... Anwyay, hung out with hope, but finally departed to visit another lonely airport a few miles away - Newton. Even more deserted.
Maybe you ignored and drove past the three signs telling you to park in the parking lot and not drive on the ramp? If so it shows your character to be that of, "I ignore rules and can do whatever I want", meaning they probably wouldn't want types like you there in the first place!
The guy they have managing that place hates you and the world. He gets an attitude with just about everyone who stops in. If he hates people so much, why is he the manager of anything? What a bunch of sh*t. Doesn't belong in a public position with that attitude. Find out who owns the airport and file a complaint!
Drove in this evening (7PM) for a friendly hello and to check out grass landing strip..... Manager was very gruff and overly aggressive.... not good for someone in business... too bad... I might have wanted to tie my plane(s) down there..... I wouldn't land there now in an emergency. Good luck!
I discovered Trinca in the winter of 1961. I was a senior at Netcong HS with a hankering to fly. I drove up to Trinca one day, didn't see anybody until I located the office. Pete was in there with another guy and I asked about flying lessons and how much they cost. Pete told me they were $12 an hour. At the time I could not afford the price of a full hour so Pete offered to give me half-hour lessons. Then he asked if I had ever been up in a plane and I said no. Then Pete said to the other guy there that a guy should not start taking lessons if he had not been up. Then he said he had to take one of the planes up for some exercise and did I want to go along with him. So, he took me up for the better part of a half-hour. The following weekend I started my half-hour lessons. Usually, at the conclusion of the lesson Pete would take over and we would go for a ride hedge hoping all over the surounding countryside. Boy, sure could he fly that J3.
There was a lady who kept a 172 at the field, here name was/is Roxanne Perona. Toward the end of my instructions Pete told me I should check out in the 172 because it was more appropriate for carrying passengers. It was a VERY windy day and my landings were rough to say the least. So Pete took it around with the intention of showing me how to do it. Well, he had as much trouble bringing it in smoothly as I did and after we were on the ground he taxied over to the office where Rozanne was standing. When he came out of the office he heard Rozanne say, "He isn't going to send you up by yourself is he?" and I told her that he had not said anything to me about going up by myself. Well, he must have heard what Roxanne said and as he was walking toward the plane he surprised Roxanne and I by saying to me, "Why don't you take it around the pattern by yourself a few times." Then he turned around and started heading back to the office and as he did he said to Roxanne, "You have to know when to get out of the airplane, Roxanne."
Pete was a hell of a pilot and a hell of a man. I had heard that he died sometime back - not sure when. I would love to go back up to Trinca and spend some time with him. I guess I should have gone sooner. Let me extend my best wishes to all of you who are "graduates" of Trica. It was a great place to fly. - Mel Ponton, Bloomsbury, NJ
I learned to fly with Ernie at Trinca in a J-3 in 1961. Then I bought my Stinson 108 to take my license. I left Trinca and moved to another state. When I flew back, I was porposing. I asked Ernie to do some dual to find out the cause. He said I had been flying at too many paved airports and wasn't following the undulations of the runway. No more problem. I had the Stinson from Maine to San Diego. It's true, you can learn to fly well at Trinca, and have some fond memories to take with you. I still fly when I get a chance, and my son flies for Delta.
My first Solo was out of Trinca about 10 years ago. The airport is a little run down, and a bit behind the times these days. I never thought much of those trees or divits in the grass as a student pilot. A bit of a bump was my launch pad for soft field take offs. All the little "Tricks" you learned flying out of Trinca only made you a better pilot. Avoiding tall trees wasn't something that made it tough, it made you FLY! Something a lot of "pavement" pilots forget how to do I think.
Trinca is one of the last grass strips around in NJ. It is a big part of many pilots fond memories. It is a truly enchanting airport. Look past the rough edges, reach back through time. You can still see and hear all the avid aviation enthusiasts sitting around on the old picnic table bench, chatting the warm summer days away. To this day, I can walk around the hangers, look in the office, sit on that bench, and get that same warm feeling of camaraderie we all shared in our never ending love for aviation.
A 7:45PM trip around the pattern in a J3 Cub, watching the sun set on a warm summer night, I can't think of anything more magical! I love this airport and only hope it will be around for a long time to come, to share with my children. Visit if you can!
Certainly not the most well maintained grass strip in NJ, but very accessible for training. Approaches from the south very tough with huge pine trees on the approach end. Runway undulates badly, so don't feel bad if you float every 3 seconds while bouncing down the turf. Easy to find though...grass very worn.
13N comments
Latest comments
The airport is owned by Green Township
🔗 Fri, 07 Sep 2012
— Anonymous Flyer at Trinca Airport, United States Reply
Since someone wanted to know who owned it.
Visited the other day
🔗 Mon, 18 Jun 2012
— Anonymous Flyer at Trinca Airport, United States Reply
Was a Friday. VFR and gorgeous day. Saw about 8 airplanes tied down. None of them looked like they were airworthy except a cub well maintained. Many had flat tires. The "FBO" was open but deserted. Some bottled water and an old broken microwave. No plumbing/running water. The hanger was locked but I could see inside there were some planes in there. In the one hour i was there, not a soul came by, drove by, or landed. My dog and I sat on the picnic bench and had some lunch. I was dreaming about turning this place into something that people could enjoy. Maybe a small greasy spoon eatery. Or give "Cub" rides on Sundays for $5 like the 30s. I hate to see small grassroots airports wither away, but such is General Aviation really. Not enough people interested to pass the torch.... Anwyay, hung out with hope, but finally departed to visit another lonely airport a few miles away - Newton. Even more deserted.
re: Not for me...
🔗 Wed, 25 Jan 2012
— Anonymous Flyer at Trinca Airport, United States Reply
Maybe you ignored and drove past the three signs telling you to park in the parking lot and not drive on the ramp? If so it shows your character to be that of, "I ignore rules and can do whatever I want", meaning they probably wouldn't want types like you there in the first place!
re: First Solo out of Trinca!
🔗 Thu, 09 Jun 2011
— Anonymous Flyer at Trinca Airport, United States Reply
Reply to @Steve: Don't know what magic you are talking about.
re: Not for me...
🔗 Thu, 09 Jun 2011
— Anonymous Flyer at Trinca Airport, United States Reply
The guy they have managing that place hates you and the world. He gets an attitude with just about everyone who stops in. If he hates people so much, why is he the manager of anything? What a bunch of sh*t. Doesn't belong in a public position with that attitude. Find out who owns the airport and file a complaint!
Not for me...
🔗 Mon, 25 Apr 2011
— Anonymous Flyer at Trinca Airport, United States Reply
Drove in this evening (7PM) for a friendly hello and to check out grass landing strip..... Manager was very gruff and overly aggressive.... not good for someone in business... too bad... I might have wanted to tie my plane(s) down there..... I wouldn't land there now in an emergency. Good luck!
Look what I found - Ernest "Pete" Billow
🔗 Fri, 12 Feb 2010
— @MPonton at Trinca Airport, United States Reply
http://www.eaa.org/apps/obituaries/MemorialWall2.aspx?ID=1006
Mel Ponton again
My first too.
🔗 Fri, 12 Feb 2010
— Anonymous Flyer at Trinca Airport, United States Reply
I discovered Trinca in the winter of 1961. I was a senior at Netcong HS with a hankering to fly. I drove up to Trinca one day, didn't see anybody until I located the office. Pete was in there with another guy and I asked about flying lessons and how much they cost. Pete told me they were $12 an hour. At the time I could not afford the price of a full hour so Pete offered to give me half-hour lessons. Then he asked if I had ever been up in a plane and I said no. Then Pete said to the other guy there that a guy should not start taking lessons if he had not been up. Then he said he had to take one of the planes up for some exercise and did I want to go along with him. So, he took me up for the better part of a half-hour. The following weekend I started my half-hour lessons. Usually, at the conclusion of the lesson Pete would take over and we would go for a ride hedge hoping all over the surounding countryside. Boy, sure could he fly that J3.
There was a lady who kept a 172 at the field, here name was/is Roxanne Perona. Toward the end of my instructions Pete told me I should check out in the 172 because it was more appropriate for carrying passengers. It was a VERY windy day and my landings were rough to say the least. So Pete took it around with the intention of showing me how to do it. Well, he had as much trouble bringing it in smoothly as I did and after we were on the ground he taxied over to the office where Rozanne was standing. When he came out of the office he heard Rozanne say, "He isn't going to send you up by yourself is he?" and I told her that he had not said anything to me about going up by myself. Well, he must have heard what Roxanne said and as he was walking toward the plane he surprised Roxanne and I by saying to me, "Why don't you take it around the pattern by yourself a few times." Then he turned around and started heading back to the office and as he did he said to Roxanne, "You have to know when to get out of the airplane, Roxanne."
Pete was a hell of a pilot and a hell of a man. I had heard that he died sometime back - not sure when. I would love to go back up to Trinca and spend some time with him. I guess I should have gone sooner. Let me extend my best wishes to all of you who are "graduates" of Trica. It was a great place to fly. - Mel Ponton, Bloomsbury, NJ
my first airport
🔗 Sat, 24 Oct 2009
— Anonymous Flyer at Trinca Airport, United States Reply
I learned to fly with Ernie at Trinca in a J-3 in 1961. Then I bought my Stinson 108 to take my license. I left Trinca and moved to another state. When I flew back, I was porposing. I asked Ernie to do some dual to find out the cause. He said I had been flying at too many paved airports and wasn't following the undulations of the runway. No more problem. I had the Stinson from Maine to San Diego. It's true, you can learn to fly well at Trinca, and have some fond memories to take with you. I still fly when I get a chance, and my son flies for Delta.
Bill Bundy
First Solo out of Trinca!
🔗 Sun, 23 Mar 2008
— @Steve at Trinca Airport, United States Reply
My first Solo was out of Trinca about 10 years ago. The airport is a little run down, and a bit behind the times these days. I never thought much of those trees or divits in the grass as a student pilot. A bit of a bump was my launch pad for soft field take offs. All the little "Tricks" you learned flying out of Trinca only made you a better pilot. Avoiding tall trees wasn't something that made it tough, it made you FLY! Something a lot of "pavement" pilots forget how to do I think.
Trinca is one of the last grass strips around in NJ. It is a big part of many pilots fond memories. It is a truly enchanting airport. Look past the rough edges, reach back through time. You can still see and hear all the avid aviation enthusiasts sitting around on the old picnic table bench, chatting the warm summer days away. To this day, I can walk around the hangers, look in the office, sit on that bench, and get that same warm feeling of camaraderie we all shared in our never ending love for aviation.
A 7:45PM trip around the pattern in a J3 Cub, watching the sun set on a warm summer night, I can't think of anything more magical! I love this airport and only hope it will be around for a long time to come, to share with my children. Visit if you can!
S.J.M.
Soft, short, and rough
🔗 Sat, 10 Nov 2007
— Anonymous Flyer at Trinca Airport, United States Reply
Certainly not the most well maintained grass strip in NJ, but very accessible for training. Approaches from the south very tough with huge pine trees on the approach end. Runway undulates badly, so don't feel bad if you float every 3 seconds while bouncing down the turf. Easy to find though...grass very worn.