2010

    Hopedale History
    March 15, 2011
    No. 176
    Hopedale Airport


    Hopedale in March   

    Hopedale High Class of 1969, 10-year reunion   

    School field day – probably late 60s – YouTube video   

    Clouds over Hopedale - Both Sides Now   

    Hopedale wastewater treatment plant   

    1975 junior division Little League champs – The Police   

    Now and Then – Cumberland Farms  

    Mendon Menu   

    There’s been a lot of interest in my recent additions of Hopedale videos from the sixties
    through the eighties on YouTube. Thanks to Kathi Wright’s posting on Facebook, the one
    of Chet Sanborn showing kids at Memorial School how to tap maples went from just a few
    hits to over 400 in about a week.  Here's a link to my YouTube menu.

    Here’s a request I received from Tracy Sweeney last week: I'm hoping you might be able
    to help me out.   I'm looking for people from these states: Alabama, Arkansas, Kansas,
    Montana, Mississippi, Oregon, New Jersey, Nebraska, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah,
    and Wyoming to send a state post card to my 10 yr. old neighbor, Jen.  Figured you have
    a lot of friends and might know someone willing to send a postcard to her, for a school
    contest. Whoever gets the most cards, wins some sort of prize. Thanks Dan!     If you can
    help, email me and I’ll send you Jen’s address.

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                                           Hopedale Airport – An Asset to Area

                                                             By Linda Tosches

    While controversy of a major nature is raging over the proposed jetport in Hopkinton, with
    a coincidental showing of the movie “Airport” at local area theaters dealing with this same
    major problem, Hopedale’s airport has had some expansion pains of its own, but on a
    minor scale.

    What is advantageous about a small airport such as the one in Hopedale? Robert E.
    Mozer, Jr., of Medfield, assistant manager stated that, “People learning to fly get a more
    thorough knowledge of landing techniques because the runway is smaller (3200 ft. long,
    100 ft. wide) and there is not much open space surrounding it.” Runway lights spaced
    200 feet apart facilitate night flying, and two telephone towers, west and north of the field
    are used as landmarks.

    Most of the thirty-two planes based at Hopedale are single engine, two passenger
    models, such as the Cessna 150 and Piper Cherokee, but there are also four twin-engine
    models. A single engine plane costs approximately $15,000 to buy and $10 per hour for
    fuel, Mozer said. The largest plane ever to land at the Hopedale Airport was a twin engine
    DC-3, which carries thirty to thirty-two passengers. There are two hangars, one for
    maintenance and one for storage, which can hold four aircraft.

    Mozer, whose father is president of Hopedale Airways, Inc., said that the only expansion
    he favored would be more office space and storage hangars. The request for more office
    and hangar space was turned down last year due to objections by the abutters. “Although
    we don’t want to turn it into a jetport,” Mozer said, some expansion is necessary. Small
    airports today have a tendency to go out of business.”

    The airport, which has been in existence since 1954, was formerly owned by Draper
    Corp., and is now the property of North American Rockwell, Inc. Two separate but
    cooperative businesses are involved in the operation of the airport. Hopedale Airways
    Inc., bought by the Mozers in April from Dr. Norman Nathanson of Framingham, maintains
    the flight school. Ranging in age from sixteen to forty-five, the thirty-four students receive
    instruction from Al Winnier of Franklin who serves as chief flight instructor and general
    manager of the flight school. Winnier was an instructor for three years at Hanscom Air
    Force Base before coming to Hopedale three weeks ago. He is assisted by two part-time
    instructors, William Mancini of Hopedale and Richard Gulla of Foxboro.

    As president of Air Travel Services, Bert Marona is in charge of mechanical repairs and
    overhauling of the planes, as well as renting hangar and field space (approx. $200 per
    month) which he leases from North American Rockwell. Before he became involved in the
    mechanical aspect of the airport, Marona was a flight instructor, and has been with the
    Hopedale Airport for the past twelve years.

    In addition to the flight school, maintenance and rental services, the Hopedale Airport
    also provides 15-minute sightseeing flights around the Milford-Mendon area. The short
    trips are provided on work days or weekends, whenever pilots are available. Cost is $3
    per person, with a maximum of three in each plane.

    “We usually limit the flights to fifteen minutes because some people get airsick if it’s their
    first time up in a light plane. But air sickness really depends on weather conditions. The
    roughest air is usually at noontime,” Mozer remarked as he intercepted a radio message
    from ground control.

    One member of a jovial group of student pilots was overheard giving a middle aged
    counterpart some sage advice before his first solo flight. “Remember Joe, there are old
    pilots and there are bold pilots, but there are no old, bold pilots.”

    Looking toward the future, perhaps with a bit of expansion, the Hopedale Airport will be
    better equipped to serve the needs of pilots, old and-or bold. Milford Daily News,
    August 2, 1970.



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