Ed Brown Dead at 89

[gfvalvo]

http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060616/NEWS/606160431

If you know anything about GA in New Jersey, you've heard of Ed Brown - owner of KBLM. A cantankerous S.O.B. to be sure, but somebody dedicated to aviation.

 

[CrimsonEclipse]

The old guy finally died. There will be a lot of people celebrating at BLM.

He definitely led an interesting life.

CE

 

[shamrock]

I had many dealings with him when I used to ferry his daughter and her family between LOU and BLM.

Hypothetical question, if you were wealthy enough to own several aircraft as well as your own airport, which aircraft would you use to transport a close relative and her family a good part of the way across the country? The PC12 that could easily carry the load and do it non-stop or the Malibu that required a fuel stop and just over legal minimum fuel for each T/O to be within weight and balance?

:erm:

 

[gkrangers]

http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060616/NEWS/606160431

If you know anything about GA in New Jersey, you've heard of Ed Brown - owner of KBLM. A cantankerous S.O.B. to be sure, but somebody dedicated to aviation.

It sucks either way.

The airport sucked with Brown around, but now with him gone, the airport will probably end up as houses. The airport has so much potentail if it got federal funding...redone runways, taxiways, ramps, a functional LOC, standard painted markings, standard lighting, etc...

It could be a much better place...

"Though Brown had attempted to sell the airport since 1985, he turned down a deal in 2005 because he suspected that federal funding involved with a proposed purchase by Monmouth County might have allowed more flights and larger planes."

The man did everything possible to deter people from flying into BLM.

 

[User998]

So what kind of things made Ed Brown not so likeable?

 

[gkrangers]

So what kind of things made Ed Brown not so likeable?

1) Nobody likes a grouchy old man.
2) No airport improvements, kept the LOC off, no night lighting after 11PM
3) Frequently would close half of 14/32 (8000ft) to deter the jet traffic...people would routinely not know about it and land and smash through the cones he would put on the runway.

Those are some of my complaints. It really all stems to him keeping the airport "down" and not allowing it to reach its potential...What a boost federal funding would be, to get new runways, taxiways, markings, lights, etc...its even in a location that could be conducive to some regional airline traffic (maybe)

I'm all for airport improvement and making it bigger, better, and busier....

The airport was like his own personal playground, and I guess that was his right as a private owner, but he was still a whackjob.

 

[Gryphon]

People are going to be wondering what will happen now... i'm sure there will be some kind of shake-up, and not everyone will be happy, but then again, why would that change? I knew Ed, for the short time i was around the airport, and he was always nice to me, but then again, i never did business with him, just stopped by once in a while to say hi, he was at a party at my flight school a while back, and didn't really look that great, but i guess when your times up, it's up. Maybe BLM will start to grow now, its hard enough for the businesses there to survive. One can hope things will change for the better.

 

[gkrangers]

People are going to be wondering what will happen now... i'm sure there will be some kind of shake-up, and not everyone will be happy, but then again, why would that change? I knew Ed, for the short time i was around the airport, and he was always nice to me, but then again, i never did business with him, just stopped by once in a while to say hi, he was at a party at my flight school a while back, and didn't really look that great, but i guess when your times up, it's up. Maybe BLM will start to grow now, its hard enough for the businesses there to survive. One can hope things will change for the better.

The key is growth. I think a sale to the county would be a good thing...it would bring in the funding other airports get...and give me a reason to return to BLM, as well as create jobs and breathe more life into the businesses there, and bring in new ones...

BLM really needs to be taken advantage of, given its proximity to major areas on the shore....

I prefer the 20 minute drive to BLM to the 40 minute drive to 47N, altho I do like 47N. A new and improved BLM would be nice...

 

[gfvalvo]

1) Nobody likes a grouchy old man.

I really thought he was the only man too mean to die.

 

[Way2Broke]

3) Frequently would close half of 14/32 (8000ft) to deter the jet traffic...people would routinely not know about it and land and smash through the cones he would put on the runway.

Why do I find that funny?