The now Abandoned "Riverside Airport", Marcy NY

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This former small general aviation airport was located only three miles southeast of the site of the former Utica Municipal Airport.

Riverside Airport was apparently built between 1963-67, as it was yet depicted on the 1963 Albany Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe).

The earliest reference to the airfield which has been located was on the 1967 Albany Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe).

It described Riverside Airport as having a single 2,500' gravel runway.

The runway at Riverside was apparently paved at some point between 1967-72, as it was described as having a paved runway in the 1972 Flight Guide (according to Chris Kennedy).

The 1982 AOPA Airport Directory (courtesy of Ed Drury)described Riverside Airport as having a single 3,500' asphalt Runway 14/32.

Mark Hrutkay observed of Riverside, “It was a nice place, it had a aviation mechanics school & lots of stories."

It was wedged between the Thruway & the Erie Barge Canal, so the seaplanes could take off.

In the 1995 Jeppesen Airport Directory, the operators at Riverside Airport were listed as Landcare Aviation, Inc. & Mark's Flight Training.

Riverside was evidently closed (for reasons unknown) at some point between 1995-99.

Although it was closed at the date of the 1999 USGS photo (note the closed runway "X" markings), there were still three light aircraft visible parked on the ramp.

Riverside was still depicted as an abandoned airfield on 2002 aeronautical charts.

However, Ed Hamlin reported that a 2003 aerial photo showed that “As far as Riverside is concerned, the airport no longer exists - the runways were removed in order to construct major highway interchanges in the area.

There is nothing there next to the marina anymore. There is no sign that there ever was an airport there.”

A circa 2000-2005 USGS aerial photo showed a dramatic difference compared to the 1999 USGS aerial photo.

All of the buildings on the field had been removed, along with some of the pavement from the runway.

However, the remains of the length of the paved runway was still quite evident

www.airfields-freeman.com/NY/Airfields_NY_NE.htm#rivers...
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   43°8'0"N   75°15'58"W

Comments

  • The Riverside School of Aeronautics was located here, where I received A & P licenses in 1975. I flew a variety of aircraft out of this place.
  • My family owns the Marcy Marina and I have fond memories of visiting there in the 80's and watching the plane's land. - Scharbach
  • I went to School 1982 after high school. It started a great career with United Air Lines 23 years retired at 47. It was an amazing little school, I have learned a lot that has helped me my whole life. Thanks River Side
  • Graduated in March of 1980. 6 years at Eastern Airlines before starting with American in 1986. Still jugging along. Must have been nice to retire with just 24 years at United!
  • I helped a friend financially, Todd M. Zimmerman, with his A&P certification at Riverside. Sadly, he never pursued a career in the aviation field before his untimely passing many years ago. Can't find much history, but if anybody wants to share - incipient@comcast.net - I'm Greg
This article was last modified 8 years ago