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Echelon Airport, Ashland, NJ
According to a history of Voorhees, Rogers & Jeanette Smith bought land on Somerdale Road in 1939 and built an airport, which they named Echelon, after their flying club.
The earliest depiction which has been located of Echelon Airport was a 1940 aerial view. It depicted the field as having 2 grass runways. A few small farm buildings were located on the northwest side of the field, but there did not yet appear to be any hangars.
No airfield at this location was yet depicted on the November 1941 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
According to Harry Silvers, the Smiths' “house was known as the Ebert Mansion - the largest in the area. During WW2 they had to dismantle the airplanes & store the parts in the rafters. According to Harry Silvers, “Roger [reestablished] the airport after the war and used surplus Vultee Valiant BT-13 for trainers.”
The 1945 Washington Sectional Chart depicted Echelon as a commercial/municipal airfield. It depicted the field as having a total of 4 grass runways, with the longest being the 2,800' east-northeast/west-southwest strip. An office/classroom & 2 hangars (which had been added at some point between 1940-47) were depicted along the road on the northwest side of the field. The operator was listed as Echelon Aeronautical Service Inc., and the manager was listed as R.M. Smith. According to Harry Silvers, airport founder Roger Smith “died in 1950 when he was ferrying 2 men to Ohio. Jean Smith told me he was murdered by an insane man in the back seat of the plane. Smith's body was found near the crash site.”
The Aerodromes Table on the 1951 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe) described Echelon as a commercial airport, having a total of 4 runways, with the longest being 2,800'.
According to Harry Silvers, “Hugh Hamill & his wife Kathryn leased the airport from Jean Smith the widow in July 1952.” Echelon's northeast/southwest runway was evidently abandoned at some point between 1947-55, as the March 1955 Department of Commerce Airport Facilities Record (courtesy of Harry Silvers) depicted the field as having 3 grass runways, with the longest being the 2,800' east-northeast/west-southwest strip. An office/classroom & 2 hangars were depicted along the road on the northwest side of the field. The operator was listed as H & K Hamills Inc., and the manager was listed as Hugh Hamill.
The Aerodromes Table on the 1960 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe) described Echelon as having a total of 3 runways, with the longest being a 2,800' turf strip.
The 1961 Philadelphia Local Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe) depicted Echelon as having a 2,800' unpaved runway. It also depicted the nearby Echelon aeronautical intersection.
Matt Wilson recalled, “I moved there in 1961. Our best friends Manny & Vicki Lynn owned Echelon Airport. It was NEVER called Echelon Airport, except by the FAA... it was always referred to as Osage Airport, hence Osage School being built directly across from it.”
The 1962 AOPA Airport Directory described Echelon Airfield as having 3 turf runways, with the longest being the 2,800' Runway 8/26.
The field was said to offer fuel, major repairs, hangars, tie downs, and charter. The operator was listed as H & K Hamill Inc. (a Piper dealer). According to Harry Silvers, “Hugh Hamill gave up operating the airport in July 1963. Manny Lynn from nearby Clementon Airport took over & I was eventually let go. He probably renamed it Delaware Valley Airpark.”
The field was labeled as “Delaware Valley” on the 1964 Washington Sectional Chart. It depicted the field as having a 2,800' unpaved runway.
Harry Silvers recalled, “I flew into the airport in a J-3 in 1964.
It closed for good in 1965.”
According to Harry Silvers, “The Echelon Mall opened in 1970” on the site of the former airport. Scott Roberts reported in 2005, “The [Echelon] Mall has fallen into harder times recently, despite a great location, with its anchor stores leaving after many years there. Maybe they could put the airport back?” Scott Roberts provided an update in 2007: “The mall which had replaced it in the early 1970s has been half demolished, and now housing is going up in its place. The remainder of the mall is being refurbished as a smaller version of its old self. Funny - the airport left for the mall, and the mall gave a wing for housing...
Harry reported, “There was a dedication on September 19, 2009 of a new sign about Echelon Airfield which stood on what is now the Voorhees Town Center. No more Echelon Mall.
Carol Smith (daughter of Roger & Jeanne Smith, the original owners of Echelon Airfield) was there along with the Mayor & townsfolk. A township resident who learned to fly at Echelon on the GI Bill after WW2 was there showing his signed logbook.”
The site of Echelon Airport is located east of the intersection of Sommerdale Road & South Burnt Mill Road.
A circa 1960 aerial view looking southeast at Echelon Airport (courtesy of Carol Smith, via Harry Silvers). The 3 grass runways were visible, along with several hangars & buildings, and several light planes.
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