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Piper’s History Found on the Bank of the Susquehanna

Museum at the site of a former aircraft factory includes a hangar full of significant models.

The Piper Aviation Museum's collection includes a hangar full of significant models. [Courtesy: Piper Aviation Museum]
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Key Takeaways:

  • The article highlights the importance of pilotage, using landmarks like the Susquehanna River to navigate, specifically to William T. Piper Memorial Airport (KLHV) in Lock Haven, the former home of Piper Aircraft Corporation.
  • Piper's Lock Haven factory, a major manufacturing hub for aircraft like the Comanche, was heavily damaged by a 1972 flood and eventually closed in 1984, consolidating operations in Florida.
  • The Piper Aviation Museum, located at KLHV, preserves the company's legacy through a diverse collection of aircraft, illustrating its design evolution and significant influence on general aviation.
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When I was learning to fly, my instructor spent a lot of time on pilotage, pointing out rivers, ridges, highways, railways, and other landmarks that could guide me to interesting destinations or, more importantly, back to the airport if all else failed.

I am glad he took the time to do that because I still find myself navigating by sight a lot of the time, finding my way by following terrain features. Among my favorites is the Susquehanna River, which meanders across Pennsylvania, passing near numerous points of interest including airports like Bloomsburg (N13), which is right on the river, and Sunbury (71N), situated on an island in the middle of it.

Jonathan Welsh

Jonathan Welsh is Lead Editor of Aviation Consumer and a private pilot who worked as a reporter, editor and columnist with the Wall Street Journal for 21 years, mostly covering the auto industry. His passion for aviation began in childhood with balsa-wood gliders his aunt would buy for him at the corner store. Follow Jonathan on Twitter @JonathanWelsh4

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