Skydive Tecumseh opens second location in Napoleon, intends to stay in Tecumseh

Skydive Tecumseh has now opened operations at Napoleon Airport, located at the corner of Brooklyn and Napoleon Roads in Jackson County, after Lenawee County Circuit Court Judge Anna Marie Anzalone ruled Friday, April 24, she could not order temporary access to Al Meyers Airport as a lawsuit between the two companies is fought. “We intend to continue to have a Napoleon operation even after we resolve things here and get back up and running in Tecumseh,” said Skydive Tecumseh owner Franz Gerschwiler. “It’s going well. We still have the same aircraft, same instructors and same equipment. We’re optimistic we’ll make something cool there.” Skydive Tecumseh is operating at the airport Thursday through Monday, the same schedule the operation had in Tecumseh. “We fully intend to figure out some way to operate back in Tecumseh whether it’s buying another airfield or building one from scratch,” said Gerschwiler. “We have not given up on Tecumseh in any way, shape or form. We still intend to be a part of this community.” Skydive Tecumseh’s complaint, filed in February, has an initial hearing scheduled for December 14.Andrew Aalto purchased the airport last year as private property and has stated he wants to operate the airport without skydiving, to expand business operations and to expand private flights from the airport. Aalto informed Skydive Tecumseh in January it would no longer be able to operate from that location.“Many Tecumseh residents have voiced noise and safety concerns associated with the skydiving aircraft to us; some have also contacted the FAA directly,” said Aalto in an April 7 press release.Gerschwiler has said, “We tried everything we could to work with Mr. [Andrew] Aalto.” “Skydive Tecumseh is further disappointed by the rationale recently released from Mr. Aalto that he is using this public, FAA registered runway to hand pick his preferred aeronautical activities,” said Gerschwiler in an April 10 press release. “Really it’s a property rights case as my client is the owner of the property,” said attorney Charles H. Gross, representing Al Meyers Airport Corp. owner, manager and president Andrew Aalto. “That’s what the judged based her decision on. If you own the property you get to say what does and doesn’t happen on it.”Gross added the Judge Anzalone made the right decision in denying the access order Skydive Tecumseh was seeking and there are various steps along the way that could encourage the case to get resolved in the meantime.Gerschwiler said he and his family thank the community for their support. “The support we’ve felt is incredible.”