A developer’s lofty vision

The current climate surrounding air travel on scheduled airlines has boosted the call for on-demand air taxi service, observes Charles Brodie, developer of Randall Airport in the town of Wallkill bordering Middletown.

Due to hassles of inspections and also rising expenses for travel on commercial airlines, Brodie, an architect by trade, expects the trend to continue. He has long envisioned an airport development serving the needs of its clientele, including a hotel conference center as one component of the development. The plan also includes a community of private homes on neighboring property, each with its own hangar, with ability to taxi onto the airport.

A graduate of Cornell University with a bachelor”™s degree in architecture, Brodie recently obtained his American citizenship. Raised in Malaysia, son of a government servant of Scottish and Chinese background, and his wife, whose heritage was Chinese and English, Brodie spent some time in Changi Civilian Internment Camp with his mother. They were freed to return to Sarawak, now part of Malaysia, after the country”™s liberation.

Planes were familiar in his early life, as his father flew. His interest in flying continued past his Cornell years, when he worked as an architect in the U.S. following his graduation.

“I was building a plane, but needed a home for it. I was seeking to purchase an airport, looked at several, but this was just right,” he says.

The 78-acre airport, adjacent to Interstate 84 between exits three and four, has a runway 2,810 feet long and 60 feet wide.

The homes, conference center and general air traffic will feed one another, offering sustainability with such income-producing endeavors as sale of fuel. Twenty hangars already exist, providing rental income.

Brodie”™s grand plan, which he designed, has received preliminary sketch plan approval, and now there are other approvals that will be required, including a state environmental quality review before financing can be put together. Adjacent lands were purchased for the private homes with hangars.

Meanwhile, Brodie is not letting his education and professional credentials stand in the way of his doing humdrum jobs like mowing, weeding, snow plowing and repairs.

Brodie, who is single, lives alone at the airport. He now has as a companion, a spirited border collie whom he bought as a work dog. Cassie instinctively clears the airport of geese, turkeys and deer.

“My sister, Eleanor, is the de facto owner of the airport,” the developer says. “Without her it wouldn”™t be happening.” Eleanor, a woman of many talents, lives in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, where she is a partner in an anti-corrosion business.

Eleanor is one of six Brodie siblings. Charles, the second-born, got a surprise for his recent 70th birthday when all descended on Orange County from distant points to celebrate with him. They also got to share his joy in his new citizenship and to view progress of the airport”™s development.

Challenging Careers focuses on the exciting and unusual business lives of Hudson Valley residents. Comments or suggestions may be emailed to Catherine Portman-Laux at cplaux@optonline.net.