A major player in the aviation facilities provided at the Cumberland Airport from the period 1967 until 1990 was Nicholson Air Service and the associated Flight School. Alfred D. Nicholson (known as A D) was initially an accountant with the firm of Whalen Electric. In 1967, with an interest in aviation, A D Nicholson established Nicholson Aviation and began a full service aeronautical operation at the local airfield. Working under a contract with the City of Cumberland, then the owner of the Cumberland Municipal Airport, Nicholson was paid a token amount to serve as airport manager and at the same time became the sole operator of aviation services. A few years later ‘A D’ Nicholson retired to Arizona and left the operation in control of his son, Dale.
For the next two decades Dale Nicholson was the Airport Manager of the facility serving at the behest of the Cumberland Mayor and Council, and at the same time provided a multitude of services under the Nicholson Air Service banner.
Dale Nicholson on the left, with his father, A D Nicholson in front of a Piper Navajo. Photo courtesy of Greg Teeter.
Nicholson Air Service operated a small airline, carried mail, and ran a successful flying training school for years, with many changes in the interim. Airline service was at various times provided to Pittsburgh and Latrobe in Pennsylvania and also to Baltimore and Ocean City, Maryland. Piper Navajos, a twin-engine eight passenger aircraft, were used in this airline commuter service. In conjunction with this commuter airline, mail service was also handled for the US Postal Service as well as providing a cargo carrying service.
A Nicholson Air Service Piper Navajo.
This service was highly successful at times but at others periods struggled to remain operational. Eventually over twenty-five aircraft were involved in the total operation, including a fleet of Piper Cherokees used in the Flight Training School. The flight school had numerous students from the Scandinavian countries progress through a one year program, leaving with their commercial license. For these students, the cost of training was considerably more economical here than in their home country. Owning several rental units in Cumberland, Nicholson was also able to provide housing for these students. Numerous other local individuals attained their pilot certificate or upgraded their ratings through the aviation school which offered both a complete ground and aerial flight training facility. Dale Nicholson served as an FAA designated check pilot throughout. A successful Summer Youth Camp was also held, offering aeronautical indoctrination to many local and out of town youngsters. For many years this was a highly popular encampment for boys and girls with diverse backgrounds.
In the late 1980’s a turbulent and contentious period ensued, compounded by some bad business decisions and the fact that Dale had contracted a deadly disease. At this time Allegany County had assumed operating control of the airport under an agreement with the City of Cumberland. A new manager, Bill Armstrong, a retired Air Force Lt. Colonel, was hired in 1987 by Allegany County as the City of Cumberland removed itself from any operational decisions.
In the summer of 1990 the deterioration of the Nicholson operations reached the point where all flight activities ceased to exist. The crowning blow was the impoundment and eventual re-possession of all flyable aircraft owned by Nicholson, then under an umbrella loan from the Mercantile Bank of Maryland. All airworthy aircraft were removed to Frederick, Maryland where they were subsequently resold, a few of which eventually made their way back to Cumberland under different ownership. In an ironic twist, this was occurring at the same time as the death of Dale Nicholson on March 28,1990.
The remaining assets of Nicholson Air Service were gained by Allegany County under court action to pay off a long standing, outstanding debt for rental fees due. A D Nicholson returned from Arizona, and with a second son assisting, attempted to reconstruct the operation. These efforts were unsuccessful and, in another ironic twist, one of A D Nicholson’s final actions was the sale of the remaining assets of the firm to an individual who turned out to be a convicted felon.
It would be some time before a full time aeronautical operation would be resumed at the Cumberland Airport. Transfer of operational control was passed from Allegany County to the Potomac Highlands Airport Authority and a contract was undertaken with Corporate Jets, Inc., based in Pittsburgh, PA, to provide full fuel service and other flight operations.
It is noted that until 1987 the Cumberland Municipal Airport was under the control of the city of Cumberland with oversight given by the city officials to the city engineer. When operational control was transferred to Allegany County and Bill Armstrong was selected as airport manager, John DeFanzio, the city engineer, gave all of the blueprints, engineer drawings, and associated paper work to the new manager. DeFanzio’s comment as that time was that although he “had high interest in the operation and maintenance of the airport, but I was simply too involved in city oriented projects to be able to devote time to the airfield”. For this reason the operation and control of activities at the local airport was exclusively controlled by Nicholson Air Service, with little oversight.
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Wings Over Cumberland 