Herb Hortman RIP

Well my my, he was a nice guy to me. Besides the personal aspects of this though, it leaves a question as to what will happen to one of the major service providing FBOs on PNE.
 
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Just heard this as well. It was really the only 141 flight school that appeared to be successful in the philly area. I met him a few times at Pne and he was always nice. He was very enthusiastic about the airlines and I'm sure there are 100's of airlines pilots that started at PNE because of his school.
 
I got both my PP and my IR at Hortman. I was fortunate to have some great instructors. Herbie was a true character. Always had an encouraging word and a big smile. I recall a story where he was late for a Continental flight out of KEWR and he had a student fly him up from PNE in one of the rental planes sneaking under the Bravo as far as he could so he'd have less chance of getting vectored because he needed to make his flight.

I recall on my first solo actually it was when I got back in line after my first solo and was headed back out to take my second trip around the pattern and I was something like number 3 to depart Rwy 33. The controller was a woman who was well known to all the PNE pilots and students and was letting what seemed like every plane between New York and Philly land without letting a single departure go. I acknowledged #3 for departure Holding short 33. A minute or two Herbie taxies up behind me in another school plane ( he had a huge fleet) and called " North East" Tower Bug Smasher N1234 #4 for departure Rwy 33.
Tower responds " Bug smasher N1234 Position and Hold Rwy 33"
Herbie gets on the radio and says in a very aggravated voice. I'm #4! There are three planes ahead of me for departure on 33 how the hell am I supposed to position and hold, maybe if you actually let a departure out I could take the runway.
The controller responded "Oh sorry didn't realize you were #4.
Herbie shot back well if you looked out your G-d Damn Window you might actually see all the planes lined up for departure on 33. I just remember thinking hooo boy this is not going to turn out well.

When Herbie died they closed the school, I hear a group of investors are looking to buy the school. This will leave a HUGE hole in pilot training in the Philadelphia area. Herbie had a large fleet and rented planes at a reasonable rate with no daily minimums.

Sometimes Herbie did things that made me shake my head but he will certainly be missed.
 
I was sad to hear- though I didn't know him well, but he seemed like a good guy the few times I met him. But his business was still running a few weeks ago. Now his whole operation (maintenance, rental, school) appears to have been shut down. This seems to leave essentially no options within the city of Philadelphia for small aircraft maintenance, flight training, or rental?
 
M20C pilot said:
I was sad to hear- though I didn't know him well, but he seemed like a good guy the few times I met him. But his business was still running a few weeks ago. Now his whole operation (maintenance, rental, school) appears to have been shut down. This seems to leave essentially no options within the city of Philadelphia for small aircraft maintenance, flight training, or rental?
Click to expand...

Whether something reappears or not in replacement of Horton's is still in limbo. Suffice it to say that the financials of Hortman's as left to the estate did not make a viable package for sale or continued operation. There may or may not be a "fresh start" operation to fill in the void.
 
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