Brandywine Airport is a public-use general aviation airport in West Goshen Township, Pennsylvania, three miles northeast of West Chester. It is designated as a reliever airport and a regional general aviation airport by the FAA. It is privately owned by the New Brandywine Airport Club Inc, with a single fixed-base operator (New Brandywine Aero, Inc.), aircraft repair, as well as flight training in both fixed-wing and rotary aircraft. The American Helicopter Museum and Education Center is located adjacent to the airport, with taxiway access.The airport identifier was previously N99 until it was changed to OQN in 2007. The airport does not currently have an IATA identifier.HistoryEarly DaysWest Chester's first airport, Sky Haven Airport, opened in 1929 on farmland in East Goshen Township, two miles east of present day Brandywine Airport. Sky Haven operated for three years, when the airport neighbors filed a civil lawsuit. Judge William Windle ruled the airport a public nuisance and ordered it to cease operation.Brandywine Airport, then named West Chester Airport, opened in its current location in 1940. Paul Gingrich opened the airport using a $623,500 grant from the Civil Aeronautics Board. Gingrich was a flight instructor at the former Main Line Airport in Paoli, Pennsylvania, which was rapidly expanding that flight school with funding from the newly-created Civilian Pilot Training Program. West Chester State Teacher's College (now West Chester University) was already offering aeronautics courses and was interested in an airport closer to the campus.
