Buzz in air over Montauk

THE Hamptons is buzzing that the mystery buyer of Montauk Airport, which sold this month to an unknown party, is either former Google big Eric Schmidt or hedge fund titan Israel Englander.

sources familiar with the deal said that Schmidt is the name on everyone’s lips, but that the buyer was actually Millennium Management’s Englander.

We hear the private airport sold for $14 million. It was previously listed for $18 million. A Hamptons lawyer involved with the transaction, Leonard Ackerman, declined to comment. Reps for Schmidt and Englander didn’t get back to us.

The tiny airport became part of a local controversy over the larger East Hampton Airport, which was meant to close to the public on May 17 and then reopen as a private one with new restrictions.

But the plan didn’t move forward after several local lawsuits were filed, and a judge issued a temporary restraining order halting East Hampton’s plans.

The East Hampton Airport’s plan to go private made locals fear that flights would then be diverted over to Montauk.

Reports also said that Blade Air Mobility was interested in buying Montauk Airport. Blade was one of the parties that filed a lawsuit against East Hampton Airport’s plan to go private. Sources also told Page Six that Blade was interested in buying the Montauk site, but Blade has not commented.

Perry “Chip” Duryea, an owner of a nearby airstrip, told local outlet the Star that the Montauk airport sold, but would not comment on the buyer and said, “I am sure they will reveal their identity at the proper time.” He added of the sale: “There have been a number of parties who have come forward over the years and shown varying degrees of interest, particularly relative to the situation at East Hampton Airport . . . It’s kind of waxed and waned, if you will. But recently, things seemed to ramp up a bit. The ultimate conclusion was, of course, a transaction.”