[Paul Revere]

Over the winter months I have put in a lot of thought on what has
been going on at ORA, or, more importantly, why? Due to recent events I have reached some conclusions.
First, what was ORA? It was a place where like-minded people were welcome to drop in to shoot the bull, ask for help, admire the collection, and generally enjoy themselves, whether they flew or drove. It was a very friendly place even for a while after Cole died. I refer readers to the posting on an early Spring day at ORA, very evocative of those days. Consequently ORA attracted a wonderful core of workers and volunteers, who gave hundreds of hours and a lot of money to a place where they felt comfortable and appreciated.
What has ORA become? A hotbed of paranoia with a very, very short list of "approved" people. The assumption now is that others represent a threat rather than an asset to the Aerodrome. How sad. And national security simply doesn't ' cut the mustard'. We are not terrorists. When an old-timer of unquestioned integrity is refused unaccompanied access on many occasions, one must question the current philosphy. And question whether ORA can survive without those enthusiasts. Yes, perhaps the physical place survives, but the spirit that made it such a special place is surely dead under the current regime.