Rhinebeck Museum trouble

[SteveS]

The modelers show yesterday was outstanding. I haven't been to one in years and I must say, I was truly impressed. Extremely well thought out, smoothly run, and fun for all who attended. The craftsmanship was impressive and the flying superb. Looked like everyone had plenty of flying time, the booth were busy selling kits, motors and accessories. I'm told on Saturday, I missed an electric powered Gotha bomber that was incredible. On Sunday there was no shortage of incredibly detailed planes either. Flown was a DH-2 that was way too nice for me to ever chance flying. He got a round of applause when he landed. A large (1/4 scale?) Fokker tripe in the markings of Joseph Jacobs also caught my eye. It flew in a mock dogfight with a Morane A.1. Also witnessed was a pylon race, a flight by two large scale Jennies that if you didn't know better, you would say were real. When a flight of Sopwith Pups flew, it reminded me of the old days at ORA when you could see the sky filled with aircraft.

Thanks for the memories guys!

The folks at ORA should kiss the modelers butts for giving them your best weekend this year. You can't take the credit for this one!

Pucker up guys!

Salute,
Steve

[AAC Cadet Leader]

SteveS Posted: Sep 13 2004, 07:15 PM
(tazbat @ Sep 13 2004, 10:59 PM)

Regardless of what Stan may or may not be for the sake of ORA, his show used to be a real crowd pleaser.*

Totally agree there, Stan used to and can still wow them.

He's the only pilot I've ever known who could fly and hold a thirty degree crab with a ten degree bank, at ten feet altitude down the runway with very little throttle, in a no wind condition! I still have no idea how he did this, (and I'm a pilot).

[EricGoedkoop]

Originally posted by demoiselle@Sep 13 2004, 11:13 PM
[b]Some of the letters in this forum have been against Stan. I would like to know just where he stands for, "The sake of ORA," today.

This is a question I've had since the beginning. Segalla and Bill King, to my knowledge, are about the only real old-timers left. Bill doesn't seem to be too much in the thick of things, controversy-wise. Stan, on the other hand, is a Board member. He brought in McClinch, he may have brought in Kick, I've heard that his son Billy is now on the board, and I wouldn't be at all surprised if he had a hand in getting Richards on the Board - ORA has become a secret-handshake club and who besides Segalla knew Richards?

There's no reason to believe that Segalla has any agenda purposefully contrary to the well-being of ORA, but how much influence does he have and how sound is his judgement?

I think that we've gotten down to two major issues, one of which is the dubious qualifications and abilities of the current Board Members. It's starting to look like Segalla has had more to do with installing the Board members than anyone else, and if there is some connection between him and DeMarco (why exactly was that stolen Cub flown to Canaan, of all places?), then they managed to establish a regular dynasty. I am not suggesting that Segalla is up to no good, and indeed it's hard to believe that he would have any reason to want ORA to fail, but if he's become the elder statesman of Rhinebeck by dint of being one of the very few left from the old, old days I think he may be guilty of some terrible lapses in judgement.

Another question: how did Segalla get along with Polapink, Cassens, MacKenzie, Hare, etc? Were there axes to grind there?

[EricGoedkoop]

And he missed his hat?? Twice????

Originally posted by EricGoedkoop@Sep 14 2004, 04:48 AM
[b] And he missed his hat?? Twice????

Oui!
Twice!!

[EricGoedkoop]

Originally posted by demoiselle+Sep 14 2004, 09:02 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (demoiselle @ Sep 14 2004, 09:02 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteBegin-EricGoedkoop@Sep 14 2004, 04:48 AM
[b] And he missed his hat?? Twice????

Oui!
Twice!! [/quote]
Well, everything else aside, that's rather sad. I feel bad for the guy if he can't pull off the act like he used to.

It was pretty good when I visited in August; the worst part was that the green announcer and the too-small ground crew didn't make it all as convincing as it used to be, but they tried. One thing I really missed about Jim Hare was the way he effortlessly broke the fourth wall, the way he would switch from narrating the show to interacting with the characters to talking to the crew about the show and back again. It's an old trick, but he was seamless about it and he did a lot to involve the audience in what was going on. The new guy I saw was trying to do the same thing, but as others have noted it was pretty flat. Then again, he didn't have very many people on the field to talk to in the first place. Jim always sounded like he was having a ball, and I guess after having been around as long as he was, he was comfortable enough with the show to have fun no matter what happened. Maybe that will come in time for the new folks.

[Henry]

I can't believe that Stanley missed his hat twice in one weekend! I had heard that he had only missed his hat twice in all the years he has done the Flying Farmer Act. Once was when the wind suddenly changed direction as he was coming in. The other was when his plane went into a flat spin, a very difficult manever to get out of, and he landed in a baseball field. I believe that his Cub is modified, which is how he can do those acrobatics, and he is a natural at it.

As to how he got along with others, Stanley had a terrible prejudice against Dave King, for no discernable reason. I overheard Stanley on the ground watching Dave fly and criticize everything that he did. Maybe because Dave was so popular with the audience and ground crew that Stanley felt threatened. The old barnyard rooster not wanting to be shown up. In contrast, Mike Lawrence who was flying the rides planes last year was making all kinds of mistakes, and Stanley only mentioned something to Mike near the end of the season. Stanley told Mike to keep the nose down after take off to gain air speed, then pop over the trees at the end of the runway. Mike tried it, and later thanked Stanley for the tip. If Stanley wanted to give constructive criticism, it should have been given earlier to the pilots who needed it, such as Jim Record who does not make coordinated turns on take off to the North.

While I greatly admire Stanley in the air, I do not think that he should be a board member. His personnel prejudices, his lack of understanding of who was doing the work, and, I hate to say it, his lack of intelligence, made obvious by his constant swearing does not make him a good board candidate. He is the highest paid pilot, who used to only do the Sunday show, then decided last year that he would do the Saturday show as well, probably doubling his salary. The board members he brought in make it a "good ole boy" system, granting favors to those they like, and discriminating agsinst those they don't. Kiss up to Stanley, and you can get away with anything.

[n24005]

Originally posted by womble@Sep 13 2004, 06:55 PM
[b] wondering if anyone had any information on a pilot called Daniel Bamfield who was killed in an aircraft accident earlier this year. I know he flew the Avro 504k in New Zealand at Easter. any other information would be appreciated.
This is related but its too early for me to say why.

Hi,

Yes, Darren Banfield was killed while flying a Cessna T-50 "Bobcat" floatplane on May 7th.

I flew RC planes with Darren around '84. He used to have his name upside down on the side of the fuse for those low inverted passed. He got his A&P license and flight training a couple of years later and then moved up to Owl's Head and eventually became the director of maintainance there. As such, he was one of a few people that had quite a few hours in various WWI aircraft.

There was a nice tribute to him in the latest Rotary Ramblings.

Jeff

[EricGoedkoop]

Originally posted by Henry@Sep 14 2004, 10:30 AM
[b] As to how he got along with others, Stanley had a terrible prejudice against Dave King, for no discernable reason. . . . . .His personnel prejudices, his lack of understanding of who was doing the work, and, I hate to say it, his lack of intelligence, made obvious by his constant swearing does not make him a good board candidate. . . . . The board members he brought in make it a "good ole boy" system, granting favors to those they like, and discriminating agsinst those they don't.

Hmmmmmm. Thanks for the insight, Henry. Nepotism, insecurity, immaturity and egos, I wager, are among the real culprits here. The shame of it all is that ORA should be a place where pettiness and personal rivalries don't exist or at the very least aren't allowed to get in the way.

Human nature's a !%#$@, isn't it?

Originally posted by EricGoedkoop@Sep 14 2004, 07:23 AM
[b]The shame of it all is that ORA should be a place where pettiness and personal rivalries don't exist or at the very least aren't allowed to get in the way.

If there are no good leaders, then there can be no good followers.

Regardless, I am still waiting for the hidden motive(s) to reveal themselves. Perhaps each leader has his own separate agenda. I am thinking they know they can replace everyone by getting rid of a few. Possibly, the ones you call "The Old Guard," were not willing to leave , no matter how much the leaders make trouble. So, the leaders have to make false accusations. Away go the old crew followed in step by their entourage.

Inexperienced leaders who are trying to do their jobs can make many mistakes. Usually they learn to make good decisions in time. They do not wish to lose their good people. They want everything to work well.

You do not see this at Rhinebeck for a long time and even today. The leaders do not wish to be good leaders, only to do what they desire. I think we have not yet seen what are their true desires.