Rhinebeck Museum trouble

[AAC Cadet Leader]

Some thoughts as I copy and paste quotes from the current Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome webpage.

http://www.oldrhinebeck.org/

MUSEUM OPENS MAY 15

That's in five days folks. Will they arrest those who dare to enter the museum? Think it'll really be open?

AIRSHOWS BEGIN JUNE 19 & 20, 2004

I don't see how they can pull it off.

Those of us who care, what's our attendance plan? Perhaps at a minimum someone should stand out on Old Stone Church Road (it is a public road, safe from threat of handcuffs for holding a clipboard, right?) and collect the tourist's names and addresses in the event that vacations plans were made based on the ORA homepage, then disappointed due to no airshow and/or no open museum. Just a thought --maybe a lousy one.

I did what any modern tourist would do, who is considering a 2004 visit to ORA -- a Google websearch on "Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome."

The very first mention of things not being all copasetic in the state of Denmark, was not until the third page of listings -- a minor, amateur homepage w/about a dozen comments -- about the 30th webpage listing.

This WWI theaerodrome.com forum with this thread came up on the 15th page -- that's about 150th down the choices of webpages to look at when doing a search on "Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome." No unsuspecting tourist planning a trip to ORA is going to search through that many web pages before making their plans to come visit the ORA museum or see an ORA airshow!

Friends, the troubles at ORA we've expressed here, are a well-kept secret -- and there are going to be a LOT of folks that will be driving long distances just to be disappointed if the current board running ORA aren't able or don't try (for whatever reason) to open the museum and/or provide the airshows.

PRESS RELEASE
The Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome has just completed another great season!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Okay, so still the unsuspecting modern tourist, reading the ORA homepage might read these stale words and think, "well they must be too busy preparing the planes to update the ORA homesite webpage, as they should be! Can't wait to go there and see all those crazy old planes!"




But who knows? Maybe they can still pull it off!

We'll soon see. And we'd better prepare.

What's our plan?

[curtisswright]

Is anyone aware of how the wheels of government are turning in regards to Old Rhinebeck? I'm curious because emails and other communications with Mayor M and Mr. Palmquist's office have yeilded no response.

I wonder how the powers that be at Old Rhinebeck can live with themselves. It makes me sick just to think about it.

Cheers everyone. And keep the faith.

[Richard King]

On Saturday May 8th as I approached the aerodrome workshop gate I saw my brother Bill carrying his tool box from his car towards the closed gate. there was a rather heavyset fellow standing by the gate conversing with him. Tha heavyset person was Jim Kick, one of the fourboard members of ORA Museum. He told Bill that the gate was locked and that if he wanted to get to his a/c in the far side of the field he would have to walk. I chatted with my 75 year old brother for a moment and he then proceeded to walk over to his Tiger Moth.

Moments later, Dan Taylor arrived, rolled down his window and I asked him if he had a key. Since he is on the list of the select few allowed on the field, it seems he does have a key. However, he told me that the gate was unlocked and we could proceed on in. He opened the gate and drove in and I followed in my car.

I went over to see if I could help my brother Bill with anything that he was working on, when Jim Kick appeared. He told me I was trespassing. I wasn't quite sure why I would be considered trespassing, while my brother was not. Mr. Kick then informed me that I am not allowed to drive my car on the field. (I have never been on an airfield that did not allow pilots to drive to their hangar or tied down airplane, especially when working on them, tools, etc.) I told Mr. Kick that if I am trespassing then he should have me arrested because it would make for a great newspaper story and give the aerodrome some more of their usual publicity. He walked away.

Incidentally, across the yard is GDM's Howard DGA with hundreds of cans of liquid that are stacked in that hangar, that have the label "Highly Flamable" on the outside of each can. Mr. Daly was quoted in the "Atlantic Flyer" as having sent GDM an eviction notice for his a/c and the contents of the hangar, to be removed in ten days (that was 2 months ago) and it is still untouched in its (aerodrome property) hangar.

Is there a double standard?

[JG1Schorner]

Hello Richard. Just wanted to take the opportunity to thank you for letting my little girl stand in the cockpit of your Tiger moth last year. She got a big kick out of it. That's what the air shows are all about, to bring these planes to life for another generation. It's a real shame to see this happening. Hope things get better.

[WWIModelGuy]

Dick, While we are adding thanks, I will not forget the time when at the Mid-Hudson Jamboree I put my 1/4 scale Cub into the trees after a power failure. My 12 year old son and I were searching for the aircraft in the trees when you came over to offer your help. We found the model and parted ways. You later searched out my son to give him a copy of your fantastic aerodrome book. We had already purchased the book so we requested that you sign our copy. If I told you my now 16 year son has read your book cover to cover a dozen times, I would probably be guilty of a gross underestimation!. Thank you again for your great kindness that day.

[Henry]

I would also like to add my thanks to the Kings for all that they have done for the Aerodrome over the years. Dick King gave me some good advice when I was first taking flying lessons. He told me that a lot of new pilots try to "drive" a plane like a car. He recommended that I use my feet, use lots of rudder, and only finger-tip pressure on the yoke. This advice helped me greatly. Besides the many years of encouraging others in aviation, I know that the Kings also generously gave to fundraising efforts.

I find Jim Kick's described actions very disturbing. After Dick King's plane being tampered with on the airfield, would not Mr. Kick at least behave in a civil manner towards him? And why is Dan Taylor allowed on the airfield with a gate key without a problem and not Bill King, who has worked there far longer then Dan?

[rc-notyme]

I bet the Howard is insured.................

[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.

[wingnut]

[FONT=Arial][SIZE=7][COLOR=gray][FONT=Arial][SIZE=7][COLOR=gray]
Thank you, Paul Revere. Thank You. Well said. " The assumption is that others represent a threat, rather than an asset to the Aerodrome."
Well, we are an asset and a threat at the same time. The former employees and volunteers were the asset. Those people did not fit, I believe, into the hidden Long Range Plan. A threat.

[AAC Cadet Leader]

wingnut Posted on May 12 2004, 07:50 PM

Thank you, Paul Revere. Thank You. Well said.

Ditto that.

The former employees and volunteers were the asset.

Yes! They were the asset that carried the passion! An asset that without, ORA will fizzle fast or slow 'til it closes for good.