Rhinebeck Museum trouble

Had to see it for with my own eyes.Opening day was horrible!Idid my usual weekend trip a four hour drive. watched the saturday show it was absoloutley depressing the announcers were dreadful you could tell they were trying to copy everything jim used to say but couldnt do it. They barely told any info about the planes or cole palen . Cole might have been mentioned twice.The helicopter was the most annoying thing ever i tried getting my money back i paid to see a WW1 air show not a 1947 helicopter.I asked one of the ground people how they could ruin ora so fast he told me to " look around the place never looked so good" i said making madam fifi a new building was all i could see.The poor camel was still in pieces they said they were so busy working on projects they didnt have time for it yet.He said the helicopter was generating huge money and people loved it.I was sitting in the stands not to many people loved it.The rides plane was pretty busy on saturday and wasnt flying sunday when i left.For thirty years ive been going to Rhinebeck for weekend trips this was the first time i ever left on sunday before the show.After walking through the museum and listening to the helicopter fly around i was so upset at how bad the place was being run i had to leave.This is the first year i didnt renew my membership.After asking a very nice older employee name unknown in the museum about the spirit project he said the were looking in to some leeds about finishing the project.Anybody i asked about what happened to Ken Cassens or Jim Hare they told me they left last year and they wernt sure why.BS. There was an average crowd on saturday filling the bleachers about half way.The hotel i stayed at told me there room availability was nver so poor for the up coming year she said the mayor of redhook & rhinebeck were trying to get local people and business involved in a hope that its not to late to save ORA.She said the community has no idea why they are tring to run the aerodrome in to the ground.A heartbreaking weekend. Matt B

[SteveS]

Thank you Matt,
Its killing me to read what you witnessed first hand. Not only is the board trying to bring down the Aerodrome, it seems that they are also going to ruin the local economy. I guess when I visit this year, I should bring more tissues than film. There is already a lump in my throat.
It is rewarding to hear that the local folks knew what they had and are going to try to help save ORA. Lets hope they get motivated soon! Is it too late? No! Not at all! It's never too late. I know in my heart if things were to change, the locals, members, supporters would see such a outpouring of help to restore ORA to at least its former glory. I doubt there would be any room for spectators. I know I'll be there!

I still wish I knew what these people were trying to do!!!

Write Those Letters!!!

Salute,
Steve

the local people i spoke with were aware of this sight.They asked me and everybody that can to keep writing letters.Next time i go i dont wanna see the nieuport with flat tires the triplane and DVII stuck in the hanger the workshop door closed the spirit sitting untouched and a camel shoved in the corner fogotten about for over a year. Matt B

[rc-notyme]

Depressing stuff. Except the part about the locals getting worked up.
Just came back from the ORA home page - !. The only thing in the news section was the letter from the WRAM organizer. Truthfully I am glad ORA was well recieved there. 2. Big surprise - no info on airshow opening day!!
3. Check out the season schedule - "children's charities" which ones? I believe most of that schedule is bogus. 4. Check out the "away team's" schedule - cancelled cancelled cancelled cancelled.... do you suppose ORA cancelled? Were all the events cancelled? Or did the event organizers cancel the "away team"? 5. Funny that the ORA home page makes no mention of the "hell"icopter rides that are available.
I think what offends me the most about that web site , considering the things that I am aware of, is the gall and hypocrasy that it presents.
Matty did you ever get your money back?

[AAC Cadet Leader]

mattyb712000,
Thanks for the news, bad as it is. Can't say we didn't see it coming. How was volunteer staffing in numbers and their spirit? Do you know if the fashion show and antique car parade went on?

[worldcrusier]

Maybe this is the time to push the public aspect of this situation. I've got 100 bucks that I'll be happy to send to a local bank for a 'Save Old Rhinebeck Airdrome ' fund. If a couple of the local forumites will set up an account and get the word out, it might help bring this to light locally. Use the money for whatever can help and any left over, donate to ORA after the current Board is gone.

[Curtiss Jenny]

World Cruiser, thanks for your offer, I would be willing to pitch in as well.
Thank you MattyB for your report, painful as it is, though not surprising to those who worked at ORA for years. You see, we all knew the one ingredient that made the Aerodrome come alive and stand out above all others.

While there are business philosophies that say that all employees are expendable and that everyone can be replaced, Cole Palen never ascribed to these beliefs. He knew the importance of the individual, and the difference that one person could make. His own life was proof of that; he started with a few hundred dollars, a lot of determination and good friends. Dun and Bradstreet did a report on Cole Palen’s Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome, and they were mystified to how the Aerodrome could be successful. Cole understood, perhaps even better than his aircraft, the individual. He knew that appreciation, honesty, and friendship went a long way.

The one ingredient that the present management has overlooked is the human factor: the enthusiasm, the friendships, the working together unselfishly for a common goal, and having fun doing it. The board had many people who were willing to meet them half way and work with them if they stayed true to Cole’s dream. Instead they listened to a few power-hungry people’s lies about all of us and did not even make the effort to find the truth for themselves. Whatever their motives may be, they will ultimately fail.

Everyone please keep voicing your concern to save the Aerodrome by writing to Palmquist, Molinaro, Holt, and anyone in the media. Get your family, friends, and neighbors to write also. NO New York State Museum should have a volunteer falsely arrested, dedicated staff terminated, the grounds locked down under ruse, and fund raising projects left unfulfilled. Badger the state into taking action.

[WWIModelGuy]

As I've purported from the beginning, with all due respect to all the hard work that we've been assured is going on behind the scenes, the surest way of getting action is the economic path. If the local businesses that depend upon the aerodrome for part of their economic viabiltiy are encouraged to be engaged, this is the most certain path to success. This could be as simple as a letter going to selected local businesses, chamber of commerce, etc. with an invitation to a follow-up meeting. On another note, the "Rhinebeck Jamboree" is coming up shortly in September. I realize it is a fine line to walk, since we are invited guests of the aerodrome for the modellers Jamboree, but wouldn't this be another opportunity for action? It may be worthwhile for one of the involved persons to speak relative the this predicament at the Saturday night banquet. This is traditionally the biggest weekend at the aerdrome and it just seems like an opportune time to organize something productive. Has anyone talked to the Mid-Hudson R/C people?

[baldeagle]

Funny, according to the ORA web site, the airshows at Schnectady and Geneseo, where ORA aircraft were supposed to appear as part of their "away shows", have been cancelled. Looks like the Schnectady one has been cancelled but according to http://www.1941hag.org/airshow2004.html
the Geneseo show is going on, with WW1 aircraft from the Great War Flying Museum from Canada, but without ORA aircraft. Wonder why they changed their mind...

WWI model guy the gentleman i was talking to in the museum didnt sound very positive about the r/c jamboree for this year but he hoped it would still be coming rc notme no on the money back i didnt really push the issue. AAC yes on fashion show after trying to get the small amount of aerodrome personal together approximently 15 minutes later they did the antique car parade. evferything they did was extremely way of f on timing the best was the dreaded head on pass with the albatross landing and the spad flying above madame fifis wondering what happened at least if jim hare was there when the mistakes or planes wouildnt start he would at least educate about the planes or make a joke to keep you interested the new announcers would just stop talking when you could hear them.The women annouoncer did mention the gift shop about twenty times its to bad she didnt have any info about the planes. Also there was a really nice birds nest in the engine compartment of one of the planes in the museum its nice to see them well preserved.Isnt it funny tat theres no mention of the helicopter any where on the ora website or any where at the aerodrome. I think its for friends only to get rides there wasnt even a sign at the rides booth about it. Matt B .