World War 1 Aeroplanes, Inc., and Rhinebeck Aerodrome Museum

[cfgray]

Hello, All,
World War 1 Aeroplanes, Inc., publishes two quarterlies, WW1 AERO - Journal of the Early Aeroplane and SKYWAYS - Journal of the Airplane 1920-1940.

We have just sent a letter (see below) to the Rhinebeck Aerodrome Board of Trustees by USPS Express Mail.

We will post any subsequent communication - this is likely to prove the beginning of a lengthy back-and-forth.

Best,
Carroll Gray (cfgray on theaerodrome.com), Board Chair, WW1 Aeroplanes, Inc., a not-for-profit organization with a 45-year history

----------------------------
Terry McClinch, President, Rhinebeck Aerodrome Museum Board of Trustees
Box 229
Rhinebeck, NY 12572
16 February 2006

Dear President McClinch and Rhinebeck Aerodrome Museum Board of Trustees Members,

We are writing to convey our World War 1 AEROPLANES, Inc., Board’s willingness to assist your Board to pursue and adhere to the goals and objectives set out by Cole and Rita Palen when they formed your Rhinebeck Aerodrome Museum Board: 1) to ensure Rhinebeck Aerodrome Museum’s longevity; 2) to preserve the present collection as wholly intact as is reasonable and possible; 3) to add to the collection; 4) to continue to present historic machines in flight to the public; and 5) to encourage participation of volunteers and skilled craftspeople in operating the Rhinebeck Aerodrome Museum.

Our Board has adopted the following Statement of Policy:

“It shall be the Policy of World War 1 AEROPLANES, Inc., to provide active, visible support, in our publications (WW1 AERO & SKYWAYS) and through other means, to organizations, institutions, and magazines and other publications, which are engaged in aviation history as well as the conservation and reproduction of aeroplanes, to ensure their survivability and adherence to purpose, and to assist individuals engaged in such activities.”

As you and we are well aware, there has been much concern expressed about the present and future status of the Rhinebeck Aerodrome Museum. It has been difficult, in the almost total absence of comment from your Board, to sort out the matters causing concern, however, it is clear that we must all work together if the desires of Cole and Rita Palen are to be met.

There has also been great concern expressed that unique and important items in the Rhinebeck Aerodrome Museum collection may be or have been sold or otherwise disposed of. We invite your explicit and firm assurance that no such sales or disposals have happened and that none have been or are being planned. We strongly urge that the sale of any duplicate or non-essential items be done only on condition that all resulting funds be used solely to ensure the preservation of the aerodrome and its static collection.

Of some recent concern is the pending residential development (7 Pines, LLC – Norton Road – Subdivision Plat) of land adjacent to the end of the Rhinebeck Aerodrome Museum runway, under consideration this past May by the Red Hook Township Planning Board. We would like to know what, if anything, your Board has done to apply for National Register of Historical Places status for the Rhinebeck Aerodrome Museum, which will become eligible for listing on the Register in 2009. As you may be aware, certain criteria, stated by the National Park Service (see attached), apply.

World War 1 AEROPLANES, Inc., is prepared to help ensure that the character, integrity and purpose of the Rhinebeck Aerodrome Museum remain true to the original vision of Cole and Rita Palen.

Sincerely,




Carroll F. Gray, Chair, World War 1 AEROPLANES, Inc.
15700 Royal Oak Road
Encino, CA 91436-3908

(818) 995-6279

[email protected]

Sent on action of the World War 1 AEROPLANES, Inc., Board, publishers of WW1 AERO - The Journal of the Early Aeroplane and SKYWAYS - The Journal of the Airplane 1920-1940

Attachment:
US National Park Service criteria - National Register of Historical Places

cc: 1) David Palmquist, NYS Education Department, Room 3090, Cultural Education Center, Albany, NY 12230
2) Rhinebeck Aerodrome Museum President Terry McClinch, 2661 Congress St. Fairfield, CT 06824

[cfgray]

If you'd like one of these limited-supply "REMEMBER COLE & RITA" bumper stickers (3" x 10"), contact me with your mailing address and I'll send one out to you for free.
cfgray

[email protected]

[John Masters]

This is heartening news indeed, although I doubt you will ever receive any response other than a polite 'Bugger off!' from the BOD or their bottomfeeding legal representatives. These guys are in it for the money, and the money is in prime Dutchess County real estate, not history.

I wish you the best of luck and am behind you nontheless.

I'd love a sticker, BTW,
John Masters

[Curtiss Jenny]

Hi cfgray,

Welcome to theaerodrome.com and thanks for your concern in preserving Cole and Rita Palen's legacy. I know that many forumites are already familiar with your excellent publications: WWI AERO and SKYWAYS.

Many people are hoping for a peaceful resolution to the trouble at the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome. As there has been little communication from the current board, even to their members, it only makes for more animosity, as John Masters points out. I hope that your efforts to mediate have better results than those have experienced in the past two years.

I look forward to reading your postings, and I commend your efforts.

[cfgray]

The following notice will appear in the next issue of WW1 AERO (May 2006):

----------------------------
----------------------------
MISSING 160 h.p. GNOME
As of the date of this notice, 22 Feb 2006, a very rare GNOME ROTARY ENGINE (crankcase S/N B11559, cam housing S/N 55015N, cheek plate S/N 11370) has been missing from the Rhinebeck Aerodrome Museum for nearly one month. It seems unlikely it was stolen as there was no forced entry into the locked carriage house where it was stored. To arrange for its return or to provide information leading to its recovery please contact WW1 AERO.
----------------------------
----------------------------

Let's hope it is recovered. WW1 AERO may be contacted about the engine by calling Leo Opdycke at (845) 473-3679 or by contacting me at [email protected]

cfgray

Carroll Gray
Board Chair, WORLD WAR 1 AEROPLANES, Inc., publisher of WW1 AERO and SKYWAYS

[cfgray]

Are there any CPA's among us who would volunteer the time required to review and comment on seven IRS Form 990 filings by two aviation not-for-profits (a total of 14 Form 990's)?

Please contact me if you would like to help, but only if you're a currently certified accountant.

Thanks,
cfgray

[email protected]

[cfgray]

Some explanation seems in order.

Although we knew about the 160 hp GNOME's disappearance within a few days of the discovery of that disappearance, it was thought best to quietly let the investigation continue, with the hope that the culprits would be identified and the engine would be safely recovered.

That possibility faded substantially as the weeks passed - so it seemed best to make the matter public.

A couple of years ago, the GNOME was overhauled and placed in running order by Fred Murrin - it was ready for use.

We are not doing this on behalf of or at the request of the Rhinebeck Aerodrome Museum or Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome Airshows, the two legal entities (not-for-profit corporations) which operate at Cole & Rita Palen's Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome.

The people associated with Rhinebeck Aerodrome Museum and Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome Airshows have remained essentially silent about the matter.

There has been no communication from anyone at the Rhinebeck Aerodrome. I agree with John Masters and Curtiss Jenny that a large part of the reason that issues surrounding the operations there have festered as much as they have is the institutionalized silence coming from the Board of Trustees - their near-total absence of communication.

We have made the disappearance of the GNOME public on our own initiative, without any discussion with or comment from any of the members of the Board of Trustees or staff or volunteers of Rhinebeck Aerodrome Museum or Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome Airshows.

In offering to assist with the return or recovery of the GNOME, it seemed wisest to not suggest that people having knowledge of the circumstances of its disappearance contact RAM or ORA Airshows. For what may be obvious reasons, it was thought that a third party might be able to best assist, so we have taken on that role.

The notice which will appear in the next issue (May 2006 - it's a quarterly) of WW1 AERO was placed at our own initiative.

Thanks to everyone with an interest in this and thanks to those with an interest in improving the situation at Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome.

Best,
Carroll Gray

[cfgray]

We expect to post a link to the police report regarding the disappearance of the 160 h.p. GNOME Type N from Rhinebeck Aerodrome Museum within a few days.

Some "Got GNOME?" bumper stickers still remain, if you'd like one, and/or one of the REMEMBER COLE & RITA bumper stickers - both stickers are FREE - send you name and mailing address to:

[email protected]

[ONEALM]

Just when you thought it was getting quiet.....

Now that the guantlet has been officially laid down, dare we hope that other like minded organizations join the effort and post their letters to ORA & Mr. Palmquist ?

Come now Gentlemen, show us of what stuff you are made.

[cfgray]

There is a RUMOR being circulated by a well-known engine rebuilder (NOT Fred Murrin) in the Midwest that one of the people who realized that the 160 hp GNOME Type N - B11559 was missing from ORA/RAM is actually responsible for the disappearance.

THIS IS GROUNDLESS SPECULATION.

I want to encourage everyone to completely disregard such rumors and innuendo. Also, I personally want to firmly state that I believe that the subject of the nasty RUMOR would not ever, under any circumstances, participate in such an act.

The person spreading the vicious and quite stupid RUMOR is known to me by name and will be named if that person does not stop spreading such wild, groundless and hurtful GOSSIP. It must be stated that such RUMORS can only have one serious objective - to obscure the identity of the people who were actually responsible for the GNOME's disappearance.

The motivation for spreading this RUMOR is therefore obvious.

cfgray