Aviation History Takes Flight

Photo courtesy of R. Myung-in Kim, unless noted

New York’s Hudson Valley is well-known for its orchards and stunning nature views, but nestled in the heart of it also lies a true aviation wonder: the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome.

At this private airport, you can watch classic airplanes soar over the scenic surroundings and tour a museum filled with vintage gliders, planes, automobiles, and artillery. Take a weekend trip to this beautiful location, and you’ll get an experience you won’t soon forget.

A love of aviation

This family-friendly venue, consistently voted as one of the best attractions in the Hudson Valley, is the creation of Cole Palen, who grew up watching airplanes from a local airport fly over his family’s farm in Poughkeepsie, New York. After serving in the infantry in World War II, he took flight and mechanics training at Roosevelt Field—the same airfield where aviator Charles Lindbergh launched his famous nonstop, solo transatlantic flight in 1927. He later bought six aircraft from this historic airport during its closeout auction.

In 1951, Palen purchased a tract of land and began preparing a grass runway and hangars for his airplanes, eventually opening the airport in 1958. Over the years, he built and restored many vintage airplanes and replicas with the help of his crew, who continued his work after his death in 1993. There are now more than eighty aircraft at the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome, approximately twenty of which are in flying condition.

History up close

To get the most out of your weekend visit, plan to arrive when the gates open at 10:00 a.m. so you’ll have plenty of time to explore the grounds before the preshow begins at 2:00 p.m. Get a glimpse of the airplanes being readied for the show on the field, and peruse the classic and reproduction aircraft, motorcycles, and cars housed in the museum’s three airplane hangars. If you dare, consider buying a ticket for a fifteen-minute, open cockpit ride in a 1929 New Standard D-25 over the Hudson Valley. The rides are first come, first served, and fill up quickly; they are also available weekdays during the last week of October as well as in May through mid-June.

When you’re ready for the air show, grab a snack at the refreshment stand and settle on the wooden bleachers or in your own chair on the grass nearby. If you attend on Saturday, you’ll be treated to a performance featuring planes from the 1920s and 1930s along with a preview of Sunday’s spectacle. One star you’ll get to delight in is a meticulously constructed replica of Lindbergh’s Spirit of St. Louis. Begun by Palen, the plane was later completed by friend Ken Cassens and a team of volunteers in Palen’s honor after his death.

Meanwhile, Sunday’s action-packed aerial display includes a World War I-style dogfight, antique cars and a tank, and a dramatic storyline the whole family can enjoy. You might just find yourself rooting enthusiastically against the fictitious “Black Baron” as he flies a replica of the Fokker Dr.I triplane—the aircraft piloted by deadly German ace pilots Manfred von Richthofen and Werner Voss during the First World War.

Before purchasing your air show tickets, be sure to check the weather report since certain conditions can result in show cancellations. You’ll also want to schedule your visit for before October 20—otherwise, you’ll have to wait until mid-June of next year to take in a show.

More to see

Touring the museum and grounds and watching the spectacular aviation display makes for a fulfilling experience on its own, but if you’d like to take full advantage of your sojourn to the Hudson Valley, you can certainly make a whole weekend of it. For example, you could plan to stay at any of the charming bed and breakfasts nearby, such as the Grand Dutchess, a historic Victorian mansion that truly takes you back in time. After coffee or tea in the parlor the next morning, consider walking on the Hudson River Skywalk, a pedestrian bridge over the waterway where you can take in the beautiful Catskill Mountains. Another interesting option is to visit the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum in Hyde Park for its collection of photographs and presidential memorabilia from the Great Depression era through World War II.