Cole Palen’s Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome Museum

Ever dream of seeing the Hudson Valley from a bird’s eye view?  Now you can! Thanks to Cole Palen’s Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome, take flight in a biplane, in addition to visiting the aviation museum and watching the spectacular air shows. Open cockpit biplane rides are scheduled by appointment, and are $65 per person. Antique automobile rides around the grounds are now offered as well during weekend shows.  

These unique features are the vision of Cole Palen, a great pilot and collector, who did his first air show at the site in 1960. With the intent of showing the planes in their natural environment, the air shows are performed on weekends from June until October 19. The shows feature an entertaining drama between Sir Percy Goodfellow and the Evil Black Baron for the hand of Trudy Truelove, the lovely damsel in distress.

Every weekend has an exciting theme, too! Some upcoming specials include:
June 28:  Aeronca Aviators Club Regional Fly-In;  July 19 & 20: Police, Firefighters & EMS personnel get the group entry rate when showing work ID card; August 2: Airline personnel get group entry rate when showing work ID card;  August 9: Hudson Mohawk Mercedes Club; September 6 & 7: Annual R/C model show; and October 4 & 5 Pumpkin/Cider Fall Festival. The rest are posted on the website.

Fun for the whole family, the museum is open daily from 10 am to 5 pm and features a collection of airplanes, ground vehicles, and aircraft engines. Admission ranges from $20 for adults, to free for children 5 and under. Group rates are available for parties of 15 or more. For more information, call 845-752-3200 or visit online at www.oldrhinebeck.org