 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
 | |  | |  | |  |
 |
| |
 |
| Personal Background |
I met Cole Palen for the first time right before my seventh birthday in 1987. My family arranged for me
to meet him through a friend of my aunt who worked at the Aerodrome on the weekends. This was a
dream come true for me because I had been obsessed with antique airplanes and the Old Rhinebeck
Aerodrome from an early age. To meet the man who owned this fantastic place, and actually built and
flew the old planes, was almost too good to be true.
I was nervous when the day finally came, but felt right at home within minutes of being introduced to
Cole. He was genuinely kind and welcoming and could easily identify with an aviation-obsessed kid
like myself. I spent that whole morning at the Aerodrome, and Cole went out of his way to make sure I
enjoyed every minute. He loved having enthusiastic kids around, and he spent a great deal of time
talking with me and showing me how he and his crew prepared for the weekend air shows. He also
gave me my first chance to sit in an airplane, the Fokker Triplane and the New Standard D-25 as they
were pulled out to the flight line. It was more than I could wrap my seven year old mind around.
In later years Cole taught me how to build and fly free-flight rubber powered model airplanes, which
was one of his life-long passions. He also gave me the opportunity to build my own in the new model
museum and help other kids get involved at the same time. He would often come into the museum
just minutes after an air show ended to get a few of us together so we could go out and fly models
with him. This was one of the many qualities I admired so much about Cole Palen. Even though he
was running a world-famous aviation museum, he loved taking time to spend with kids like me and
treated us like we were the most important people in the world. Even though Cole had a lifetime of
experience working with old planes, he still shared the same enthusiasm and excitement I had as a
child.
I was fortunate enough to share a six-year friendship with Cole Palen. I met his beautiful wife Rita in
1988, and we remained friends until they were called home in 1993 and 2002. They were two of the
kindest, most genuine people I have ever known, and they touched my life in a very positive way. It
was a blessing to call them my friends. I am very grateful to my wonderful parents and aunt for setting
up that first introduction which had such a profound influence in my life.
to meet him through a friend of my aunt who worked at the Aerodrome on the weekends. This was a
dream come true for me because I had been obsessed with antique airplanes and the Old Rhinebeck
Aerodrome from an early age. To meet the man who owned this fantastic place, and actually built and
flew the old planes, was almost too good to be true.
I was nervous when the day finally came, but felt right at home within minutes of being introduced to
Cole. He was genuinely kind and welcoming and could easily identify with an aviation-obsessed kid
like myself. I spent that whole morning at the Aerodrome, and Cole went out of his way to make sure I
enjoyed every minute. He loved having enthusiastic kids around, and he spent a great deal of time
talking with me and showing me how he and his crew prepared for the weekend air shows. He also
gave me my first chance to sit in an airplane, the Fokker Triplane and the New Standard D-25 as they
were pulled out to the flight line. It was more than I could wrap my seven year old mind around.
In later years Cole taught me how to build and fly free-flight rubber powered model airplanes, which
was one of his life-long passions. He also gave me the opportunity to build my own in the new model
museum and help other kids get involved at the same time. He would often come into the museum
just minutes after an air show ended to get a few of us together so we could go out and fly models
with him. This was one of the many qualities I admired so much about Cole Palen. Even though he
was running a world-famous aviation museum, he loved taking time to spend with kids like me and
treated us like we were the most important people in the world. Even though Cole had a lifetime of
experience working with old planes, he still shared the same enthusiasm and excitement I had as a
child.
I was fortunate enough to share a six-year friendship with Cole Palen. I met his beautiful wife Rita in
1988, and we remained friends until they were called home in 1993 and 2002. They were two of the
kindest, most genuine people I have ever known, and they touched my life in a very positive way. It
was a blessing to call them my friends. I am very grateful to my wonderful parents and aunt for setting
up that first introduction which had such a profound influence in my life.
| Beginnings of Cole Palen.com |
Cole Palen.com started coming together in the spring of 2006 after a series of phone calls and hours
of digging through boxes in the attic. That spring I engaged in several conversations about Cole and
Rita with people who didn’t have the opportunity to meet them in person. Being aviation buffs and fans
of the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome, Cole was a topic that sparked much enthusiasm. However, I found
that describing him was difficult. For me, Cole and Rita needed to be seen and heard to understand
who they were and how they operated. When speaking about them, any verbal description I gave, no
matter how glowing, seemed mediocre. They were such rare people, and possessed such rare
qualities, that I just didn’t know how to adequately put it all into words. So I started to ponder how I
could give people a sense of what he was really like. With this the seeds of Cole Palen.com were
planted.
of digging through boxes in the attic. That spring I engaged in several conversations about Cole and
Rita with people who didn’t have the opportunity to meet them in person. Being aviation buffs and fans
of the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome, Cole was a topic that sparked much enthusiasm. However, I found
that describing him was difficult. For me, Cole and Rita needed to be seen and heard to understand
who they were and how they operated. When speaking about them, any verbal description I gave, no
matter how glowing, seemed mediocre. They were such rare people, and possessed such rare
qualities, that I just didn’t know how to adequately put it all into words. So I started to ponder how I
could give people a sense of what he was really like. With this the seeds of Cole Palen.com were
planted.
The main purpose of this site is simply to remember Cole and Rita. It is my hope that by collecting
photos, videos, articles, and memories from those who knew them best, this online collection will
introduce Cole and Rita Palen to a whole new audience, as well as give their friends the chance to
hear stories and see materials which are new to them. In short, this site exists to bring everyone a
little closer to the man and woman behind the “Palen Magic.”
photos, videos, articles, and memories from those who knew them best, this online collection will
introduce Cole and Rita Palen to a whole new audience, as well as give their friends the chance to
hear stories and see materials which are new to them. In short, this site exists to bring everyone a
little closer to the man and woman behind the “Palen Magic.”
| Our Mission |
A few days after I'd met Cole for the first time, my aunt walked into my parent's kitchen as I was
writing my thank you letters and gave me a bag which Cole had filled with souvenirs from the
Aerodrome's gift shop. Among the items in the bag was this post card. I've posted it here as one
more example of what a fine person Cole was.
writing my thank you letters and gave me a bag which Cole had filled with souvenirs from the
Aerodrome's gift shop. Among the items in the bag was this post card. I've posted it here as one
more example of what a fine person Cole was.
 | |  | |  | |  | |  |