A flying club that preserves the rides of flight
You can see Old Orchard Airpark from Interstate 87 North in Plattekill. It is a private airstrip, home to the Hudson Valley Hornets Flying Club.
It’s surprising how many folks don’t know about this club. Not the toll taker or the local fella I stopped to ask directions. But I finally found them. The airpark is on 26 acres and the members recently purchased another 17 acres. They cleared the land themselves.
The club started in 1974 as Chapter 474 of the Experimental Aircraft Association. Its first home was Warwick Airport, then Orange County Airport and eventually Kobelt Airport in Wallkill. Rising lease costs made the club decide to seek other alternatives. In 1999, the Hornets decided to build their own private airport. A defunct apple orchard in Modena became available, and between the Hornets and the new corporation, the Hudson Valley Flyers, the two clubs signed a lease agreement and work began. Hornet members with heavy-equipment experience and surveying and construction backgrounds, joined in a six-year task to build Old Orchard Airpark. In spring of 2004, Old Orchard Airpark became fully authorized.
I watched as Ron Daniels’ 1941 J5 glided into the airpark and came to rest near his hangar. It was beautiful. Also parked there was a RV 9A that he put together. It took about 4,000 hours and 6 years to complete. Mike Fithian is working on a 1912 Replica Taub, with a bamboo tail, in his hanger. His grandfather flew the real plane in the Australia/Hungarian war. He hopes to fly his one day.
In the next hanger, Michael Maniatis was tinkering with a 1941 Tiger Moth that hasn’t flown in over 40 years. That plane has finally been completed, and you can watch a video of its inaugural start-up at recodonline.com/myride. Maniatis also owns a beautiful 1943 British version Tiger Moth that he’s owned since 1988 and has done two restorations on. There are many vintage and experimental aircraft at the airpark.
The club members are also responsible for working with aviation students at Ulster BOCES. Phil VanHouten came up with the idea of having the students get some hands-on experience at the airpark. It started by inviting some of the students out to the airpark, and it just morphed into something they never expected. VanHouten even offered one of his planes for the session. “The kids were so enthusiastic,” VanHouten said. It turned out to be quite successful, and the members are looking forward to next year’s students.
Duane White, president of the club, and Dan Britt, vice president, are working hard to keep the Hudson Valley Hornets Flying Club going. There are currently 70 members, with two of them being original members who are still active. They are always looking for new members. If you have a passion for flight and would like to find out about membership for the Hudson Valley Hornets, go to hudsonvalleyhornets.com.
To see the "My Ride Garage" episode on the Hudson Valley Hornets, go to recordonline.com/myride.
dkessler@th-record.com
