The Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome, Red Hook, NY, is seeking to raise $10,000 to support a series of restoration and education projects planned for the 2026 season. A key focus of the effort is work on the Aeronca 65-TAC Defender, which is being restored as part of the Aerodrome’s Youth Aviation Program. The project includes installing new fabric on the aircraft, a critical step in returning it to operational condition. The Youth Aviation Program provides students with hands-on experience in building, restoring, and flying vintage aircraft as part of a year-round training initiative.
The Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome is a living aviation museum with a collection of more than 60 vintage aircraft, many of which are regularly flown during weekend air shows. The collection spans the earliest years of powered flight through the 1930s and includes both original aircraft and carefully built reproductions of World War I-era types such as Fokker and Sopwith fighters. Among its most notable aircraft is a 1909 Blériot XI, considered one of the oldest flying aircraft in the world.
In addition to the Defender project, funding raised will also support other restoration work at the site, including fabric-related repairs and additional shop projects involving aircraft components. As part of the effort, the Aerodrome is looking to bring in outside expertise for the work. Payton Souza, an aircraft fabric specialist who shares restoration work under the handle @covergirlfabric, is being considered to assist with the project and work alongside students and staff. Organizers say the broader goal is to support both aircraft preservation and aviation education, while providing opportunities for participants to learn practical restoration skills. The projects are being prepared ahead of the Aerodrome’s 2026 season, which includes public flight demonstrations and expanded educational programming. For more information and to support the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome, click on this link: oldrhinebeck.org.
