Flying Circus in Rhinebeck, N.Y.

R H I N E B E C K, N.Y., Aug. 18 -- The first time Dan Taylor's parents tookhim to the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome, in upstate New York, he was 10and infatuated with airplanes.

The love affair was shaped by 1960s movies like The BlueMax, about World War I fighter pilots, and Those MagnificentMen in Their Flying Machines, about an airplane race.

Now, Taylor lives out his flying fantasies as a pilot in theaerodrome's weekend airshows. He and the other pilots fly vintageplanes and replicas, wear period clothing, and engage inendearingly corny narratives.

"You see the old motorcycle or Model T Ford or the originalairplane or replica with original engine," Taylor, 44, said."It's moving, it's making noise, you can smell the castor oil fromthe rotary engine, you can hear the sounds of the engine, you canclose your eyes and pretend it's like World War I all over again."

Museum and Flying Circus

Both museum and flying circus, the aerodrome was the creation ofCole Palen, a mechanically inclined aviation enthusiast who in 1951spent his life savings on a bunch of World War I-era planes. Palendied in 1993 and his legacy is carried on at the aerodrome, wherethe staff also researches and restores or builds airplanes.

"You have to be a little bit of a historian to appreciate thematerials and the techniques they used," pilot Bill King said ofthe pilots and builders of the past, as he prepared to gas up areproduced World War I-era Albatros D.Va before a recent show.

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The aerodrome is located in New York's Hudson River Valley, apopular destination among summer and autumn travelers. There arecruises on the Hudson River, apple- and pumpkin-picking at smallfarms in the area in September and October, and fall foliagegalore.

The aerodrome's Saturday shows have a "History of Flight"theme while Sunday shows feature World War I and barnstormingaircraft, along with the repeated kidnapping of the hapless TrudyTrulove by the evil Black Baron of Rhinebeck.

"It's live theater with airplanes," airshow coordinator JimHare said.