To visit the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome in Red Hook, NY, is to step back in time to the founding decades of aviation, where names like Wright, Lindbergh, Earhart, Hughes and many more ruled not just the skies but the imaginations of flight enthusiasts the world over.

Founded in 1958 by Cole Panel, the Old Rhinebeck is billed as the first flying museum of antique aircraft in the United States, and it brings the history of flight alive with an impressive collection of original and reproduction aircraft dating from the early 1900s to the days of World War II. The museum’s mission is to preserve, restore and fly those aircraft and while doing so, honoring the achievements of aviation pioneers from all over the world.

To help further that mission, the museum has undergone a bit of restoration, building new hangars to better preserve and protect the historic collection. Schweiss Doors was happy to assist, designing and building five liftstrap bifold doors for three different hangars on the grounds.

“The place has been around since 1958 and so have the buildings,” says Tara Grieb, director of the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome. “They didn’t have doors or fronts; they weren’t weatherproof. They just needed to be replaced so that we can better protect the collection. It is a huge improvement for us and hopefully, there will be more to come down the road.”

The museum’s first Schweiss bifold door dates back almost 20 years and predates most of the renovations that have been taking place. It was installed on a Quonset hut, now identified as Number 1 Hangar. That door, measuring 48 feet wide by 12 feet tall, nearly opens the entire front of the hangar. It allows for easy movement of airplanes, ground vehicles and other exhibits and equipment.

To obtain the needed opening and to accommodate the hut’s curved silhouette, the bifold door was mounted on a free-standing header, with the corners of the three-piece frame sticking out slightly from the roofline. A free-standing header creates a flat, straight and level surface to mount a door and is a great option for curved buildings, Quonsets or when more height is needed to obtain the clear opening. The header provides existing buildings with additional strength to support a door the building was not initially designed for.

More recently, the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome turned to Schweiss Doors when it began planning for significant renovation of its hangars. Grieb says word of mouth and proven reliability led the museum to purchase more doors from Schweiss.

The two new hangars were built to store its active collection of antique airplanes. These aircraft are flown regularly during the summer and fall as part of weekly airshows and they need to stay in tiptop condition. The new hangars provide more space and protection for dedicated staff and volunteers who maintain, repair and preserve the collection.

“Disosway Foundation has funded these infrastructure improvements for us, including the doors,” Grieb says. “We’re really grateful for their support.”

Both new hangars have two Schweiss bifold doors. The larger doors on both hangars measure 50 feet wide and 12 feet, six inches tall. The smaller doors are 40 feet wide and 12 feet, six inches tall on the Roosevelt Field Hangar and 30 feet wide by 12 feet, six inches on the AVRO Hangar. All four doors have four-inch blanket insulation and a liner flashing. Interior sheeting was installed for both doors on the AVRO Hangar.

The bifold doors blend seamlessly into the vintage design of the hangars. It was a priority that any new construction fit into the vintage look of the Old Rhinebeck grounds, which looks and feels like visiting the early 20th century. The AVRO Hangar is clad in the metal sheeting from the old structure it replaced and the bifold doors are covered to mimic old hangar doors.

“You want the newer structures that can protect the collection, but you also don’t want to disrupt the vintage vibe,” Grieb says. “You still want people to feel like it’s 1920-something when they walk in.”

Grieb says installation of the doors went well and the construction crew was able to work with the doors seamlessly.

“We like the reliability of the Schweiss doors, we’ve not had a single mechanical issue with them at all, no malfunctions, no problems, no nothing,” Grieb says. “And it is very hard to find a product that you can say that about. The Schweiss doors have been great; they’ve been absolutely fabulous.”

One man who played a big role in the overall masterplan for renovating the museum and airfield was Brian Coughlin. A longtime pilot and plane restorer at Old Rhinebeck, he also served as a board trustee and the museum’s site manager. It was Coughlin who really pushed to use Schweiss doors for the hangar project, knowing from his own experience and speaking to other aviators and restorers that Schweiss was the best option.

“He really was the one who said Schweiss Doors is the way to go,” Grieb says. “He was the one making those selections. It was really his choice and we all said, ‘Yep, absolutely.’”

Tragically, Coughlin was killed in a plane crash during one of the museum’s air shows since the completion of those hangars. The museum, hangars and the planes they protect, stand as a memorial to all the work Coughlin did for the Old Rhinebeck.

Going forward, the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome is facing ongoing renovation work to bring the museum into the future while still preserving the history of flight.

“Like all history, it is important to see where things came from and how many of those principles still exist,” Grieb says. “You don’t want it to be lost forever and have all the hard work of those pioneers to not exist in a way that it can be experienced.”

Grieb says there is no doubt the organization will be calling Schweiss Doors again.

“A million percent, we will be using Schweiss Doors again, when we get to more buildings,” she said. “We’ll be calling again.