Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome’s full-size Spirit of St. Louis replica arrived at Lakeland Linder International Airport just before sunset on November 13, 2026, completing an approximately 1,250-mile journey from New York ahead of celebrations marking the centennial of Charles Lindbergh’s historic transatlantic flight. Flown by renowned vintage and classic aircraft pilot Andrew King, the replica traveled south through a series of stops along the East Coast. It will spend the winter at the Florida Air Museum before participating in the 53rd annual SUN ’n FUN Aerospace Expo, scheduled for April 6–11, 2027.
The arrival brings to fruition the journey Vintage Aviation News previewed in October, extending the replica’s educational mission well beyond its home at Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome in Red Hook, New York. The flight included stops at Summit Airport (KEVY) in Middletown, Delaware; the Military Aviation Museum in Virginia Beach, Virginia; Sumter, South Carolina; and Claxton, Georgia. The aircraft then continued to Grass Roots Airpark (06FD) in Florida, where the crew carried out a fuel system repair before the final leg to Lakeland. Supporting King were Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome Director of Maintenance Mark Mondello and crew members Jacob Hammond, Dave King, Clay Hammond, and Emma Crawdord. A Daher Kodiak flown by Clay Hammond and a Husky, flown by Brad Gould, accompanied the operation as support aircraft.
Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome pilot Emma Crawford produced a series of reels at the end of each day, capturing highlights of the journey. Beautifully crafted with a vintage filter, the videos evoked the barnstorming era and the pioneering spirit of aviation that defines Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome.
Flying the replica south avoided the disassembly and handling required for transportation by truck. The journey also offered an opportunity to operate the aircraft across a substantial portion of the eastern United States, bringing a familiar sight from Old Rhinebeck’s airshows to a new audience. The replica’s construction began under Aerodrome founder Cole Palen, who died in 1993. Craftsman Ken Cassens subsequently brought the project to completion, drawing on extensive study of the original aircraft, including measurements, drawings, and photographs. Careful attention extended to details such as the flight instruments. Cassens first flew the replica in December 2015, and it has since appeared in airshows and film productions…