American Aviation Historical Society facts for kids

The American Aviation Historical Society (AAHS) is a group that loves and protects the history of airplanes and flying in America. It's a non-profit organization, which means it doesn't try to make money. The AAHS helps people learn about American aviation through its special magazine and online newsletter. They also keep a huge collection of old aviation papers and photos. The society has websites about aviation history and helps people who study aviation find and share information.

How the AAHS is Organized and Where They Meet

The American Aviation Historical Society started in 1956. Today, it has two main offices. For a long time, until 2017, their main office was in Huntington Beach, California. Now, the part that handles members is still in Huntington Beach. But the main office moved to the old and famous Flabob Airport in Riverside, California.

The AAHS holds a big meeting every year. All members can come to this meeting. It usually takes place in California or Arizona. These meetings often include fun trips to places important to aviation history.

Local Groups and Chapters

The main AAHS office is in Southern California. This area is famous for making airplanes in the past. The AAHS sometimes holds local events there. Also, there are smaller groups called "wings" or "chapters" in other parts of the United States. These chapters hold their own meetings and activities. You can find chapters in places like Arizona, Florida, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Virginia. Anyone interested in aviation history can join the national AAHS, even if there isn't a local chapter nearby.

In the early 2000s, some of these local chapters decided to become their own separate groups. For example, the chapter near San Francisco, California started in 1985. But in 2006, it became the Society for Aviation History. They had different ideas about how the national group should work. The chapter in Dayton, Ohio, called the "Huffman Prairie Chapter," started in 1990. It also left the AAHS in 2006. It became the Huffman Prairie Aviation History Society because of disagreements about rules for dues and meetings.

What the AAHS Does

Publications: Books and Newsletters

One of the main things the AAHS does is publish a special magazine. It's called the AAHS Journal. This journal comes out four times a year and is about 150 pages long. It has articles about aviation history written by experts. Members get a copy of this journal, which is available both in print and online.

The AAHS also creates an online newsletter called AAHS Flightline. This newsletter used to be printed and sent to members. But in the early 2000s, it moved online to the AAHS website. Both the journal and the newsletter are places where people can share articles, old documents, and photos about aviation history. They also help historians share information and resources.

Archives: Collecting History

The society has a very large collection of documents and photographs about aviation. They have more than 2,000,000 photos! It's a big job to identify and organize all these pictures. The AAHS asks for help from volunteers, both in person and online. These volunteers help to digitize (make digital copies) and describe the photos. This makes the photos easier for everyone to find and use.

Websites: Online Resources

The AAHS has its own website, aahs-online.org. But they also host another important website. This is the restored site of the Centennial of Flight Commission. It's like a huge online encyclopedia about the history of flying in the U.S.

The AAHS website also has links to a related site called APT Collectibles. This site lists and sells old issues of the AAHS Journal.

To help with the huge number of photos that need to be identified, the AAHS webmaster, Hayden Hamilton, created a special online tool. It's called AAHS Planespotter. Aviation fans can download scanned images of planes. Then, they can add information to help identify the aircraft. This includes things like the type of plane, where it was, or its serial number. They then send this information back to the AAHS photo database.

Public Service: Helping Others Learn

The AAHS often serves as a place where people can share ideas about aviation history. It's also a source for services related to aviation history. Members of the AAHS sometimes give talks about aviation history. They might help museums, schools, or media groups. They also work on aviation history projects, programs, or events. Sometimes, they do research, have discussions, and debate topics in aviation history. For example, they have helped with the development of the National Air and Space Museum at the Smithsonian Institution.

Important People in the AAHS

The AAHS has an advisory board with many famous aviation historians. These have included Gerald Balzer, Richard P. Hallion, Robert L. Lawson, and Walter J. Boyne. Walter J. Boyne was the first curator and later director of the National Air and Space Museum.

Many important authors have written for the AAHS Journal:

• Ray Wagner: He helped start the AAHS. He was also a director and is in the International Air and Space Hall of Fame.
• Harold E. Morehouse: He helped create the first Aeronca airplane. He also helped develop modern, air-cooled engines for light aircraft. He wrote a regular column called "Flying Pioneers." In it, he wrote about important early aviation pioneers, many of whom he knew personally.
• Peter M. Bowers: He is in the EAA Homebuilders Hall of Fame. He wrote 26 books and over 1,000 articles. He was a main writer for the AAHS Journal from its very first issue in 1956 until the late 1990s.
• Joseph P. Juptner: He is in the EAA Hall of Fame. His book series U.S. Civil Aircraft is a key historical guide to U.S. civilian aircraft from 1927 to 1948.
• Edward H. Phillips: He is a main historian of the general aviation industry. He also wrote about the "Air Capital City" (Wichita, Kansas) and its aircraft makers. These include Cessna Aircraft, Beech Aircraft, Stearman Aircraft, Travel Air, and Laird/Swallow.
• Paul R. Matt: A well-known aviation historian. He was a main U.S. historical artist who drew early aircraft.
• Len Morgan: A famous aviation writer, author, and publisher.
• John W. Underwood: He wrote 12 aviation history books and many articles. He was also a leading aviation history photographer and archivist. He is in the EAA / Vintage Aircraft Association Hall of Fame.

See also

• List of aviation historical societies