The American Aviation Historical Society (AAHS) is a non-profit organization "dedicated to the preservation and dissemination of [the history of] American aviation.""AAHS Mission," Winter 2019, AAHS Journal, vol.64, no.4, page 242, retrieved May 1, 2021Williams, Tim, with William T. Larkins (former AAHS President), "The American Aviation Historical Society: The First 50 Years," from the AAHS Journal, as reproduced on the AAHS website, retrieved May 1, 2021 AAHS has had an educational program in promoting American aviation through its journal and a periodic newsletter, archives historical aviation documents and photos, maintains multiple websites on aviation history, and assists aviation historians and the public in the acquisition and exchange of aviation history information."American Aviation Historical Society - GuideStar Profile", Guidestar, retrieved May 2, 2021"Lead American Aviation Historical Society as President," AAHS in VolunteerMatch, retrieved May 2, 2021"Historical Groups & Organizations – American Aviation Historical Society" in "Air Museum Directory," Air Museum Network, retrieved May 2, 2021
Administration, organization and meetings The Society was founded in 1956, and currently has two offices. Until 2017, all operations were headquartered in Huntington Beach, California. While the Membership Department remains in Huntington Beach, the headquarters office moved to the historic Flabob Airport in Riverside, California."AAHS moving to Flabob Airport," 2nd Quarter, 2018, AAHS Flightline, issue 198, page 4, American Aviation Historical Society, retrieved May 3, 2021"President's Message," Summer 2019, AAHS Journal, vol.64, no.2, page 160, retrieved May 1, 2021 The organization's annual meeting—open to all members—is held in California or Arizona, and commonly includes tours of some aviation historical interest."2020 AAHS Annual Meeting Program", Winter 2019, AAHS Journal, vol.64, no.4, page 241, retrieved May 1, 2021"2019 AAHS Annual Meeting," 2nd Quarter, 2018, AAHS Flightline, issue 198, page 3, American Aviation Historical Society, retrieved May 3, 2021"AAHS 2018 Annual Meeting," 2nd Quarter, 2018, AAHS Flightline, issue 198, page 5, American Aviation Historical Society, retrieved May 3, 2021
The national organization is headquartered in the historic aviation-manufacturing region of Southern California, and conducts local activities from time to time.Devorak, J. (AAHS): posting: "Aviation History" - "American Aviation Historical Society: Oral History Presentation Series l, November 20: General Bob Cardenas to Speak at AAHS Luncheon," as posted at Sylmar Hang Gliding Association website, retrieved May 3, 2021 Additionally, there are chapters ("wings") in other parts of the United States, including Phoenix, Arizona"American Aviation Historical Society Phoenix Wing - GuideStar Profile", GuideStar, retrieved May 3, 2021 and Northern Virginia,"The Hawaii Clipper breaks its silence at the Smithsonian" April 11, 2013, "Hunt for the Lost Clipper" website, retrieved May 3, 2021 which conduct meetings and activities of their own. The organization lists chapters in Arizona, Florida, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Virginia."AAHS Chapters" on the website of the American Aviation Historical Society, retrieved May 4, 2021 However, membership in the national organization is available to all interested parties the United States, whether served by a local chapter or not."Membership" page, on the website of the American Aviation Historical Society, retrieved May 4, 2021
In the early 2000s, some chapters separated to become a separate organization. In Northern California, the San Francisco-area chapter (formed in 1985) separated in 2006 to become the Society for Aviation History,"Join the Society for Aviation History", website of the Society for Aviation History, retrieved May 3, 2021"President’s May 2006 Message", website of the Society for Aviation History, retrieved May 3, 2021 citing objections to the national organization's insurance requirements. The Dayton, Ohio region chapter ("Huffman Prairie Chapter") formed in 1990, but separated from AAHS in 2006 to become the Huffman Prairie Aviation History Society—citing objections to the national organization's demands regarding dues, officers, and meeting organization."History of Huffman Prairie Aviation History Society," OhioLINK (State Library of Ohio), retrieved May 3, 2021
Operations and media
Publications AAHS's primary activity is publishing a peer-reviewed quarterly aviation history journal, the 150-page glossy AAHS Journal, distributed to members. The publication is available in both print and digital formats. The organization also produces a quarterly online newsletter, AAHS Flightline, which was originally distributed in print to members, but went online in the early 2000s, at the organization's website. The publications provide a venue for presentation of aviation history articles, historic documents and photos, and the exchange of information and resources among aviation historians.
Archives The society also maintains an extensive library of aviation-related documents and photographs (reportedly over 2,000,000 photographs) The organization struggles to identify and catalog all the aviation and aircraft photos in its collection, and has turned to volunteers, in-person and online, to resolve a growing backlog of photographs—digitizing and documenting the photos for accessibility and usability.Bergen, Jerri (AAHS president): "Preserving Aviation History – One Image at a Time," October 5, 2020, In Flight USA, retrieved May 2, 2021
Websites AAHS has its own website (aahs-online.org), but also hosts the restored site of the U.S. Centennial of Flight Commission—a large online encyclopedia of U.S. aviation history."AAHS Moves to Preserve Centennial of Flight Website," Third Quarter 2013, AAHS Flightline, Issue Number No. 184, American Aviation Historical Society, retrieved December, 2017
It also provides links to an affiliated site, APT Collectibles, which catalogs and markets past issues of the AAHS Journal.
To help AAHS resolve its photo-identification backlog, AAHS's webmaster and managing editor, Hayden Hamilton, developed a web-based application called AAHS Planespotter, to allow scanned images to be downloaded by aviation enthusiasts, who can then fill in information to help identify the depicted aircraft by type, location, serial number or other characteristics, and then submit that information to AAHS's photo database.
Public service AAHS is, from time to time, a venue for the exchange of information and ideas about aviation history, and a source for aviation history services. AAHS members are sometimes called upon give presentations on aviation history, to assist museums, educational institutions, or media, work in aviation history projects, programs or events, or engage in research, discussions and debates about issues of aviation history.press release: "Airplane Photography by William T. Larkins Presented in New Exhibition at San Francisco International Airport," September 8, 2004, San Francisco Airport Museums, San Francisco International Airport, retrieved May 3, 2021"Golden Gate Wing Guest Speaker Archive: Larry Rinek," Presentation: June 25, 2009, website of the Golden Gate Wing of the Commemorative Air Force, retrieved May 3, 2021"About KAC", website of The Wichita Aviation Centennial / Kansas Aviation Centennial, retrieved May 3, 2021"AAHS Supports Disney’s Restoration of Glendale’s Grand Central Air Terminal," 3rd Quarter, 2014, AAHS Flightline, issue 188, page 9, American Aviation Historical Society, retrieved May 3, 2021 They have provided assistance to the development of the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum."Volunteers Bringing Order To Tons of Air Documents," January–February, 1967, The Smithsonian Torch, page 4, Smithsonian Institution, retrieved May 3, 2021photo: "American Aviation Historical Society Sorting Material," from January–February, 1967, The Smithsonian Torch, page 4, as excerpted online Smithsonian Institution, retrieved May 3, 2021; Summary: "American Aviation Historical Society at Wednesday evening 'work session,' sorting material for the National Air Museum on one of the balconies in the Arts and Industries Building."
Key and notable people
The organization's advisory board has included aviation historians Gerald Balzer, Richard P. Hallion, Robert L. Lawson, and (until 2019) Walter J. Boyne, founding curator and later director of the National Air and Space Museum.masthead, Winter 2019, AAHS Journal, vol.64, no.4, page 242, retrieved May 1, 2021
Key AAHS Journal authors have included:
Ray Wagner, co-founder of the AAHS; former director and enshrine of the International Air and Space Hall of Fame"Ray Wagner," International Air and Space Hall of Fame, retrieved May 3, 2021 Harold E. Morehouse, co-developer of the first Aeronca airplane and pioneer developer of the modern, air-cooled, light-aircraft engineHarris, Richard: "Aeronca/Champion History: Beyond the Bathtub — Chiefs, Champs & Citabrias," (Condensed from articles first appearing in In Flight USA, 2003-2004 (updated and expanded version in AAHS Journal, Summer 2007 , retrieved May 2, 2021)Meadowcroft, Bill: "Driggs Skylark: Rover Engine", February 1982, Vintage Aircraft, Vol.10, No.2, p.8, EAA / Vintage Aircraft Association, retrieved from Issu.com May 2, 2021"Morehouse, Wright-Morehouse, Lincoln (US)", in "Compilation by Manufacturer (US)" in "Horizontally-Opposed Aircraft Engines (HOAE)" at Enginehistory.org, retrieved May 2, 2021), who wrote the regular column "Flying Pioneers" profiling key early aviation pioneers (many of whom he had personally known)"AAHS Journal Volume 6 (1961) Table of Contents," APT Collectables (AAHS affiliate), retrieved May 1, 2021"AAHS Journal Volume 15 (1970) Table of Contents," APT Collectables (AAHS affiliate), retrieved May 1, 2021"Harold E_ Morehouse Flying Pioneers Biographies collection · SOVA_0450", Smithsonian Online Virtual Archives (SOVA), Smithsonian Institution, retrieved May 1, 2021 Peter M. Bowers, an EAA Homebuilders Hall of Fame enshrinee, author of 26 books and over 1,000 articles,"Homebuilders Hall of Fame," at Experimental Aircraft Association, retrieved May 3, 2021 Peter M. Bowers — 1918-2003: Historian - Photographer - Homebuilder," on the website "BowersFlyBaby.com", retrieved May 3, 2021 who was a principal contributor from the initial AAHS Journal issue in 1956, through the late 1990s"AAHS Journal Volume 1 (1956) Table of Contents", APT Collectables (affiliate of AAHS), retrieved May 1, 2021"AAHS Journal Volume 2 (1957) Table of Contents", APT Collectables (affiliate of AAHS), retrieved May 1, 2021"AAHS Journal Volume 11 (1966) Table of Contents", APT Collectables (affiliate of AAHS), retrieved May 1, 2021"AAHS Journal Volume 40 (1995) Table of Contents", APT Collectables (affiliate of AAHS), retrieved May 1, 2021 Joseph P. Juptner, EAA Hall of Fame inductee,"1995 Hall of Fame Inductee - Joseph Juptner", Experimental Aircraft Association, retrieved May 1, 2021 whose book series U.S. Civil Aircraft is the principal historic catalog and encyclopedia of U.S. civilian aircraft from 1927 to 1948Bilstein, Roger E. (reviewer): "Reviewed Work: U.S. Civil Aircraft. Vol. 8 by Joseph P. Juptner", April, 1982, Technology and Culture, Vol. 23, No. 2, pp. 272-274, retrieved from JSTOR May 1, 2021U.S. Civil Aircraft Series Volume 2, summarized, WOTN Library, in LibraryCat, retrieved May 1, 2021"Joe Juptner", in Vintage Aircraft Association Hall of Fame, EAA / Vintage Aircraft Association, retrieved May 2, 2021