The idea for the society was fostered by Morton W. Lester, a well-known Virginia aviation enthusiast from Martinsville, who saw the need to preserve and display rapidly disappearing aviation artifacts in Virginia.

Lester soon found other Virginians who shared his vision to establish a Virginia Aeronautical Historical Society. On Nov. 30, 1977, that vision became a reality when the Virginia Aeronautical Historical Society was launched by a group of interested Virginia citizens.

The original purpose of the organization was to “study, research, interpret, preserve and disseminate Virginia’s aviation and aeronautical heritage, and to preserve, acquire and display those items pertaining to Virginia’s aviation and aeronautical heritage.”

Since 1977, the society’s membership has grown and chapters have been established throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia to better serve the membership. The Virginia Aeronautical Historical Society is a non-profit 501 [c] [3] corporation governed by a Board of Directors.

To support the mission, the Virginia Aeronautical Historical Society operates and directs a number of programs which are detailed in the Programs section of our site.