About Us

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The Helicopter Conservancy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation of rotorcraft history. Our interests include not only the machines, but the stories of the people connected to them: the inventors and pioneers; helicopter pilots and crews; and even passengers. We are also dedicated to promoting a better public understanding of the principles of rotary wing flight through future aeronautics exhibits and workshops. 

Our collections focus on developments of the late 1940s through the 1960s, the period in which the helicopter came of age. It was during this time that the "look" of the modern helicopter became firmly established and helicopters completed their transformation from curiosities of limited capability to powerful, highly-adaptable workhorses that we now find indispensable. Of particular note are the innovative US military helicopters of the Korean and Vietnam War eras, which were testbeds of new forms of military operations and aerial rescue that are now standard practice. These helicopter designs have proven surprisingly long-lived and many are still in use today.

We're raising funds to support the ongoing restoration of a number of vintage helicopters and support our oral history program. These projects are detailed throughout this website. We welcome donations and are also looking for volunteers. Please contact us to ask how you can get involved.

If you have a personal connection to helicopter history and have a story to tell, or have personal items to share, we'd love to hear from you. History is built on the experience of individuals and your story is important to us!