Where did we come from?

The Society was founded as the Aeronautical Society of Great Britain in 1866 with 65 members by the Duke of Argyll. It became the Royal Aeronautical Society in 1918. Australia was first mentioned in 1892 when Lawrence Hargrave was experimenting with cellular kites. He was made a life member in 1897 and gave his paper on box kites in 1899. In 1919 the Institution of Aeronautical Engineers emerged.

The latter body set up an Australasian Branch in 1921 based in Melbourne. Interest in aerodynamics and aircraft design grew at the University of Sydney from 1924 leading to the formation of a NSW Division of the Institution on 21st March 1927. The chairman was Wing Commander L.J.Wackett later remembered as Sir Lawrence Wackett DFC, AFC, BSc, FRAeS. Over 200 attended the inaugural meeting.

On 1st October 1927 the parent body in England and the Royal Aeronautical Society agreed to amalgamate.

The local body became the Australasian Branch. In 1928 the first chairman (Professor H. Payne) and deputy chairman (W/Cdr L. Wackett) were appointed. The Branch apparently languished through the depression years but by 1935 attendance per meeting (four per year) had risen to average 45 with subjects such as 'Air resistance of cables' and 'Electricity as an aid to night flying'

In 1937 the first visit of a Society President was recorded (H.E.Wimperis) although his prime purpose was as adviser to the Australian Government out of which National Standards Laboratory, Sydney, Aeronautical Research Laboratory, Melbourne and Chair of Aeronautics, University of Sydney were set up.

From 1939 to 1945 no meetings were held  although membership slowly increased encouraged by Professor A.V.Stephens in Sydney and L.P.Coombes at ARL in Melbourne.

In 1946 a policy of "Centres" in capital cities, modelled on the English Branches, was instituted beginning with Sydney. As part of the reorganisation of the parent body the Australasian Branch was divided into the Australian Division and the New Zealand Division. At the same time the Sydney Centre became the Sydney Branch.

From 1954 to 1962 was a period of evolution of the Rules of the Division particularly in respect of the Council size, representation of the Branches and the periods of election. In 1956 The Chairman became the President.

Branches are centred on the Capital cities of each state. Melbourne Branch was formed in 1953 and the Adelaide Branch in 1956. Canberra Branch was approved in late 1962 and  Brisbane Branch   in 1992. . Proposals to form a Perth Branch in 2002 were ratified and the Branch has been functioning successfully ever since. Each branch conducts a monthly lecture/visit program. Members living in  Northern Territory and Tasmania are serviced by  the other states and the Division for information and administration.

Members currently receive five levels of communication through the monthly Branch newsletter, Division newsletters, Aerospace International (including Aerospace Professional), the Aeronautical Journal (optional) and this Newspage.

The Division through the Branches has conducted, in association with  Engineers Australia, a successful series of Australian International Aeronautical Conferences on a biennial basis. AIAC9 was held in Canberra in 2001. AIAC10   was  held in Queensland hosted by the Brisbane Branch in July/August 2003. AIAC11 was hosted by the Melbourne Branch in March 2005, coinciding with Airshow Downunder. A similar arrangement  is planned for AIAC12 in 2007.

The Division, in 1998 successfully co-hosted the ICAS98 conference in Melbourne- the first time that it has been held in the Southern Hemisphere.