Contribute to the Museum of Air Traffic Control

There are a number of ways that you can help the Museum. Because it makes for an easy list, we've broken it down into four general areas. However, we're always open to suggestions!

In general, if you'd like to help, you can contribute...

Financially

Our work costs money, and, large or small, financial gifts are always appreciated. Also note that we will list our largest donors and corporate sponsors on our home page. If this sort of exposure is important to you, or if you'd like to discuss any aspect of giving, please contact us. Keep in mind that individuals and businesses alike can earmark donations to support specific projects and research at the Museum of Air Traffic Control.

Individuals may also direct that a portion of their personal estate benefit the Museum of Air Traffic Control through an endowment. Potential donors and estate planning professionals should contact us to discuss this type of support.

Finally, please keep in mind that documenting and preserving the physical artifacts of ATC is time-consuming and expensive. Without your substantial financial support we would not be able to make use of the non-financial donations we receive.

Artifacts

Radar components, light guns, radios, manuals, consoles, strip holders, PVDs, books, strips, flight plans, headsets... you name it! We'll document and preserve it. If it is equipment we can safely and reasonably disassemble, we'll take it apart, photograph all of its components, and make those photographs available on our website. If the material is textual, we'll work to scan it and put it online. And when we post material online, the original contributor will be noted.

Of particular interest to us are items like manuals for long-obsolete systems (i.e. ASR-1), including those provided by the manufacturer and those generated by the using agency, advertising materials, materials from FAA predecessor agencies, and the like. We will carefully scan these textual materials for display on this site, and, if need be, return the originals to you.

If you need to send physical items to us (that is to say, things that can't be emailed), let us know and we'll work with you to do just that.

Photographs and Recordings

Within just a few weeks we will allow contributors to post images and other media files via a streamlined web interface. In the mean time, please email your files to us here. Be sure to fully explain the content of what you are sending, paying special attention to date, location, names of individuals shown, and as much specific information about images of equipment that you can provide.

Please also include copyright information on every item you send, including the name of the copyright holder (if known) and the date of the item. If you are not the owner of the item, please be as specific as possible in identifying the owner.

Personal Narratives

Tell us your stories! Of course, we want to hear about actual events, people, and places. Write them up and contact us here. We'll respond with an email address to which you may send them. However, this is not the place for those apocryphal tales which have circulated for decades. Remember, we're crotchy, old ATCers ourselves and we've heard them all before!