The Royal Aeronautical Society is the world’s only learned society dedicated to the entire aerospace community. Founded in England as the Aeronautical Society of Great Britain in 1866, the Royal Aeronautical Society has put mankind amongst the clouds for 150 years. The Australian branch was created in 1921, connecting engineers in Melbourne to fellow aeronautics experts across the globe.

The RAeS has supported mankind’s fascination with flight since before the Wright brothers’ first flight in 1901. Originally focused on balloons and kites, the society has changed with the times, promoting the exchange of knowledge and advancement of technology related to flight up to and including modern aircraft.

The society is supported by affiliations with many industry organisations and companies such as Qantas, Virgin Australia, Airbus, Aerospace Australia, Boeing and the Australia Youth Aerospace Association.