The Hiller Aviation Museum is an aviation museum located at the San Carlos Airport in San Carlos, California focused on Northern California aviation history, Hiller Aircraft and helicopter history.

History

Background

As early as the late 1960s, Stanley Hiller began collecting aircraft at a warehouse in Redwood City, California. By 1986, it displayed 15 aircraft and set a goal of a acquiring a total of 28 of Hiller's designs. Eight years later it had surpassed this and the Hiller Museum of Northern California Aviation Heritage included over 40 aircraft.

Move to San Carlos

However, public access was limited. So, funded by a trust established by Hiller, the museum announced a proposal to acquire a 13,000 sqft building at the San Carlos Airport and expand it to 44,000 sqft facility. A lease for the property was approved in March 1996 and ground was broken in October. The 53,000 sqft Hiller Aviation Museum opened on 5 June 1998. The Boeing 2707 mockup, which had been on display at the museum since it opened, left in 2013.

Facilities

The Michael King Smith Research Library at the museum has a collection of approximately 5,400 books.

Exhibits

Exhibits at the museum include a flight simulator and displays about the beginnings of flight, women in aviation and weather.

Collection

Aircraft

Ground vehicles

Simulators

Events

This museum sponsored Vertical Challenge, an annual all-helicopter airshow from 2000-2010, and a final one in 2012. In 2011 and 2016 an aviation festival event called Heli-Fest was held instead.

Programs

This museum offers two Scouts BSA Merit Badge programs, the Aviation Merit Badge and the Weather Merit Badge.