Formed in 1939 to protect the interests of general aviation pilots and private aircraft owners, the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) grew to be the world's largest civil aviation organization during the twentieth century. The photograph collection largely comprises images of private planes, helicopters, and parts from various manufacturers who supplied the images for use in AOPA publications. AOPA activities, military aircraft, and experimental aircraft are also represented.

The engineering and research unit of All American Aviation, once the principal feeder airline for the mid-Atlantic region, became the All American Engineering Company in 1953. Their records document the early evolution of All American Aviation, the development of its system of air pick-up service, and its use in postal and military applications.

All American Engineering Company was an aeronautical engineering and research firm that was incorporated on October 31, 1952. The records consist of scrapbooks of newspaper clippings and news releases that document the development, testing, and applications of the company's products.

Atlantic Aviation was begun by Henry Belin du Pont (1898-1970) in 1927 to provide services for business aviation. In 1948 it moved from the Du Pont Airport to the new New Castle County Airport south of Wilmington, Delaware. Soon it expanded to other airports around the country. The collection includes portraits and views of Atlantic Aviation facilities at various airports. There are also a few photographs of airplanes, including the Spirit of St. Louis.

Colonel J. (John) Victor Dallin (1897-1991) was an aviator and photographer who founded the Dallin Aerial Surveys Company in 1924. This small collection of films were shot by Dallin. There are five films, three are home movies, one is the reception for Charles Lindbergh in Philadelphia, and the fifth film contents is unidentified at this time.

For what appears a brief moment in early aviation history, the Wright Brothers competed their airplanes in public demonstrations. The Curtiss Exhibition Co.'s Glenn Curtiss piloted one of his biplanes, and Walter Brookins piloted a Wright biplane. Three photos show the Curtiss biplane on the beach before take-off with a Boardwalk crowd nearby. Two others show the Curtiss and Wright airplanes separately in flight.

Eastern Air Lines operated from 1927 to 1991 and was one of the Big Four airlines (others included United, Delta, and American) that for almost fifty years dominated commercial airline travel in the United States. This item is a postcard with the illustration of Eastern's Modern DC-4 Silverliner airplane.

George J. Frebert (1929-2002) was a pilot and aviation enthusiast. He authored the book Delaware Aviation History. The collection contains both materials used in the preparation of Delaware Aviation History and other items that Frebert collected dealing with Delaware aviation, aviators and airports. Much of the material was copied from historical repositories, but Frebert also collected original materals and photos from other early aviators.

George J. Frebert (1929-2002) was a pilot and aviation enthusiast who served in the Air Force during the Korean War, operated the Dover Litho Printing Company in Dover, DE, published "Delaware Aviation History," and restored vintage airplanes as a hobby. This collection contains both materials used in the preparation of "Delaware Aviation History" and other items that Frebert collected dealing with Delaware aviation, aviators and airports.

Capital Airlines was a commercial airline for the eastern, southern, southeastern, and midwestern United States from 1936 to 1961. It was the fifth largest airline in the United States. The airline was the first to offer service from the west to Washington D.C., coach class service, in-flight television, and jet-powered commercial aircraft. This collection includes materials related to Capital Airlines predecessor company, Clifford Ball Airlines, and materials created under its former name, Pennsylvania Central Airlines. There is also materials related to the Capital Airline Association. The collection documents the history of the airlines, its aircraft and employees.

Eastern Airlines was a major U.S. domestic airline from 1926 to 1991. It was considered to be one of the four largest carriers during the mid-twentieth century, the other three being American, TWA, and United. Eastern Airlines dominated the air travel market between New York and Florida from the 1930s through the 1950s. This small collection of Eastern Airlines photographs and ephemera predominantly reflects the company's aircraft fleet between 1938 and 1991. In addition, there are materials that document the company's route system and later decline. This collection has been arranged into three series: Photographs, Publications and ephemera, and Newspaper clippings and magazine articles.

Pan American World Airways (Pan Am) was the principal international airline in the United States for most of its existence and the nation's only international carrier before World War II. Pan Am was originally founded as Pan American Airways in 1927 as an international carrier only. On January 8, 1991, Pan American World Airways filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The company was subsequently dissolved and liquidated. This small collection of Pan American World Airways photographs and ephemera predominantly reflects the company's aircraft fleet between 1930 and 1991. In addition, there are materials that document the company's route system and later decline.

Lammot du Pont, Jr. (1909-1964) was Assistant Vice President of the Wilmington Trust Company. He began his employment there in 1931, previously he was employed at the Fokker Aircraft Corporation. Lammot, Jr., assembled a large collection of books, manuscripts, prints, drawings and photographs. This collection documents the history of aviation and primarily consists of images of aircraft which date from 1915 through 1950. A majority of the images are various views of aircraft only and are devoid of people, though there are a number of images that include pilots. There are prints and lithographs of early aircraft and balloons (dirigibles) which date as early as the 1780s. The collection has been arranged into five series by format.

Northwest Airlines was a major commercial airline in the United States from 1926 to 2010. From 1947 until 1986, the airline was known as Northwest Orient Airlines. This small collection consists of a publicity kit for the Lockheed Super Constellation airplane. It contains several booklets and brochures about the airline's new aircraft, routes, and services. Materials date from around 1955.

Richard C. du Pont (1911-1943) was an aviator and businessman. In 1938, he purchaseds stock of an inactive company called All American Aviation, Inc. and became PresidentThis collection encompasses the time of Richard C. du Pont's marriage to his death, with a particular focus on his work with gliders. The establishment and growth of Summit Aviation, his son's private air transportation company, is heavily documented from the early 1960s onward. The majority of the collection consists of newspaper clippings and photographs.

The collection consists of photographs taken during the first years of the United States Post Office Department air mail service. Many of these photographs are portraits of individual air mail service pilots. The first use of air mail in the United States occurred in September, 1911, while the first air mail route from Washington to New York via Philadelphia started in 1918. A transcontinental route was established by 1920. In 1925 the government transitioned out of the air mail business with the passage of the Kelly Air Mail Act, which called for commericial airlines to bid on air mail routes established by the Post Office.