An idea was born...
In 1985, in the Kansas City area, an idea was born.  A couple of aviation enthusiasts were reminiscing about the "good old days" of large, propeller-driven transport aircraft.  They wondered if one could be located, restored, and flown to Airshows and other gatherings where young people could see, first-hand, the power and grace of these great airplanes from our past.  They wanted folks to hear the sounds and see the sights of these mighty machines as they were actually flying rather than just sitting on display.  They wanted an operational Lockheed Super Constellation.  The idea caught on and today, N6937C, "Star of America", is flown to and displayed at numerous aviation functions all over North America, for the public to tour and enjoy.

The "Connie's" owner and the parent corporation, Save A Connie, Inc., or SAC, was organized in 1986 for the purpose of "restoring, preserving, and exhibiting propeller-driven commercial aircraft".  Memberships were made available to the public.  It was, and now is, a volunteer organization made up primarily of aviation enthusiasts.  In 1990,  a Martin 4O4 was obtained and restoration was soon completed on this second SAC aircraft.  Later a Douglas DC-3 was obtained and its total restoration is currently underway.  In the year 2000, as the organization now had three aircraft, another more appropriate name was adopted.  In keeping with the original and ongoing goals of the parent corporation, SAC now is doing business as the "Airline History Museum", or AHM.

The AHM developed a museum, a gift shop, and a working maintenance operation, as well as aircraft displays, at their headquarters at the Kansas City Downtown Airport (MKC).  Existing space was soon outgrown and recently one of the largest hangar facilities on the airport was obtained to become the new AHM headquarters, hangar, and maintenance facility.  There are staff offices, shops, a large museum, a well stocked gift shop, artifact storage, and a heated hangar large enough for indoor storage and maintenance of all three AHM aircraft.  Museum and aircraft tours, as well as aircraft maintenance, can now be conducted in shirt-sleeve comfort regardless of the weather.
  

The AHM has hundreds of members from all over the world.  Operations are funded by donations and Airshow revenue.  Running an organization of this size requires experienced people from all walks of life.  Management, accounting, public relations, training, record keeping, aircraft maintenance and operations, and other necessary jobs are all handled by dedicated volunteers.