Montana Historical Society
Archives
RS 402_RS 492
Montana. Department of
Transportation. Aeronautics Division.
Montana Department of Transportation Aeronautics Division
records
1919-1995
24 linear feet
This collection is a subgroup
(Division) of the Montana Department of Transportation records, RS 492. Please see
the primary finding aid for more Montana Department of
Transportation records. This collection is comprised of records documenting the
work of the Aeronautics Division of the Department of Transportation, and Department of
Highways, and includes correspondence, case files, minutes, reports, subject files, project
files and miscellany.
39:8-3
English
The Montana State Highway Commission was created in 1913 by the state Legislative
Assembly. The original Commission was composed of three members. In 1917 new legislation
altered the organization of the Commission by authorizing the appointment of twelve members
according to geographic highway districts. Membership was changed again in 1921 to three
members appointed by the Governor and in 1941 to five members, also appointed by the
Governor. In 1971 the Commission was renamed the Montana Department of Highways, created by
Chapter 7 of the Executive Reorganization Act of 1971 and implemented by executive order of
the Governor on December 16, 1971. The Department of Highways took over all but the advisory
functions of the State Highway Commission.
By 1972, the Department consisted of seven divisions: the Legal Division, Personnel
Division, Centralized Services Division, Engineering Division, Motor Pool Division, Gross
Vehicle Weight Division, and the Maintenance Division. Each division was headed by an
administrator. The Centralized Services Division, Engineering Division, Motor Pool Division,
Gross Vehicle Weight Division, and the Maintenance Division were furthered sub-divided into
bureaus, headed by Chiefs. In 1991, the Department of Highways became the Department of
Transportation.
The Aeronautics Division facilitates the maintenance of airports and the various components
of airport infrastructure, including visual and electronic navigational facilities and
flying aids. Other responsibilities include registering Montana aircraft and pilots;
coordination and supervision of aerial search and rescue operations; and administering a
loan and grant program to municipal governments to fund airport development and improvement
projects.
This collection is comprised of files documenting the Aeronautics Division’s work, and
includes correspondence among division administrators and chiefs, with airline contacts,
legislators, and government agencies; case files about airports throughout Montana (arranged
alphabetically by city); reports filed by the Aeronautics Commission, and reports about the
state of transportation and airports throughout Montana; minutes of the meetings of the
Aeronautics Board, the Aeronautics Commission, and Aeronautics Division staff; and project
files, subject files and miscellany relating to the administration of airports, airport
safety, and Aeronautics Division programs, among other things.
The collection is arranged by subgroup and then by series.
The Montana Historical Society is the owner of the materials in the Research Library and
makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. Written permission
must be obtained from the Research Library before any reproduction use. The Society does not
necessarily hold copyright to all of the materials in the collections. In some cases,
permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from the copyright
owners.
In 2024, the various collections of the Montana Department of Transportation were
integrated under one collection identifier, RS 492, in order to help facilitate access,
reduce redundancy in the MTHS catalog, and to follow best archival practices.
Collections from Montana Department of Transportation's various Divisions and Bureaus that
were previously treated as separate entities are now integrated into this collection, RS 492. Rather than reprocessing over 280 linear feet of
Transportation materials, MTHS staff decided to keep the past arrangement of those
collections/finding aids, and provide access to them via links through the central finding
aid. This decision has allowed the MTHS archival staff to maintain intellectual control over
the collection, while removing the need to reprocess it. It also keeps State Agency finding
aids at manageable sizes. Please read the scope and content note carefully to determine if
this subgroup/sub-subgroup pertains to your research needs.
Item description and date. Name of Collection. Collection Number. Box and folder number.
Montana Historical Society Research Center. Archives. Helena, Montana.
Acquisition information is available upon request.
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the Montana Historical Society
Archives catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places
should search under these terms.
Montana. Aeronautics Board.
Montana. Department of Transportation.
Aeronautics Division.
Montana. Department of Highways.
Airports--Montana
Airports--Safety measures.
Montana
Transportation
Detailed Description of the Collection
Correspondence
1 / 1-5
Director: W. E. Hunt
1970-1975
1 / 6-7
Administrator: Michael Ferguson
1976-1982
1 / 8
Airport Development, Airports and Airways
Bureau
1964-1981
1 / 9-11
Airports and Airways Bureau, David C. Kneedler,
Chief
1980-1987
1 / 12-2/3
Plant and Equipment, Gerald C. Burrows,
Supervisor
1971-1985
2 / 4
Safety and Education Division, Jack Wilson,
Chief
1967-1971
2 / 5-9
Safety and Education Division, Fred Hasskamp,
Chief
1982-1991
2 / 10-12
Ted Mathis
1974-1979
2 / 13
Jim Bernet, Chief Pilot
1974-1979
2 / 14
John Melcher (U.S. Congressman and
Senator)
1974-1988
2 / 15
Ron Marlene (U.S. Congressman)
1977-1987
2 / 16
Pat Williams (U.S. Congressman)
1979-1985
2 / 17-18
Worthie M. Rauscher (WRM)
1969-1970
3 / 1-4
General memos and correspondence
1967-1986
3 / 5
Aeronautics Commission
1961-1969
3 / 6
Board of Aeronautics creation, goals of Aeronautics
Division
1975-1982
3 / 7
"Constitution By-laws"
1968-1969
3 / 8
Board of Aeronautics
1979-1981
3 / 9
Board of Aeronautics, mailings
1976
3 / 10
Aircraft / Pilot Pool
1975-1990
3 / 11-16
Airlines: Frontier, Northwest, Western
1965-1969
3 / 17-20
Airport Operations and Airports (Helena, Yellowstone,
Denver)
1966-1979
3 / 21
Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB)
1978-1985
3 / 22
Customs and Immigration at Calgary, AB
1976
4 / 1-2
Montana Department of Community Affairs
1975-1981
4 / 3-4
Montana Department of Commerce
1981-1987
4 / 5
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
1979-1982
4 / 6
Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
1963-1969
4 / 7
Governor, miscellany
1989-1990
4 / 8-11
Legislative: Max Baucus, Mike Mansfield, Lee Metcalf,
Reps. James Battin, John Melcher, and Arnold Olson
1962-1988
4 / 12
Legal, general
1964-1969
4 / 13
Montana (Aeronautics) Commission Study, Navigation
Aids
1964-1965
4 / 14
Northwest Fixtures
1965-1970
4 / 15
Search and Rescue
1982-1986
4 / 16
T.A.P., Inc. (Technology in Action is
Progress)
1971-1982
Case Files
4 / 17-28
Anaconda - Billings
1962-1991
5
Bozeman - Culbertson
1962-1991
6
Deer Lodge – Hamilton
1962-1991
7
Helena - Libby
1962-1991
8
Lincoln - Plentywood
1962-1991
9
Plentywood - West Yellowstone
1962-1991
10-12
West Yellowstone
1962-1991
13
West Yellowstone - Wolf Point
1962-1991
Reports
14 / 1-4
Individual Airport Data: Billings – Wolf
Point
1970-1990
14 / 5
"Report of the Commissioner of Aeronautics…for the
Governor"
1935
14 / 6-7
Aviation Education Supervisor Reports
1966-1976
14 / 8
Aeronautics Commission, Presentations Before the Civil
Aeronautics Board (D.C.)
1973
14 / 9
Reports of the Legal Division
1969-1970
14 / 10
"Montana Plan for State and Regional Defense Airlift"
1965
14 / 11
Operations and financial reports
1977-1983
14 / 12
Aeronautics Commission, "Report on Examination"
FY 1969
14 / 13
Aeronautics Commission, "Annual Report to the
Governor"
1946
14 / 14
"National Transportation Study, State of Montana work
plan"
1974
Minutes
14 / 15-19
Montana Aeronautics Board, Board of Aeronautics
1974-1979
14 / 20
Board meetings
1981
14 / 21
Staff meetings
1974-1978
14 / 22
Montana Aeronautics Commission
1969-1973
Subject Files
15 / 1
"Commercial operators"
1981-1982
15 / 2
"Executive Planning Process"
1978
15 / 3
Environmental Quality Control
1977
15 / 4
Governor Ted Schwinden
1985-1986
15 / 5
Intergovernmental Coordinating Committee for Women
(ICCW)
1977-1984
15 / 6
Rep. John M. Schontz
1981-1982
15 / 7
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
1987
15 / 8
Annual reports to the Governor
1976-1977
15 / 9
"League of Cities and Towns"
1971-1977
15 / 10-11
FAA Essay Contest
1984-1986
15 / 12-13
FAA obstruction reports
1985-1986
15 / 14
Attorney General
1963-1981
15 / 15
Bureau of Indian Affairs
1968-1974
15 / 16
U. S. Department of the Interior
1967-1979
15 / 17
Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
1978-1980
15 / 18
"General: Towers, Structures, Obstructions"
1978-1980
15 / 19-20
Flight Service Stations
1982-1984
15 / 21
Montana Aviation Statewide Conference
undated
15 / 22
Volcanic Ash Fallout Plan
1980
15 / 23
Ultra-light aircraft
1981-1984
15 / 24
"Budget and Program Planning"
1960-1978
16 / 1
Aeronautics Conference
1968
16 / 2
Short Haul Study
1968
16 / 3
Glasgow Air Force Base bid
1971
16 / 4
Montana International Airport
1971-1975
16 / 5
Airport insurance
1976-1977
16 / 6
Board of Aeronautics
1972-1974
16 / 7-8
Buckley Survey and Study
1966-1968
16 / 9
"Special Reports, Miscellaneous"
1966-1968
16 / 10-12
T.A.P. Proposal and Reports
1967-1969
16 / 13
"Third level carriers"
1967-1975
16 / 14-15
Aircraft pool
1974-1980
16 / 16
"Montana to Europe Scheduled Air Service: feasibility
study"
1974-1976
16 / 17
Montana Board of Equalization
1962-1970
16 / 18
Automated Flight Service Stations (FSS)
1984-1988
16 / 19 - 17/3
Board of Aeronautics mailouts
1978-1982
17 / 4
Aircraft registration
1975
17 / 5
Senate Sub-committee hearings
1970-1971
17 / 6
Montana Legislature
1967-1969
17 / 7
"1969 Legislative Kit"
1969
17 / 8-14
Proposed legislation
1971-1979
17 / 15
Aeronautics Commission, Regulations and
Resolutions
1961-1977
17 / 16-19
Taxation: Gas Tax, Head Tax, Gas Tax data
1956-1970
17 / 20-21
Legal Opinions and Interpretations
1958-1969
17 / 22
"Mode C" Airspace
1988
17 / 23
MDT Strategic Plan
1992
17 / 24
Reorganization and creation of Montana Department of
Transportation (DOT)
1982-1994
17 / 25
Montana Flight Plan
1963-1967
17 / 26
FAA Wind Data (Wind Rose Chart)
1966
18 / 1
Department of Law Enforcement, Crime Control
Commission
1973
18 / 2
State Board of Health
1969
18 / 3
Montana Flying Farmers and Ranchers
1962-1970
18 / 4
Montana 99s (int'l org. of women pilots)
1962-1970
18 / 5
Northern Plains Air Transportation Council
1969-1975
18 / 6-13
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
1964-1992
18 / 14
Sen. Lee Metcalf
1970-1973
18 / 15
Customs and immigration
1964-1971
18 / 16-22
Airlines: Concorde, Condor, Frontier, Northwest
(including Northwest Airlines strike), Western
1968-1978
18 / 23
Governor Ted Schwinden
1987-1988
18 / 24
Executive Reorganization
1970-1972
18 / 25
Montana Department of Commerce
1989
18 / 26
Montana Department of Commerce, Keith
Colbo
1985-1986
18 / 27-28
Michael Ferguson, Administrator
1983-1987
19 / 1
Aeronautics Commission, OPI Aviation
Education
1946-1961
19 / 2
School of Aeronautics and Related Trades
1964-1967
19 / 3
Flight training: Korean veterans
1952-1959
19 / 4
Flight Instructor Refresher Course (FIRC)
1962-1964
19 / 5
Aviation Mechanics Refresher Seminar
(AMRS)
1962-1964
19 / 6
Flight Seminar for Youth
1964-1969
19 / 7-8
Civil Air Patrol (CAP)
1970-1979
19 / 9
Satellites, search and rescue
1973-1974
19 / 10
Proposal Analysis for "Montana’s Statewide Airport
System Requirements"
1971-1990
19 / 11-15
City airports: Arlee - Kalispell
1963-1970
19 / 16
"Downed AIC Locator Beacon, ELT and Homers"
1966-1978
19 / 17
Navigational Aids Policy
1968
19 / 8
Heliports (including hospitals)
1966-1974
20 / 1
Short Haul Transportation Study
1970-1972
20 / 2
"FSS Hardcone Plan"
1964-1965
20 / 3
"Deregulation"
1964-1965
20 / 4-8
City airports: Lambert - Yellowtail
1962-1974
20 / 9
Completed airport inspection forms
1965
20 / 10-11
Beacon Relocation Program
1963-1965
20 / 12-17
State Airport System Plan (preparation, preliminary
reports, requirements, costs, plan update)
1970-1979
21 / 1-2
Deregulations
1978-1979
21 / 3
Montana Aviation Advisory Council
1984-1985
21 / 4
"Testimony of Michael Ferguson before the Aviation
Subcommittee"
1986
21 / 5
Flight service stations
1973-1986
21 / 6
Aviation Subcommittee recommendations
1982
21 / 7
Aviation educational films
1981-1986
21 / 8
Legislation: SB 266
1975
21 / 9
Legal opinions: Cannon and Garrity
1970-1977
21 / 10
Walt Disney film contracts
1962-1975
21 / 11
Aircraft ambulances
1972-1980
21 / 12
"Questionnaires: requested and completed"
1971-1983
21 / 13
"Air traffic activity statistics"
1976-1981
21 / 14
Aeronautics Commission, Airport Div. monthly
reports
1965-1970
21 / 15
Beacon survey
1969
21 / 16
Beacon land owners
1965-1967
21 / 17
Airport Development, rules, regulations, and
policies
1961-1962
21 / 18
"Beyer – info for Airport Division and legal
opinion"
1963-1964
21 / 19
"Legal counsel: Lobel"
1963-1964
21 / 20
Search and Rescue Coordination meeting
1967
21 / 21
Montana Pilots Association
1967-1970
21 / 22
Short Haul Air Transportation Study
1969-1970
21 / 23
Auxiliary aviation history
1968
21 / 24
Airport meetings
1970
21 / 25
Marking Unpaved Airports Test Program
1978-1984
21 / 26
Weekly Aeronautics Report to DCA
1977
21 / 27
"Helicopter Ambulance Service in Emergencies"
1970
Subject Files
22 / 1
Ultralight aircraft
1981-1984
22 / 2
History, safety and education
1961-1968
22 / 3
Department of Agriculture, commercial apps.
1976-1978
22 / 4
Poster contest
1987
22 / 5
Aircraft registration, intensive research
1984
22 / 6
Montana Pilots Association
1972-1987
22 / 7
Search and Rescue contract
1974-1977
22 / 8
Economic regulation (EDR dockets)
1973-1982
22 / 9
"Opinions & Regulations Relating to
Aeronautics"
1970-1977
22 / 10
Procedural regulations
1971-1979
22 / 11
Elimination of subsidy programs
1980-1981
22 / 12
"Organizational regulations"
1973-1975
22 / 13
U. S. border airstrips
1965-1975
22 / 14
Airports and Airways Development Act
1970-1982
22 / 15
Airports reports
1970-1976
22 / 16-21
Airlines: Air West, Alpine, Cascade, Frontier, Western
1972-1986
22 / 22
Airport manager monthly reports
1976-1985
22 / 22
Airport manager monthly reports
1976-1985
22 / 23
"Boulder"
1965-1983
22 / 24
Montana Aviation Trades Association, Montana Aviation
Advisory Council
1981
22 / 25
"Director's Manual"
1977-1978
23 / 1-4
Budget sheets
FY 1965-1975
23 / 5
Weekly Divisional Reports (Harold Fryslie)
1976-1977
23 / 6-7
Board of Aeronautics
1977-1978, 1980
23 / 8
Deregulation
1975-1977
23 / 9
Pilot policy
1968-1978
23 / 10
Civil Defense, state and regional defense
airlift
1963-1973
23 / 11-14
Board mailouts
1977-1978
24 / 1
Paving repair at Aeronautics Commission
office
1969
24 / 2
Aeronautics Commission building,
construction
1958
24 / 3
Helena Airport lease
1970, 1991
24 / 4
Montana Aeronautics Commission (MAC)
budgets
1963
24 / 5
Billings building, finishing
1970
24 / 6
Gallatin County law officer agreement
1975
24 / 7
"RRC Multi-modal Study"
1993-95
24 / 8
Glasgow Air Force Base
1967
24 / 9
Film originals
1967
24 / 10
"(Hugh R.) Kelleher vs. Montana and the Montana
Aeronautics Commission"
1971
24 / 11
Montana Aeronautics Commission loans and collections
1963-1964
Miscellany
24 / 12
Search and Rescue Manual
1968
24 / 13
Hearings on air operators insurance
1967
24 / 14
Transcript, Informal Hearing between Civil Aeronautics
Board and Air Carriers
1968
24 / 15
Policy, Operations and Procedures Manual
1969
Project Files
25 / 1
Montana Aeronautics Commission Monthly Meetings
Correspondence
1968-1969
25 / 2
Legislature 1969 Enplanement Fee
1969
25 / 3
Airline Meeting
1968
25 / 4
Adequacy of Service
1967-1969
25 / 5
TAP, Inc. Air Survey, Progress Reports (Technology in
Action is Progress)
1967-1968
25 / 6
DIEHL – Economic Base Study
1968
25 / 7
Eastern Montana Cities (Booklets, statistics,
transcripts)
1969
26 / 1
General Matters
1968-1969
26 / 2-3
Eastern Montana Cities – Correspondence
1969
26 / 4
Planning File
1968