Historical Aerial Maps — Accessible, Searchable, Viewable Anywhere
archive.aero is an open-source project for viewing historical aeronautical chart scans. It provides a modern web interface that loads Cloud-Optimized GeoTIFFs (COGs) directly from object storage and map tile services.
This project powers archive.aero, a simple, fast, and public viewer for aviation map history.
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archive.aero is designed to feel like a “ForeFlight Time Machine” — a way to explore how aeronautical charts and airspace depictions have evolved over time.
The project focuses on:
- Webpage design
- Simple, fast, and readable layout
- Easy navigation between charts and years
- Works well on desktops, tablets, and minimal hardware
- ForeFlight Time Machine–style experience
- Quickly compare historical charts to modern tools
- See how procedures, airspace, and airports have changed
- History of sectionals
- Browse chart revisions across decades
- Understand how aviation cartography and navigation evolved
- Run on minimal equipment
- Static-only deployment, no backend required
- Optimized for low-resource servers and inexpensive hosting
- Add worldwide coverage
- Include Terminal Area Charts (TACs) alongside sectionals
- Keep the site free to use as long as server and storage costs remain sustainable
archive.aero is and will remain free to access as long as server and storage costs stay manageable. In the future, it may be necessary to introduce aviation‑related ads or sponsorships to help offset hosting costs.
If you’d like to support the project and help keep it ad‑light (or ad‑free), please consider donating to the project.