Roger Freeman grew up in California with his father, who restored vintage aircraft.

He worked on the set of the movie The Great Waldo Pepper and started a business called Vintage Aviation Services.

[1] In 1991, he resigned as an airline pilot and founded the museum in Zuehl, Texas.

[2] Ground was broken for the Pioneer Flight Museum in 2000.

[3] Around the same time, the Vintage Aircraft Historical Foundation was established to support the museum.