Airborne observations of Venus: Past, Present and Future

The role of airborne observatories and their study of the most basic parameters concerning Solar System bodies usually reside as footnotes in the annals of planetary science exploration. This is due in part to the high profile and obvious advantages of spacecraft observations over terrestrial platforms. However, airborne observations of the planets have a long and vibrant history. In this paper, we review the past airborne observations of Venus starting in the mid 1960’s, what was achieved and its context within the planetary missions of its time. We will then discuss the current regeneration and investment by NASA for airborne observations and its potential to provide concurrent, cheap and effective science.