In May 1909 the government appointed an Advisory Committee for Aeronautics to advise it on aeronautical policy and to supervise research then being undertaken into the problems of flight. The committee's role was purely advisory and it could only study problems which were referred to it. A department was set up at the National Physical Laboratory, under the laboratory's administration, to assist the committee in dealing with such problems.

During its early years the committee was responsible to the Prime Minister as Chairman of the Committee of Imperial Defence, but from 1918, although it remained independent of departmental control, it reported to and advised whichever minister was currently responsible for governmental research into aeronautics. From 1918 until 1940 the committee reported to the Secretary of State for Air, and subsequently to the ministers of Aircraft Production (1940 to 1945), Supply (1945 to 1959), Aviation (1959 to 1966) and Technology (1966 to 1970). Later it advised the Minister for Defence Procurement, Ministry of Defence, and Minister for Aerospace, Department of Industry.

The committee was reconstituted three times: in 1920, 1925 and 1945. On the first occasion, following the redistribution of responsibility for government research between the Air Ministry and the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, it was renamed the Aeronautical Research Committee, and given wider terms of reference. In addition, its composition was altered to include representatives of the aircraft industry and of other outside interests. Sub-committees and panels formed the basis of the committee's internal organisation and by 1925 there were 13 sub-committees ranging in size from 3 to 12 or more members. Each sub-committee was presided over by a member of the main committee and included, as appropriate, representatives of the governmental bodies interested in aeronautical research. The principal sub-committees each developed a number of panels.

In 1945, when the committee was renamed the Aeronautical Research Council, sub-committees became known as committees and the panels became known as sub-committees. At the same time the Minister of Aircraft Production announced that the council would consist of 14 members of whom 8, including the chairman, would be non-official members.

The Aeronautical Research Council was eventually disbanded in 1979.