A vol in heraldry is a pair of wings conjoined, usually shown rising together from the base and often displayed as if ready for flight. Its traditional symbolism is elevation, swiftness, aspiration, protection, and spiritual or intellectual ascent. Because wings naturally suggest movement between earth and sky, the vol can imply noble ambition, quick service, divine favour, or the ability to rise above difficulty. It is most often used as a crest, although it may also appear as a charge on the shield, and it is closely related to single wings, wings conjoined in lure, and other avian forms described in references such as Parker’s Glossary of Heraldry and Mistholme’s Heraldry Dictionary.

In family arms, a vol may point to watchfulness, high purpose, or a name, estate, or legend connected with birds, falconry, angels, or flight. In military and institutional heraldry, it can express speed, reconnaissance, air power, communication, or command from above, which explains why wings and winged devices became especially popular in modern aviation badges. When charged with another symbol, such as a star, sword, cross, wheel, or escutcheon, the vol acts like a heraldic frame, lifting and emphasizing the meaning of the central device. Its colours also matter: gold may suggest glory, blue fidelity or the heavens, and silver purity or clarity of service.

Reliable examples can be found in many European crest traditions, where a vol is used to repeat or display shield charges between the wings. The arms of Brandenburg and related German heraldic traditions often use eagle wings prominently, while modern air force and aviation heraldry frequently adapts the same visual language of paired wings. For additional images and usage, Heraldry of the World offers many civic and institutional examples. Elegant, compact, and instantly readable, the vol remains a powerful heraldic emblem of ascent, speed, honour, and far-reaching ambition.