Agenda

Join us for the 30th Annual NATIONAL WARBIRD OPERATOR CONFERENCE - PRESENTED BY LADD GARDNER AVIATION INSURANCE

Virginia Beach, Virginia / February 5-8, 2026 – Delta Virginia Beach Waterfront / Military Aviation Museum

Please note this agenda is subject to change! 

 

Thursday 2/5/26

10:00am-5:00pm GENERAL EVENT REGISTRATION –

5:30-7:30pm          WELCOME RECEPTION – Hors d’oeuvres - Cash Bar (two drink tickets compliments of Airmotives Specialties) -Monitor     Sponsored by NATA & USSIC     

 

Friday 2/6/26

  • 6:00-8:00 am     BREAKFAST – Carter Hall
  • 6:00-7:00 am     FAST BOD Meeting – (Closed Meeting) – Oak Hill
  • 7:00-8:00 am     FAST Check pilot Meeting – (Closed Meeting) – Oak Hill
  • 7:30am-3:00pm  REGISTRATION OPEN
  • 8:00-9:15am      OPENING GENERAL SESSION I – Carter Hall  
    • WELCOME TO NWOC – Review New Format – Advocacy Update
    • MORNING KEYNOTE – Doug Jeanes – P-47 -“We come to NWOC to learn from those who have experienced it. Let’s Learn!”
  • 9:15-9:30am      BREAK - VISIT SPONSORS - Monitor
  • 9:30-10:45am    BREAKOUT SESSION 1
    • “Owner Produced Parts”- Jim Lauria – Oak Hill
    • “Oh, God, Help Me! I bought A Warbird” – Brad Pilgrim - Vella
    • “C-47 Operators” – Curt Lewis - Sunset II
    • “PT Operators” – Luc Zipkin – Sunset I
  • 10:45-11:00am  BREAK – VISIT SPONSOR AREA - Monitor
  • 11:00-12:15pm BREAKOUT SESSION 2
    • “What to Buy, What to Avoid” – Nicholas Mech – Sunset II
    • “State of the Warbird Market” – Simon Brown – Vella
    • “P-40 Operators and Co-Op” – John Panoski – Oak Hill
    • “Warbird Jets” – Nathan Jones – Sunset I
  • 12:15-1:30pm    LUNCH & GENERAL SESSION II – Carter Hall
    • “The Silver Tsunami – We won’t run out of pilots, but we might run out of highly qualified ones. We are going to run out of mechanics” – Red Bull Team, Anthony Hill, Simon Pircher

             Sponsored by THE FLYING BULLS, REZICH & REZICH AVIATION CONSULTING

  • 1:30-1:45pm      BREAK – VISIT SPONSORS - Monitor
  • 1:45-3:00pm      BREAKOUT SESSION 3
    • “Young Warbird Mixer” – Job Savage – Sunset II
    • "The Road to the Mustang…Starts with the T-6” – Jon Hullsiek – Vella
    • “Living History Flight Experience (LHFE)” – Sean Elliott – Oak Hill
    • “Mustang Operators” – Ashley Ezell – Sunset I
  • 3:00-3:15pm      BREAK – VISIT SPONSORS – Monitor
  • 3:15-4:30pm      BREAKOUT SESSION 4
    • “Aeromedical Examiner” – Dr. Susan Northrup – Oak Hill
    • “FAA MOSAIC and Its Impact on Experiment Exhibition” – Rick Siegfried – Vella
    • “Epsilon Operators” – Olivier Langeard – Sunset II
    • “Mustang Operators” – Ashley Ezell – Sunset I
  • 4:30-4:45pm      BREAK – VISIT SPONSORS - Monitor
  • 4:45-5:45pm      GENERAL SESSION III – Carter Hall
    • “Safety Briefing—A Role for NWOC Beyond the Conference—Safety Sensitive Information” – John Lomar & Mike Ginter
    • “Safety Briefing—Critical Maintenance Issues” – Bernie Vaquez

DINNER ON YOUR OWN – Check Event Program Book--Virginia Beach Mobile Savings Pass for restaurant discounts

  • 6:00-8:00  NATA BOARD MEETING – Tides Restaurant private dining room (closed meeting)

Breakout Room, Oak Hill & Vella, may be available for Type Club or Sponsor Meetup—(contact Lynn 812-249-9398)

  • 10:00pm – Midnight – Night Cap in the Hotel Bar – Come tell stories

 

Saturday 2/7/26

  • 7:00-9:00 am     BREAKFAST – Carter Hall
  • 8:30-Noon          REGISTRATION OPEN
  • 9:00-10:15am    BREAKOUT SESSION 5
    • “Applied AOA:  Energy Management for Pilots (not engineers)” - Mike Vaccaro – Oak Hill
    • “Worst Day of Your Life – Process with FAA/Insurance/ etc. after Crashing” – Steve Glenn – Sunset II
    • “Allison Engine” – Jose Flores - Vella
    • “B-25 Operators” – Jim Lauria – Sunset I
  • 10:15-10:30am  BREAK – VISIT SPONSORS - Monitor
  • 10:30-11:45am  BREAKOUT SESSION 6
    • “The New Makes and Models Program and Changes in the World of Examiners” – Ray Fowler – Sunset II
    • “Getting Into Airshow Aerobatics” – Bernie Vasquez & Warren Pietsch- Vella
    • “Merlin Engine” – Paul Draper – Sunset I
    • “L-Birds” – Lanny Parcell – Oak Hill
  • 11:45-noon        BREAK - THANK SPONSORS - Monitor
  • Noon – 1:30pm LUNCH & GENERAL SESSION IV – Carter Hall
    • “Fuel Update – From AOPA” – Darren Pleasance

     Sponsored by TROJAN PHLYERS and SOUTHERN STAR AVIATION and COMMERATIVE AIR FORCE (CAF)

  • 1:30-1:45pm      BREAK - Monitor
  • 1:45-3:00pm      BREAKOUT SESSION 7
    • “Escaping Project Hell” – Brad Pilgrim – Oak Hill
    • “Setting Up a Ride Program (91.147)” – Sean Elliott - Vella
    • “T-28 Operators” – Shawn Patrick – Sunset II
    • “T-6 Operators” – Paul Redlich – Sunset I
  • 3:00-3:15pm      BREAK – LAST CHANCE TO VISIT SPONSORS – Monitor
  • 3:15-4:30pm      BREAKOUT SESSION 8
    • “CRM for Warbird Operations” – Randall Haskins - Vella
    • “T-28 Operators” – Shawn Patrick – Sunset II
    • “T-6 Operators” – Paul Redlich – Sunset I
  • 4:30 pm              Shuttles start running to Military Aviation Museum
  • 6:30 pm              Cocktail Hour – Complimentary Beer/Wine - Military Aviation Museum
  • 7:30 pm              Awards Dinner – Military Aviation Museum “20 Under 40” Award Winners, Other Awards

Sponsored by MILITARY AVIATION MUSEUM and AIRMOTIVES SPECIALTIES

  • 8:30-10:00pm    Shuttles to Delta Waterfront Hotel – 10:00 Last shuttle departs

Sunday 2/8/26

Departure day