Redbird Migration 2024

March 5-6, 2024 | Lone Star Flight Museum | Houston, TX (KEFD)

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Over the last 14 years, Migration has become the leading conference for flight training professionals. Featuring presentations from a wide range of industry leaders and small group breakout sessions tailored to meet the goals of attendees, Migration provides solutions to the real-world problems facing flight training organizations, flight instructors, K-12 aviation educators, and their students.

Watch past Migration sessions

Why Attend?

Migration is designed to inspire and equip you to take your flight training business to the next level. Hear the latest big ideas and innovative solutions from our Keynote speakers.

You'll leave Migration with pages upon pages of actionable tactics that you can apply the minute you get back to the flight line.

You'll be among your people with attendees from all over the world, representing a wide range of flight training practitioners. Migration is known for its networking and relationship building, and this year will be no different.

From the content of every Keynote and breakout session to the people you'll meet and network with, a love of aviation is core to what makes Migration so powerful.

Redbird Migration

Join Your Fellow Aviation Educators

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Charlie Precourt
Charlie Precourt
Retired NASA Chief Astronaut and Aerospace Executive

Charlie Precourt recently retired as the vice president and general manager of the Propulsion Systems business at Northrop Grumman. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Experimental Aircraft Association, the National Business Aviation Association, and the Safety Committee for the Citation Jet Pilots Association. Precourt, who retired as an Air Force colonel in 2000, graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1977 with a degree in aeronautical engineering. He was an F-15 pilot, instructor, and flight commander, and a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School. He has over 11,000 hours in over 90 different types of aircraft, and is type-rated in several Citation aircraft models and exhibition warbird jet aircraft. A veteran of four space flights and member of the Astronaut Hall of Fame, Precourt held several management positions within NASA, including deputy program manager for the International Space Station, chief of the Astronaut Corps, and director of operations for NASA at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia.

2024
Main Session Speaker
Patrick Chovanec
Patrick Chovanec
Economic Advisor and Author of Cleared for the Option

Patrick Chovanec is an economic advisor and former chief strategist for Silvercrest Asset Management. He has spent much of his life in China and traveled to over 45 countries, including North Korea. He taught as an Associate Professor of Practice at Tsinghua University’s School of Economics and Management (SEM) in Beijing and as an Adjunct Professor at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA). Patrick’s insights into the global economy and US-China relations have been featured in major media outlets, including CNBC, Bloomberg, CNN, Fox Business, NPR, BBC, and print media such as the Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, Washington Post, Business Week, and Foreign Policy. Previously, Patrick worked in Washington, DC, as an aide to political strategist William Kristol and to Speaker of the House John Boehner. He also served for nine years as an officer in the U.S. Army Reserves. Patrick began learning to fly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and earned his Private Pilot’s License in September 2021. He wrote Cleared for the Option for readers who share the curiosity he had – about what pilots actually learn and do to become pilots. 

2024
Main Session Speaker
Craig Fuller
Craig Fuller
CEO at FLYING and Founder & CEO at FreightWaves

A pilot for more than three decades, Craig Fuller is the owner and CEO of FLYING Media Group. Since taking the helm of FLYING in late 2021, Fuller has expanded the company's portfolio dramatically beyond Flying Magazine, already the world’s most widely read aviation magazine, to include a network of nearly 30 additional aviation brands. He also is the CEO and founder of FreightWaves, the leading provider of data and analytics for the global logistics industry. Prior to FreightWaves, Fuller was the founder and CEO of TransCard, a major provider of fleet fuel and debit cards that was sold to US Bank. He is a trucking industry veteran, having founded and managed the Xpress Direct division of US Xpress Enterprises, a leading provider of on-demand expedited truckload services. He holds a BBA from Baylor University and is a private pilot. He lives with his wife and five kids in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

2024
Main Session Speaker
Pete Bunce
Pete Bunce
President & CEO, General Aviation Manufacturers Association

As President and CEO of GAMA, Pete Bunce travels worldwide engaging regulators, policymakers, and elected officials to promote GA and advance the interests of a global membership of more than 140 airframe, avionics, engine, and component manufacturers, as well as the world’s leading business aviation maintenance, repair, and overhaul companies. He retired from the USAF in March 2005, with his last assignment as the Director of the Air Force Congressional Budget and Appropriations Liaison. Previously, Pete flew F-15s and A-10s, while commanding several large operational fighter units. He remains an active pilot with more than 7,500 hours in military fighter and training aircraft as well as civil piston, turboprop, and business jet aircraft. Pete serves on the FAA’s NextGen Advisory Committee, MITRE Corporation’s Aviation Advisory Committee, the NASA Advisory Council Aeronautics Committee, and the board of directors of the RAF and Veterans Airlift Command. Additionally, he is a trustee of the U.S. Air Force Academy Falcon Foundation and a member of the FAA's Management Advisory Council. Among many accolades, he was named the Aviation Industry Leader of the Year by the Living Legends of Aviation in 2007, awarded the ICAS Sword of Excellence in 2009, inducted as a Living Legend of Aviation in 2010, and into the Wisconsin Aviation Hall of Fame in 2022.

2024
Main Session Speaker
Elizabeth Tennyson
Elizabeth Tennyson
COO, Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association

Elizabeth Tennyson is Chief Operating Officer of AOPA, overseeing the AOPA Foundation, You Can Fly, Media and Marketing, Corporate Relations, Member Services, and the AOPA Pilot Information Center/Flight Operations. She previously served as senior vice president, overseeing the AOPA Foundation and You Can Fly programs and initiatives. As part of her work, the AOPA High School Aviation STEM Curriculum greatly expanded to more than 23,000 students in more than 950 schools. Prior to joining You Can Fly, she held positions throughout the association that included director of Publications and managing editor of Flight Training magazine; vice president of Publications and executive editor of AOPA Pilot magazine; vice president of e-Publishing; senior director of Communications; and vice president of Aviation Program Operations. Before joining AOPA, Tennyson was a television, radio, and wire service reporter for The Associated Press. She also served as editor in chief for a collection of legal and golf magazines. Tennyson is an instrument-rated private pilot and a hang glider pilot. She serves on the boards of the Aerospace Center for Excellence and the Aviation Accreditation Board International, and the advisory board of the Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals.

2024
Main Session Speaker
James Viola
James Viola
President & CEO, Helicopter Association International
James A. Viola joined HAI as President and CEO in January 2020. Prior to joining HAI, he most recently served as a Senior Executive for the Federal Aviation Administration, in the office of Aviation Safety, as director of General Aviation Safety Assurance. He was responsible for maintaining consistency and standardization in the application of safety oversight activities for the GA community. He was a government representative on both the International Helicopter Safety Team and the United States Helicopter Safety Team. Viola’s aviation career began with the US Army, with the majority of his flying done as a special operations MH-6 and MH-47 helicopter pilot. He was promoted through positions of increasing responsibility, achieving the rank of colonel. His final military assignment was as Division Chief for Army Aviation Current Operations in the Pentagon. A strong advocate for GA, Viola flies as often as he can. He holds airline transport pilot ratings for helicopters and airplanes and is a dual-rated certificated flight instructor.
2024
Main Session Speaker
Bob Hepp
Bob Hepp
Founder/Owner & Chief Flight Instructor, Aviation Adventures
After retiring as an Army Field Artillery Lieutenant Colonel in 1998, Bob guided Aviation Adventures from a one airplane, one instructor hobby, to the five-location, six-simulator, 55-aircraft, and 57-flight instructor school it is today. Along the way, the school gained FAA Part 141 certification and affiliation with Liberty, George Mason, and Purdue Global Universities. It has earned Examining Authority for seven of its 11 Part 141 approved programs, been recognized by AOPA’s Flight Training Experience Awards every year since that program began, and amassed more AOPA instructor awards than any other flight school. Bob was the recipient of AOPA’s President’s Choice award in 2013, the FAA National Flight Instructor of the Year in 2016, and the AOPA Presidential Citation in 2019. Bob purchased and oversees one of the largest GA maintenance facilities in Northern Virginia. He holds an MBA and has experience as a Jetstream 4100 Captain, an Airbus 319 First Officer, and a lead Citation captain.
2024
Main Session Speaker
Jens Hennig
Jens Hennig
Vice President of Operations, General Aviation Manufacturers Association

Jens Hennig is responsible for GAMA’s activities for advancing safety, security, and operations. He is the association’s primary staff person on ATC modernization and issues affecting manufacturer flight operations. Jens is actively engaged in the General Aviation Joint Steering Committee which is an essential body to advance safety based on data- driven, systematic processes, and serves as co-chair of its Safety Analysis Team. He is currently appointed to the aircraft manufacturer seat on the U.S. Transportation Security Administration’s Aviation Security Advisory Committee (ASAC) and serves as its GA subcommittee chair. Jens has been a member of EASA's Flight Standards subcommittee since 2005, focusing on the agency’s extension of scope and the establishment of a safety agreement between the European Union and the United States. He also has served on the RTCA Advisory Board since 2019 and joined the National Aircraft Finance Association board in 2022. Previously, he served as chair of EASA’s Operational Suitability Data rulemaking group for type design changes, chaired the FAA’s airman training and testing standards rulemaking committee, served as co-chair of FAA’s Aircraft System Information Security / Protection working group on cybersecurity, and served as the GA manufacturing industry’s representative on the Joint Aviation Authorities Operations Sectorial Team.

2024
Main Session Speaker
Josh Harnagel
Josh Harnagel
Vice President of Marketing, Redbird Flight
Josh Harnagel is a CFI, CFI-I, MEI with 3,000 hours. He currently serves as Vice President, Marketing for Redbird Flight, where he oversees a team responsible for marketing, communications, product development, and customer success. A member of the Redbird staff for 15 years, Josh has held a number of key positions and been an instrumental contributor to the company's explosive growth. At Migration 2024, Josh will present his initial takeaways from Redbird's annual State of Flight Training Survey and Report, a comprehensive resource on the current state of the flight training industry that is designed to provide strategic data to flight training professionals. 
2024
Main Session Speaker
Roger Sharp
Roger Sharp
Designated Pilot Examiner
Roger Sharp holds a handful of ATP ratings and is a designated pilot examiner for airplanes (land and sea) and helicopters. He was a U.S. Air Force command pilot, Master Instructor, and standards-and-evaluation pilot. Roger authored "20 Ways to Fail Your Flight Test: A Practical Guide to Earning Your Notice of Disapproval," which is full of (hilarious) wisdom on how to take and pass an FAA practical test. At past events, he has shared insights ranging from signs that you may have a bad flight instructor to reasons why students fail their checkrides. At Migration 2024, Roger will return to the main stage to talk about the state of flight training in a way that only he can.
2024
MAIN SESSION SPEAKER
Everette Rochon
Everette Rochon
Manager, Training and Certification Group, Federal Aviation Administration

A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, Everette Rochon joined the FAA in 2009 with almost 20 years of aviation experience as a Naval Flight Officer, Navy Safety and Standardization Instructor, civil flight instructor, and airline pilot. In 2014, he led the team that successively finalized part 107 of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations, which is the first rule in the U.S. to allow pilot certification and operations of small UAS for non-hobby and non-recreational purposes. Currently, Mr. Rochon manages the group responsible for the training and certification of pilots and flight Instructors, part 141 pilot school support, FAA approval and use of Aviation Training Devices, and Aviation Safety Inspector (General Aviation Operations) qualifications and currency.

2024
Main Session Speaker

At the 2023 conference, we offered a dedicated track for K-12 aeronautics for the first time, and thanks to the amazing group of teachers that made it so successful, we're bringing even more educational and hands-on sessions to Houston in 2024! With the proliferation of aeronautics topics in STEM and career and technical education programs across the country, school districts and their educators need regular opportunities to interact and exchange ideas with the broader aviation industry. Migration is uniquely positioned to facilitate those conversations, helping K-12 schools and flight training organizations better collaborate on shaping the pilots of the future. 

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  • 7:30 AM
    Registration Opens
    Breakfast
  • 8:00 AM
    Main Sessions
  • 10:30 AM
    Breakout Sessions
  • 11:30 AM
    Lunch
  • 12:30 PM
    Main Sessions
  • 2:30 PM
    Breakout Sessions
  • 5:30 PM
    Drinks Reception
  • 7:30 AM
    Registration Opens
    Breakfast
  • 8:00 AM
    Main Sessions
  • 10:30 AM
    Breakout Sessions
  • 11:30 AM
    Lunch
  • 2:30 PM
    Breakout Sessions
  • 5:30 PM
    Bar Opens
  • 6:00 PM
    Dinner
    2024 AOPA Flight Training Experience Awards
Redbird Migration

Join Your Fellow Aviation Educators

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Houston Marriott South at Hobby Airport

Houston Marriott South at Hobby Airport

From $209 per night

  • 7.1 miles from the venue
  • Reserve your room here.
Hilton Garden Inn Houston Hobby Airport

Hilton Garden Inn Houston Hobby Airport

From $139 per night

  • 7.5 miles from the venue
  • Reserve your room here.
Courtyard Houston Hobby Airport

Courtyard Houston Hobby Airport

From $99 per night

  • 6.9 miles from the venue
  • Call 713-910-1700 and mention Redbird Migration.

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Redbird Migration 2024

Lone Star Flight Museum
11551 Aerospace Avenue
Houston, TX 77034
Ellington Airport (KEFD)

Carrier Pigeon

Due to the unreliability of this service, we recommend you use one of the other methods of communication. But if you are really itching to use that carrier pigeon and would like to try it out, be our guest. We have never received anything via bird before … it might be interesting.