March 2–3, 2027 · Lone Star Flight Museum · Houston, Texas
The leading conference for aviation educators.
Two days of industry keynotes and small-group breakouts built around the real-world problems facing flight training organizations, flight instructors, K-12 aviation educators, and their students. Free to attend. Seats are limited.
Registration opens November 3, 2026. Request a seat now and we’ll notify you the moment it does.
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Free
No fee, no catch. Supported by Redbird, Sporty’s, and ForeFlight.
2 days
Keynotes in the morning, working breakouts in the afternoon.
250 seats
Capped on purpose so the networking stays real.
1 hangar
Every session, meal, and conversation among historic aircraft.
Is this for me?
Built for the people who run flight training, and the people who teach it.
Every breakout is tailored to one of four groups. Pick your track when you request a seat.
Flight school owners & operators
Increase margins, get more out of your aircraft, and retain your CFIs. Connect with other operators who are working through the same challenges.
Flight instructors
The latest teaching technology and tactics you can apply the moment you get home.
K-12 & CTE educators
A dedicated Aeronautics Track: shared keynotes, then school-specific breakouts on curriculum, funding, and simulators in the classroom.
University programs
Network with industry leaders and help shape the pilot pipeline from the classroom to the right seat.
What’s the catch?
There isn’t one.
Migration is a free, high-level conference for active flight school operators, chief CFIs, and aviation educators. Redbird, Sporty’s, and ForeFlight cover the program, the venue, and the meals because a stronger training industry is good for everyone in it. Space is limited to keep the room qualified and the networking worth your time.
$0
Registration, sessions, and meals.
0
Sales pitches from the stage.
24
Breakout sessions across four tracks.
88%
Of 2026 attendees said they’d return. [From survey]
2027 speakers
Confirmed so far. More announced every few weeks.
Past Migration speakers
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Patty Wagstaff
Three-time U.S. National Aerobatic Champion
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Jack Pelton
CEO, EAA
Cmdr. Kirk Lippold
Commander, USS Cole
Elizabeth Tennyson
AOPA Foundation
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James Viola
President & CEO, GAMA
Gene Conrad
President & CEO, Sun 'n Fun Aerospace Expo
Migration 2026
See it for yourself.
Two minutes of highlights, full sessions from the 2026 stage, and the people in the room telling it in their own words.
Migration Highlights: A Room Full of Flight Training’s Best
Two minutes inside Migration 2026 · 1:55
“The sessions were all wonderful and very informative. Loved hearing Patty's insights. ”
Ty Ashe, Chief Pilot, JKA LLC
“I was excited to learn about the changes in General Aviation.”
Jeffrey Garret, Educator, Cleveland High School
“The speakers were all good! Thank you for having us, first time attending. ”
Erwin Castillo, IFly Pilot Training
The venue
Two days inside the Lone Star Flight Museum.
You’ll learn, dine, and network surrounded by flying historic aircraft at Ellington Airport. It’s a working museum, not a hotel ballroom, and it sets the tone for the whole event.
Address
11551 Aerospace Ave
Houston, TX 77034 (KEFD)
Getting there
15 mins from Hobby (HOU) · Ramp parking is available for fly-in attendees + $1 off retail fuel
Hotel block
Hilton Garden Inn Houston Clear Lake/NASA
750 West Texas Ave
Webster, TX 77598
Residence Inn Houston-Pasadena
4711 East Sam Houston Parkway South
Pasadena, TX 77505
Hampton Inn & Suites Houston Pasadena
4741 E Sam Houston Pkwy S
Pasadena, TX 77505
Hilton Garden Inn Houston Hobby Airport
8001 Monroe Rd
Houston, TX 77061
Meals
Day 1: Breakfast, lunch, appetizers, and drinks at the bar
Day 2: Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and drinks at the bar
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K-12 Aeronautics Track
Teachers, you belong here too.
Join the shared keynotes, then break out with other high-school and CTE educators on the things that actually decide whether an aviation program survives: curriculum, funding, equipment, and student outcomes.
Session
Starting a program from zero
Session
Grants, funding, and partnerships
Session
Simulators in the classroom
Session
From classroom to cockpit
Agenda at a glance
Keynotes together. Breakouts by track.
Day 1 · Tuesday, March 2
Day 2 · Wednesday, March 3
Times shown are placeholders from prior years. The full agenda posts when registration opens.
Optional training · Paid add-ons
Come a day early.
Migration is free. These two workshops aren’t: they’re optional, paid add-ons with small classes, held the day before the conference. Come for one, both, or neither.
K-12 Educator Training
For teachers building aviation-focused CTE or STEM programs
A full day of practical training in flight basics, classroom management, and simulation integration, so you walk into Migration ready to put a simulator to work in your classroom.
$249
per educator · full day · Limited to 20 educators
Redbird Standardized Instruction Training
For active CFIs
Simulator setup, scenario design, and data tracking: the working habits that help you teach more effectively and improve student performance.
$495
per CFI · Limited to 8 CFIs
AOPA Foundation Flight Training Experience Awards
In the running for a national award? Join us in Houston.
The AOPA Foundation announces the national winners of its Flight Training Experience Awards at Migration on the evening of Wednesday, March 3. Every flight school and instructor in the running for a national award is invited to attend, so you can be in the room when the winners are named.
Not entered yet? Applications close October 24, 2026, and student reviews are due October 31. Apply with AOPA.
Wednesday evening, March 3, 2027. Exact time posts with the full agenda.
Lone Star Flight Museum, Houston, Texas, at the close of Migration’s second day.
Every flight school and flight instructor in the running for a national award.
Request a seat below and stay for both days. Migration is free to attend.
The awards recognize flight schools and instructors for educational quality, customer focus, community, and information sharing, based on verified reviews from their own students. Recognition comes at three levels: national, regional, and distinguished.
Request a seat
Registration opens November 3. Get in line now.
Tell us who you are and we’ll notify you the moment seats open. Seats go to active flight school operators, chief CFIs, instructors, and aviation educators first.
Can’t make it to Houston? Sign up anyway and we’ll send you updates about the event and video recordings of the sessions.
Free. No credit card. We’ll only email you about Migration.
FAQ
The short answers.
Is it really free?
Yes. Redbird, Sporty’s, and ForeFlight cover the program, the venue, and meals. You cover your travel and hotel.
Who gets a seat?
Active flight school operators, chief and assistant chief CFIs, instructors, K-12/CTE aviation educators, and university program staff. Seats are limited, so we confirm requests in the order they arrive within each group.
Do I need to be a customer of one of the presenting partners?
No. Migration is for the flight training industry, not for the customers of any one company.
Can I fly in?
Yes, ramp parking is available for fly-in attendees + $1 off retail fuel
Still have a question?
Email migration@redbirdflight.com or call 512-301-0718. Carrier pigeon also accepted.
Is the pre-conference training free too?
No. Migration itself is free, but the two additional trainings are optional, paid add-ons: K-12 Educator Training ($249, 20 seats) and Redbird Standardized Instruction Training ($495, 8 seats) on Monday, March 1st. See the training details.