ICOLSE 2026 Schedule at a Glance
Explore the draft outline for conference sessions, networking events, and technical tours in Charleston.
Sunday, October 4 — Early Check-In
Registration check-in will be open starting at 4:00 PM for attendees who would like to pick up materials early and avoid Monday morning lines.
Monday, October 5 — Conference Day 1
Morning: Breakfast, Registration, Opening Ceremony, Keynote Presentations
Mid-Morning: Coffee Break & Exhibition
Late Morning: Technical Session Block 1
Midday: Lunch
Afternoon: Technical Session Block 2
Late Afternoon: Coffee Break & Exhibition, Round Table Discussion
Evening: Welcome Reception
Tuesday, October 6 — Conference Day 2
Morning: Breakfast, Technical Session Block 3
Mid-Morning: Coffee Break, Technical Session Block 4
Midday: Lunch
Afternoon: Technical Session Block 5
Late Afternoon: Coffee Break, Technical Session Block 6
Evening: Conference Dinner / Social Event
Wednesday, October 7 — Conference Day 3
Morning: Breakfast, Technical Session Block 7
Mid-Morning: Coffee Break, Technical Session Block 8
Midday: Lunch
Afternoon: Technical Session Block 9, Closing Session / Conference Wrap-Up
Thursday, October 8 — Boeing Charleston Tours
Morning: Transportation to Boeing Charleston facility, Boeing Facility Tours
Join us for an exclusive tour of Boeing South Carolina’s 787 factory near the Charleston airport, where you’ll get an up-close look at the flight line and witness the incredible assembly of the Boeing Dreamliner. Then, hop on the provided bus to the Boeing South Carolina Technology Center’s Lightning Lab, just 20-30 minutes away, to see firsthand how the Technology Innovation Electromagnetic Effects team conducts cutting-edge lightning tests. Registration is capped at 100 attendees—don’t miss this unique opportunity!Schedule is subject to refinement as speakers and details are finalized.
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
Adam Flournoy
Adam Flournoy is a Senior Technical Fellow at The Boeing Company specializing in Electromagnetic Effects. With extensive experience in lightning protection design for fuel systems and composite structures on the 787 and 777 programs, he has held both engineering and management roles, leading numerous successful certification projects. Adam consults across the Boeing enterprise on varying technology projects, and he collaborates with the FAA on lightning regulations and is committed to advancing industry-wide engagement in this critical field.
Richard Olson
Richard is an electromagnetic effects engineer at Textron Aviation, with previous experience at Beechcraft, Learjet, and Bombardier. He has worked on Part 23 and Part 25 programs, including composite airframes, general aviation commercial airplanes, and special missions and defense programs, while focusing on all aspects of electromagnetic effects. He recently started serving as the SAE AE-2 Lightning Committee chair, and has enjoyed collaborating with industry experts.
Paper Title: Process is the Means, Not the Ends: A New IEL (and HIRF) Rule Proposal
Summary: Electrical/electronic system lightning and HIRF protection centers around a safety assessment process to identify applicable systems and apply commensurate testing and/or analysis to those systems and the aircraft. While the overall process incentivizes good design, some aspects of the HIRF/lightning safety assessment process may be overly complicated and ambiguous, distracting from the design. Conversations within the industry for more than a decade attributed much of the ambiguity to the wording in the HIRF/lightning regulations. This presentation continues this already existing conversation by proposing a change to the electrical/electronic system lightning and HIRF protection regulations.
Nick Christensen
Nick Christensen is a Lead Electromagnetic Effects Engineer at SpaceX, where he drives lightning and plasma interaction efforts across the company’s vehicle portfolio. His work spans lightning direct effects testing, spacecraft plasma interactions, and arc qualification testing for Starship, Starlink, Falcon, and Dragon. With experience bridging traditional lightning protection and the unique electromagnetic challenges of commercial spaceflight, Nick brings a distinctive perspective to the field as the industry continues to push the boundaries of aerospace certification.
ICOLSE 2026 