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.
Round Table Q&A — Submit Your Questions in Advance
ICOLSE 2026 attendees are invited to submit questions they’d like our panelists to address during the round table session. Whether it’s a technical question, an industry challenge, or a topic you’d like the experts to weigh in on, we want your input to help shape the conversation.
Please use the form below to submit your question(s). Submissions will be reviewed and, where possible, incorporated into the round table discussion. https://forms.gle/SX1Y3JC2um4pdAgx6
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
Concurrent Technical Sessions
| Time | Carolina Ballroom A | Carolina Ballroom B | Poinsette |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10:50 AM – 12:20 PM | Composite Material Damage and Behavior | Lightning Zoning | Wind Turbines, Trains, and Automobiles |
| 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM | Composite Material Damage and Behavior | Lightning Zoning | Wind Turbines, Trains, and Automobiles |
Midday: Lunch
Late Afternoon: Coffee Break & Exhibition
4:00–5:00 PM Round Tables: Industry Standards and Updates (Carolina Ballroom A) / Future Testing and Simulations (Carolina Ballroom B)
Evening: Welcome Reception
Tuesday, October 6 — Conference Day 2
Morning: Breakfast, Keynote Speaker #2
Concurrent Technical Sessions
| Time | Carolina Ballroom A | Carolina Ballroom B | Poinsette |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10:00 – 11:00 AM | Composite Material Damage and Behavior | Uncategorized — space weather & atmospheric electricity | Wind Turbines, Trains, and Automobiles |
| 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM | Ground-Based Observation | Workshop: Fuel Tank Protection | Wind Turbines, Trains, and Automobiles |
| 1:30 – 2:00 PM | Ground-Based Observation | Electrical & Ignition Phenomena in Materials | Standards, Regulations and Certification |
| 2:00 – 3:00 PM | eVTOL Environment | Electrical & Ignition Phenomena in Materials | Standards, Regulations and Certification |
| 4:00 – 5:00 PM | eVTOL Environment | Electrical & Ignition Phenomena in Materials | Uncategorized — geophysical/mineralogical effects |
Coffee breaks (11:00–11:30 AM, 3:30–4:00 PM, 5:00–5:30 PM), Lunch (12:30–1:30 PM), and a Sponsor Showcase (3:00–3:30 PM) run between sessions.
Evening: Gala Dinner aboard the Spirit of the Lowcountry
Wednesday, October 7 — Conference Day 3
Morning: Breakfast, Keynote Speaker #3
Concurrent Technical Sessions
| Time | Carolina Ballroom A | Carolina Ballroom B | Poinsette |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10:00 – 11:00 AM | Electrical & Ignition Phenomena in Materials | eVTOL Environment | Standards, Regulations and Certification |
| 11:30 AM – 12:00 PM | Electrical & Ignition Phenomena in Materials | eVTOL Environment | Systems and Lightning Indirect Effects |
| 12:00 – 1:00 PM | Metallic Material Damage and Behavior | Arcing Behavior | Systems and Lightning Indirect Effects |
| 2:00 – 2:30 PM | Metallic Material Damage and Behavior | Arcing Behavior | Systems and Lightning Indirect Effects |
| 2:30 – 3:00 PM | Metallic Material Damage and Behavior | In-Flight Characterization | Systems and Lightning Indirect Effects |
| 3:00 – 3:30 PM | Uncategorized — personal protective equipment | In-Flight Characterization | Systems and Lightning Indirect Effects |
| 4:00 – 4:30 PM | Uncategorized — materials for harsh environments | In-Flight Characterization | Free Slot |
Coffee breaks (11:00–11:30 AM, 3:30–4:00 PM) and Lunch (1:00–2:00 PM) run between sessions.
4:30–5:00 PM: Closing Ceremony
Thursday, October 8 — Boeing Facility Tour
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.
Presentation Topics
Explore the technical session themes planned for ICOLSE 2026.
Lightning Effects on Materials and Structures
- Composite Material Damage and Behavior
- Electrical & Ignition Phenomena in Materials
- Metallic Material Damage and Behavior
Lightning Environment and Zoning
- Arcing Behavior
- Ground-Based Observation
- eVTOL Environment
- In-Flight Characterization
- Lightning Zoning
Other
- Wind Turbines, Trains, and Automobiles
- Systems and Lightning Indirect Effects
- Standards, Regulations and Certification
ICOLSE 2026 