Forum Program Overview

Below is the schedule of the major events at Forum 81. You can also check out these links for other schedule views and information:

Forum landing page — basic intro to the Forum
Registration Information — rates and link to register
Short course — Electric VTOL Technology short course
Schedule overview (pdf) — how all the pieces fit together
Sessions at a Glance (pdf) — all 48 technical sessions and 10 invited speaker sessions
Technical paper schedule (pdf) — all 300 technical papers: who, what and when!
Planning your free time? There are lots to do in Virginia Beach!

Monday, May 19, 2025
Registration Desk Open	7:00am–5:00pm
Technical Council Meeting	8:00am–12:00pm
Short Course: Electric VTOL Technology	8:00am–5:00pm
Journal Editors Meeting	12:00pm–1:30pm
Downwash/Outwash Workshop	2:30pm–4:30pm
Silent Auction & Roast at the nearby Military Aviation Museum	5:00pm–8:00pm
Tuesday, May 20, 2025
Registration Desk Open	7:00am–5:00pm
Acoustics Committee Meeting	7:00am–8:00am
Technical Session A Advanced Vertical Flight I Aerodynamics I Aircraft Design I Crash Safety Handling Qualities I History Propulsion I Manufacturing Technology Systems Engineering Test & Evaluation I	8:00am–12:00pm
Special Session 1: NATO Next Generation Rotorcraft Capabilities (NGRC) Chaired by Dan Newman, Auduril Industries Cyril Heckel, NGRC Programme Manager, NATO Support & Procurement Agency (NSPA) John Martin, Director of Turboshaft Advanced Programs, GE Aerospace Steve Raeff, Program Manager of Open Systems Architecture, Lockheed Martin Kirk Avery, Tactical Mission Systems Chief Architect, Lockheed Martin Charles Gough, Lead for Operational Analysis, Defence Science & Technology Laboratory (Dstl) Richard Thorpe, NGRC Senior Technical Officer, NATO Support & Procurement Agency (NSPA)	8:00am–9:30am
Exhibit Hall Open	9:00am–7:00pm
Technical Session A Refreshment Break — Sponsored by Arnold Magnetic Technologies	9:30am–10:00am
Special Session 2: Government VTOL Research Chaired by TBD Dr. Noah Schiller, Project Manager, Revolutionary Vertical Lift Technology (RVLT), NASA Arnaud LePape, Rotorcraft Program Director, ONERA—The French Aerospace Lab Florian Antrack, Program Manager, Defence Technology, DLR—German Aerospace Center Noelle Goodeaux, Sr. Program Manager, Agility Prime, US Air Force AFWERX Cliff Johnson, Research Engineer, US Federal Aviation Administration (invited)	10:00am–12:00pm
Exhibit Hall Lunch Break — Sponsored by The Boeing Company	12:00pm–1:30pm
Opening General Session *Welcome* Angelo Collins, Executive Director, Vertical Flight Society *Keynote Discussion* Brig Gen David C. Walsh, USMC, Program Executive Officer (A), Dept. of Navy Maj Gen Robert L. Barrie, Jr., US Army, Deputy, Acquisition & Systems Management, ASA(ALT), Dept. of Army *Straight Talk from the Top* Moderated by Rex Alexander, Five-Alpha Denis Descheemaeker, Head of Research & Innovation, Airbus Helicopters Carl Coffman, VP of Military Sales & Strategy, Bell Chris Speights, Vertical Lift Chief Engineer, The Boeing Co. Roberto Garavaglia, SVP, Strategy & Rotorcraft Business Evolution, Leonardo Helicopters Richard Benton, VP/GM, Sikorsky, A Lockheed Martin Co. David Smith, President/CEO, Robinson Helicopter Co.	1:30pm–3:30pm
Opening General Session Refreshment Break — Sponsored by GE Aerospace	3:30pm–4:00pm
45th Annual Nikolsky Lecture and Other Awards Vertical Flight Foundation (VFF) Scholarship Winners: 33 Students VFS Executive Director Scholarship Award: TBA Robert L. Lichten Award Winner: Angela Buccio, Senior Rotor Dynamics & Aeromechanics Engineer, Bell Textron, Inc. Alexander A. Nikolsky Lectureship Award: Dr. Peter Lorber, LM Fellow, Sikorsky, A Lockheed Martin Company, "The Complementary Roles of Experiment and Analysis in Developing Rotorcraft Aerodynamics"	4:00pm–5:00pm
Industry Reception	5:00pm–7:00pm
Wednesday, May 21, 2025
Registration Desk Open	7:00am–5:00pm
Technical Session B Acoustics I Aerodynamics II Aircraft Design II Autonomy & UAS I Dynamics I eVTOL I Modeling & Simulation I Propulsion II Structures & Materials I Test & Evaluation II	8:00am–12:15pm
Special Session 3: US Navy and Marine VTOL Programs Moderated by TBD	8:00am–9:30am
Exhibit Hall Open	9:00am–5:00pm
Technical Session B Refreshment Break — Sponsored by KBR, Inc.	9:30am–10:15am
Special Session 4: US Army Aviation VTOL Programs Moderated by *Rodney Davis, Deputy Program Executive Officer (PEO) Aviation, US Army*	10:15am–12:15pm
Exhibit Hall Lunch Break — Sponsored by The Boeing Company	12:15pm–1:45pm
Safety Committee Meeting	1:00pm–1:45pm
Technical Session C Acoustics II Advanced Vertical Flight II Aerodynamics III Avionics & Systems I Dynamics II eVTOL II Handling Qualities II Modeling & Simulation II Operations & Infrastructure I Propulsion III	1:45pm–6:00pm
Special Session 5: Designing for Modularity Chaired by Matt Sipe, VP Strategy, Parry Labs Didier Cormary, Head of Military Helicopter & Uncrewed Systems, Airbus US Space and Defense Lee Anderson, Director of Advanced Programs, Bell Textron Michael P. Sousa, Development Manager, GE Aerospace Joseph Pantalone, Head of Archer Defense & Advanced Programs, Archer Aviation	1:45pm–3:15pm
Technical Session C Refreshment Break — Sponsored by ACS	3:15pm–4:00pm
Special Session 6: Uncrewed VTOL Chaired by TBD Mike Fillman, UAS Aerodynamics Lead, AeroVironment Mark Butkiewicz, VP, Applied Engineering & Applied Technology Operation Manager, SURVICE Engineering Dr. Hector Xu, CEO, Rotor Technologies (invited) TBD, Anduril (invited) TBD, Leonardo Helicopters (invited)	4:00pm–6:00pm
Thursday, May 22, 2025
Registration Desk Open	7:00am–1:30pm
81st Annual Grand Awards Breakfast Limited seating	7:30am–9:00am
Exhibit Hall Open	9:00am–12:00pm
Technical Session D Refreshment Break — Sponsored by Continuum Dynamics, Inc.	9:00am–9:45am
Technical Session D Aerodynamics IV/ Test & Evaluation III Joint Session Part I Autonomy & UAS II Avionics & Systems II Crew Stations I Dynamics III Modeling & Simulation III Product Support Safety I Structures & Materials II	9:45am–12:15pm
Special Session 7: Challenges in eVTOL Chaired by Rex Alexander, Five-Alpha Zachary Shuman, Practice Leader, National Aviation Services, Woolpert Juliet Page, Principal Engineer, Blue Ridge Research and Consulting Chen Rosen, CEO, AIR	9:45am–12:15pm
Lunch on your own	12:15pm–1:30pm
Technical Session E Aerodynamics IV / Test & Evaluation III Joint Session Part II Acoustics III Crew Stations II Dynamics IV eVTOL III Integrated Vehicle Health Management (IVHM) Modeling & Simulation IV Ops & Infrastructure II Safety II Structures & Materials III	1:30pm–5:30pm
Special Session 8: Developments in Electric VTOL Propulsion Chaired by Ken Swartz, Aeromedia Consultants Eric Bartsch, CEO, VerdeGo Aero Mikaël Cardinal, VP of E-Aviation Organ Delivery Systems, Unither Bioelectronics John Piasecki, CEO, Piasecki Aircraft Igor Cherepinski, Director of Sikorsky Innovations, Sikorsky, A Lockheed Martin Company Brandon Robinson, CEO, Horizon Aircraft	1:30pm–3:00pm
Technical Session E Refreshment Break — Sponsored by SAE International	3:00pm–3:30pm
Special Session 9: Progress in eVTOL Aircraft Developments Chaired by Elan Head, Senior Editor, The Air Current TBD, Archer Aviation TBD, Beta Technologies TBD, Joby Aviation Furqan, CEO, Sora Aviation TBD, Supernal Jim Tighe, CTO, Wisk	3:30pm–5:30pm
Friday, May 23, 2025
Tour of the NASA Langley Research Center US citizens only (Reservation required)	7:30am-12:00pm (tentative schedule)

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