Robert Bruce Arnold, grandson of both Douglas Aircraft Company founder Donald Douglas, Sr. and aviation pioneer General Henry “Hap” Arnold, will deliver the keynote address at the inaugural DC-3 Society Operators Conference & Showcase, scheduled for December 4–6, 2026, at Flabob Airport in Riverside, California. Arnold will headline the conference’s Saturday evening dinner program, bringing a unique personal connection to two of the most influential figures in American aviation history. His grandfather Donald Douglas founded the Douglas Aircraft Company, which designed and built the legendary Douglas DC-3, while his other grandfather, General Henry “Hap” Arnold, was a pioneering military aviator who commanded the U.S. Army Air Forces during WWII. The two men were also longtime friends, with their relationship dating back to 1917.
Arnold’s mother, Barbara Douglas Arnold, was Donald Douglas’s only daughter. Today, Robert Bruce Arnold continues his family’s connection to aviation history as president of the Air Force Historical Foundation. He is also a writer with several book projects underway, including one focused on the DC-3. DC-3 Society Ops Conference Key… “This conference is about much more than an airplane. It is about the people who built these airplanes, the people who flew them, the people who have preserved them, and the people who are carrying that legacy forward,” said Moreno Aguiari, Board President of the DC-3 Society. “Having Robert join us for our Saturday evening program brings an extraordinary personal connection to that story.”
Registration Now Open
Alongside the keynote announcement, the DC-3 Society has officially opened registration for the December conference. Registration is available for the DC-3 Society Operators Conference & Showcase, participating aircraft, DC-3 Flight Line Passes, and the event’s STEM Expo. The three-day gathering will bring together DC-3 and C-47 operators, owners, pilots, mechanics, museums, historians, aviation professionals, enthusiasts, and members of the public. DC-3 Society Ops Conference Key… More than simply a celebration of the DC-3’s past, the conference is intended to address the challenges involved in operating and preserving the aircraft today while helping pass the knowledge required to maintain and fly them to future generations. Throughout the weekend, operators and Society members will have opportunities to exchange knowledge and resources, participate in educational programming, visit aircraft on the flight line, and explore the DC-3 story from both historical and contemporary perspectives. A STEM Expo will introduce young people and families to aviation, engineering, technology, and the people involved in preserving and operating historic aircraft.
Saturday Evening: Keynote and Into Flight Once More
Saturday evening will serve as one of the centerpieces of the weekend. Following dinner, Arnold will deliver his keynote presentation before a special screening of the documentary Into Flight Once More, with executive producers from Sound Off Films participating in the program. The documentary chronicles the D-Day Squadron’s historic 2019 mission, when a fleet of DC-3s and C-47s crossed the Atlantic and returned to Europe to commemorate the 75th anniversary of D-Day and the 70th anniversary of the Berlin Airlift. The evening will bring together the origins of the DC-3, the people responsible for its creation, and the operators and preservationists carrying its legacy forward today.
DC-3 Society Operators Conference & Showcase
The inaugural DC-3 Society Operators Conference & Showcase will take place December 4–6, 2026, at Flabob Airport in Riverside, California. The DC-3 Society is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving the legacy of the Douglas DC-3 while supporting the people and organizations that continue to operate these historic aircraft. Through education, events, operator resources, advocacy, media, membership, and community engagement, the organization works to strengthen the worldwide DC-3 community and help preserve its knowledge for future generations. DC-3 Society Ops Conference Key… Registration and additional information are available at DC3Society.org/dc3-showcase.
