The filmmakers who brought the Blue Angels and Thunderbirds to screens around the world will help open the 2026 ICAS Convention on the morning of Tuesday, December 8, at the Paris Las Vegas Hotel.

 

Paul Crowder, director of Amazon’s The Blue Angels, and Matt Wilcox, director of Netflix’s Air Force Elite: Thunderbirds, will take delegates behind the scenes of two extraordinary documentary productions that offered audiences unprecedented access to America’s military jet demonstration teams. They will be joined by Kevin LaRosa II, the accomplished aerial coordinator and pilot whose work helped create the spectacular aerial footage featured in both films.

 

Moderated by television journalist and aviation storyteller Steph Stricklen, the fast-moving discussion will combine footage from both documentaries with stories about the challenges, decisions, and unforgettable moments involved in capturing the precision, personalities, and intensity of the two teams.

 

The panel will also explore what the filmmakers learned about the air show industry, what makes our industry so compelling to worldwide audiences, and how air shows can bring more of that same drama, energy, and entertainment value to their own events. Register today and make plans to join the air show community in Las Vegas for this high-energy Tuesday morning kick-off session.