October 9–10, 2026 | MotoArt Studios, Torrance, California
TagFest 2026 brought collectors, aviation enthusiasts, and special guests together at MotoArt Studios for a weekend filled with aviation history, friendship, and unforgettable moments.
From Captain Bob Pearson sharing the incredible story of Air Canada Flight 143 to his emotional return to the Gimli Glider at Mojave, this year's event was truly one to remember.
We're looking back at the highlights, sharing the stories and photos, and introducing a special opportunity for everyone to own a genuine piece of the legendary Gimli Glider through our new commemorative coin.
Friday Night: Reconnecting with the PlaneTags Community
TagFest began Friday evening with familiar faces, new friendships, and plenty of aviation conversation.
Guests gathered at MotoArt Studios for an open bar, live music, dancing, and tacos for dinner. For returning attendees, it was an opportunity to catch up with collectors they had met at previous TagFests. For first-time visitors, it was an introduction to a community brought together by a shared appreciation for aviation history.
Friday night set the tone for the weekend: good company, great stories, and a lot of PlaneTags.
Saturday: A Day for Aviation Collectors
Saturday brought everyone back to MotoArt Studios for a full day of collecting, trading, and celebrating aviation.
Collector tables displayed impressive PlaneTags collections, including rare releases and hard-to-find variations. Throughout the day, attendees compared tags, exchanged stories, and searched for pieces to complete their collections.
There were plenty of opportunities to explore MotoArt, shop for PlaneTags, and meet the people behind the products.
But TagFest has always been about more than collecting. Every PlaneTag represents an aircraft with a history, and many of those histories came to life through this year's guest speakers.
Captain Bob Pearson: The Gimli Glider Story, Told Firsthand
One of the highlights of TagFest 2026 was welcoming Captain Bob Pearson, the pilot who helped bring Air Canada Flight 143 safely to the ground after the Boeing 767 ran out of fuel on July 23, 1983.
Captain Pearson opened his presentation with a little humor, joking that he and MotoArt founder Dave Hall had something in common: neither knew where Gimli was.
From there, using only a model aircraft to illustrate his talk, he took the audience back to 1983, when Air Canada was introducing the Boeing 767, computerized flight systems, and new procedures during Canada's transition to the metric system.
He described the fuel quantity indication problems before departure, the calculations that led the crew to believe they had sufficient fuel, and the moment both engines failed while the aircraft was in flight.
With limited instruments and no engine power, Captain Pearson and First Officer Maurice Quintal worked to find somewhere to land. Quintal's familiarity with the former military airfield at Gimli proved critical.
Captain Pearson explained how he used a sideslip maneuver to lose altitude as the aircraft approached the runway. He also recalled the tense moments after touchdown, including seeing children on bicycles ahead of the aircraft as it slid toward a stop. Of all the challenges they faced that day, he remembered that as the moment that made his heart pound.
Throughout his presentation, Captain Pearson shared technical details, personal recollections, and moments of humor that brought the remarkable flight to life for the PlaneTags community. Watch his talk in its entirety here:
A Special Honor for the Gimli Glider Crew
The presentation also included a special announcement from the Gimli Glider Museum. Captain Robert "Bob" Pearson and the late First Officer Maurice Quintal will receive the 2027 Canada's Aviation Distinction Award from Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame, recognizing their extraordinary skill and teamwork in safely landing Air Canada Flight 143 after it ran out of fuel.
The award will be presented as part of the Hall of Fame's 2027 celebrations in Calgary, Alberta, in September 2027.
For TagFest attendees, meeting Captain Pearson and hearing him tell his story firsthand was an opportunity to connect with an extraordinary chapter of aviation history and the people who lived it. His presentation was a reminder that behind every historic aircraft are the individuals whose decisions, skills, and experiences become part of its legacy.
Dr. Perry Roth-Johnson: Preserving Aviation and Space History
TagFest attendees also welcomed Dr. Perry Roth-Johnson, Curator of Science and Technology at the California Science Center, who shared insights into the preservation of historic aircraft and spacecraft and the development of the new Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center in Los Angeles.
The new center will bring together aviation and space exploration through three major galleries, including the Samuel Oschin Shuttle Gallery, which will house Space Shuttle Endeavour, and the Korean Air Aviation Gallery.
From the Space Shuttle Program to PlaneTags
The California Science Center's work has a special connection to MotoArt through our collaboration to preserve material from a Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Booster (SRB) aft skirt.
Aft Skirt Serial Number 13 flew on 11 Space Shuttle missions across all five orbiters. This historic component is now part of the California Science Center's Solid Rocket Booster Walk-Through Experience, helping visitors understand the engineering behind the Space Shuttle program.
Through the collaboration, MotoArt transformed material from the aft skirt and its hold-down post into collectible PlaneTags, allowing aviation and space enthusiasts to own a tangible piece of Space Shuttle history.
Read More: Space Shuttle SRB PlaneTags: A Project MotoArt Will Never Forget
A Boeing 747 Finds a New Home
Another fascinating topic from Dr. Roth-Johnson's presentation was the preservation of a Korean Air Boeing 747-400, registration HL7489, for the new Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center.
The aircraft served Korean Air from 1994 to 2014 before being retired. Its 70-foot forward fuselage section, including the cockpit and portions of the main and upper decks, has been transported, reassembled, and installed inside the new center.
The aircraft will anchor The 747 Experience, an interactive exhibit where visitors can explore the iconic jumbo jet and experience a simulated flight from Los Angeles to Seoul. The Korean Air Aviation Gallery will also feature approximately 20 aircraft and interactive exhibits exploring the principles of flight, aircraft engineering, and aviation technology.
For the PlaneTags community, Dr. Roth-Johnson's presentation highlighted a shared mission: preserving aviation and space history while finding new ways for future generations to experience it. From the Boeing 747 and Space Shuttle Endeavour to the historic components transformed into PlaneTags, these projects demonstrate how aircraft and spacecraft can continue telling their stories long after their final missions.
Read More: Korean Air HL7489: A Global Statement in the Sky
The TagFest Auction: One-of-a-Kind Pieces of Aviation History
The annual TagFest auction brought another opportunity for attendees to discover aviation artifacts that rarely become available to collectors. This year's selection included aircraft components, aviation memorabilia, special PlaneTags collections, and unique experiences.
Among the featured pieces were artifacts representing different eras of aviation, from military aircraft and historic commercial airliners to NASA-related material.
The auction also featured a particularly special experience: an opportunity to accompany MotoArt founder Dave Hall and Captain Bob Pearson to the aircraft boneyard in Mojave, California, to visit the remains of the Gimli Glider. For the winning collectors, it would become an experience unlike any other.
A Return to Mojave: Captain Pearson Reunites with the Gimli Glider
The story of TagFest 2026 didn't end when Saturday's festivities concluded.
On Sunday, October 11, Captain Bob Pearson joined Dave Hall and a group of PlaneTags collectors for a special visit to Mojave, California. Waiting there were the remains of the Boeing 767 that Captain Pearson had flown into aviation history.
Although Captain Pearson had previously been reunited with the aircraft's cockpit when MotoArt donated it to the Gimli Glider museum in Manitoba, he had not returned to see the aircraft at Mojave since flying it there for the final time.
The visit brought together several chapters of the Gimli Glider's history: its extraordinary emergency landing in 1983, its years of continued service, its final flight to Mojave, and the preservation of its cockpit for future generations.
Standing among the aircraft's remaining structure, Captain Pearson and the group had an opportunity to reflect on a remarkable airplane and the people connected to its story.
For the collectors who accompanied him, it was a rare chance to experience aviation history alongside someone who had lived it.
The photographs from Mojave tell part of that story. The aircraft remains in the desert, the conversations between Captain Pearson and Dave Hall, and the group gathered together all capture a day that extended the spirit of TagFest well beyond MotoArt Studios.
The Gimli Glider's story continues to bring people together, more than 43 years after its remarkable landing.
Read more about the cockpit's return to Manitoba in CTV News' coverage of the donation.
A Special Keepsake: The Gimli Glider Commemorative Coin
Among the gifts in this year's TagFest attendee bags was something special: a Gimli Glider Commemorative Coin, crafted from genuine aircraft skin from the legendary Boeing 767 C-GAUN.
Many attendees had the opportunity to have Captain Bob Pearson sign their coins, turning an already meaningful keepsake into a personal reminder of an unforgettable weekend.
For years, MotoArt has helped preserve the Gimli Glider's history through collectible PlaneTags, with the entire series now sold out, followed by Gimli Glider Coasters. Now, we're adding something new to the collection.
Small enough to display alongside your favorite aircraft model, PlaneTags, or other aviation memorabilia, the Gimli Glider Commemorative Coin is a lasting tribute to Air Canada Flight 143 and the remarkable crew who brought it safely to the ground.
And now, this special keepsake is available to everyone, not just those who attended TagFest.
GET THE GIMLI GLIDER COMMEMORATIVE COIN
Until Next Time
Six TagFests, countless aircraft stories, and a community that continues to grow. To everyone who attended TagFest 2026, shared their collections, participated in the auction, or helped make the event possible, thank you.
Special thanks to Captain Bob Pearson and Dr. Perry Roth-Johnson for sharing their knowledge and experiences with our guests.
Most of all, thank you to the PlaneTags collectors who continue to remind us why preserving aviation history matters.
We look forward to seeing you at the next PlaneTags Festival.
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