Annual Cessna 120/140 Convention

Sept 22-26, 2026  |  Fredericksburg, TX

2026 Convention Overview

Gillespie County Airport – T82

Fredericksburg, TX

Gillespie County Airport Website

Airnav.com’s Info For T82

The Officers and Board Member are excited to be hosting the 2026 International Cessna 120/140 Association Convention to be held in Fredericksburg, Texas Tuesday, September 22, 2026 to Saturday, September 26, 2026

We will be flying into Gillespie County Airport (T82), home of the iconic Hangar Hotel 🛩️, our Convention headquarters. This unique, aviation-themed venue sets the perfect backdrop for a memorable week of flying, fellowship, and fun. 

The Convention hotel and primary activities will take place at the Hangar Hotel and Event Center, located right on the airport. Additional nearby lodging options, RV parks, and Airbnbs are available throughout the Fredericksburg area for attendees seeking alternate accommodations. 🏨 

Registration is $125 for individuals and $150 for couples, and includes a wide range of meals, snacks, beverages, and social activities throughout the week—including the Friday lunch, Ice Cream Social 🍦, Hospitality Suite 🍹, and Saturday breakfast. Ticketed options include breakfast on Thursday and Friday, and the Friday evening Banquet and Awards Dinner 🏆. 

This year’s schedule offers something for everyone 🎉. Highlights include a Poker Run 🃏, Flying Games ✈️, Maintenance Forum 🔧, Vendor Showcase 🛍️, and the always-popular Convention Banquet and Awards. Evening hospitality will take place at the Tiki Bar 🍹 throughout the week, along with plenty of opportunities to relax and connect with fellow members. 

Friday night will feature a special highlight you won’t want to miss 🎶—live music and dancing with Jason Roberts and the Bob Wills Texas Playboys 💃🕺. Western attire is encouraged 🤠👢, so bring your boots and get ready for an unforgettable Texas-style evening! 

Group activities will also take advantage of the rich history and culture of the Texas Hill Country 🌄. Attendees can visit the National Museum of the Pacific War, enjoy a trip to Luckenbach,  🎶 for live music and history, or explore local wineries 🍷, shopping 🛍️, and attractions. 

Early arrivals are welcome beginning Tuesday, September 22, with informal gatherings and hospitality kicking off that evening 🌅. The official schedule begins Wednesday, with full days of activities Thursday and Friday, culminating in the Banquet and dance 💃 Friday night. Departure is Saturday morning following a continental breakfast ☕. 

Rental cars and local transportation options will be available 🚗, and Enterprise can deliver vehicles directly to the airport. With so much to see and do in Fredericksburg and the surrounding Hill Country, you may want to plan extra time before or after the Convention.

 

Activities & Events

The Hangar Hotel

(1) The hotel has 50 rooms with a 1940s style decor that is perfectly suited for our vintage airplanes. This will serve as the convention hotel. The outside balcony on the second floor is accessible from the spiral staircase in the lobby and will be open for all of us who attend, regardless of whether you are registered here or at one of the overflow hotels in the area.  We believe that our group will fill the entire hotel which will create a special Cessna 120/140 Association feel.

(2) The outdoor Tiki bar will host our own special hospitality area each night.

(3) The Airport Diner is available Wednesday & Thursday from 11AM-2PM (lunch only) and Friday, Saturday, & Sunday: 8AM – 2PM.

(4) The special event center will serve as our headquarters and registration location during the week. This open area will be a great location to relax and enjoy our lunches and snacks, our briefings for the daily events, and finally, our banquet and live music venue.

Arch Ray Resort

Arch Ray Resort is scheduled for dinner on Thursday evening. The resort is still expanding, but the winery and brewery are in full swing. Plan to spend a couple hours in the wine tasting and beer tasting sections (plan these on your own) and finish the evening with dinner at the superb restaurant. They have their own beef cattle brand and take pride in their unique cuts of steak.

There is a mowed section of lawn adjacent to the road that locals land for dinner in their taildraggers, but the jury is still out whether our 85hp Cessnas would be a good idea on a Texas summer evening.

National Museum of the Pacific War

It turns out that Admiral Nimitz was born one block away from this location. Consequently, the Nimitz family was influential in the local community. From the welcome center, to the historical videos, to the navel fleets, to the aircraft, to the ground war – it’s all here. They even have the original and only surviving Japanese mini-subs that infiltrated Pearl Harbor on December 7th and an outdoor reenactment theater with a live flame thrower.

Backwoods BBQ

This is another one that made our schedule of events, and dinner is planned here on Wednesday evening. My love for authentic Texas style BBQ was developed during my 14 years in Texas, and I knew as soon as we stepped out of the car that this place wasn’t going to disappoint. You know it’s going to be good when they are cooking outside over oak wood coals.

Luckenbach Texas

Since we are going to be so close, we hope you join us for a famous Texas legend. We are planning to gather for lunch on Thursday in this iconic music venue in the Texas hill country.

We can’t guarantee that we will run into Willie and Waylon and the boys, but there is a historic aviation attraction here that I was not aware of. Make plans to attend the “Wings over Luckenbach” and the Texas Hill Country History Presentation.

Hilda’s Restaurant and Bar

We plan on having all who can join together for dinner on the early arrival day, Tuesday. The indoor restaurant was about as expected, but the real surprise was their outdoor seating area. A great way to kick start our convention!

Convention Banquet & Awards

Our convention banquet will have a distinctly Texas flair on Friday evening. Boots and western wear are encouraged since the big finale will be a live Texas Swing band. This event kind of fell into place and we are excited to get to have Jason Roberts & Bob Wills Texas Playboys.

This band was formed by Bob Wills in 1933 and has continued currently under the direction of Jason Roberts. This will surely be a memorable evening, so get out your duds and join us for a great time.

2026 Sponsors

O’Halleron Aviation Parts