Our Experience

Bio…… August Swanson

A former Vietnam combat pilot, Swanson is now a leading strategic planning and business development professional with an exceptional background in military and general aviation. August possesses an Airline Transport Pilots license in multi-engine airplanes, multi-engine seaplanes and helicopters. He has been involved in the planning and marketing of aircraft for both Piper and Sino Swearingen Jets. In addition, August has a broad background in biometric and acoustic sensors, and aerial security platforms such as UAVs and geosynchronous airships.

August is a former board member and director for Transbiotec, an Irvine, Calif., firm that markets an alcohol detection and blood/alcohol monitoring system which he helped develop for the aviation, commercial transportation and OEM automotive industries. He currently is the senior advisor to Advanced Aerospace Technologies, a new California based aerospace research company developing a near sonic VTOL UAV. As the former president and chief pilot of the Orange County (Calif.) Search and Rescue response team he managed the growth, training and deployment of the team to California emergencies such as the Northridge earthquake. A partner in Willigent Technologies, August also consults on the strategic business development, marketing and deployment of the companies “Wide Area” advanced acoustic security system.

A trained and certified mountain rescue specialist and EMT, he contributes his voluntary efforts toward medical and relief missions around the world and the planning of community emergency response teams. He is a graduate of the prestigious Pepperdine University School of Business in Malibu, California

Bio…… Ellen Nemenio

Ellen Nemenio is a Cum Laude graduate of the prestigious Chapman University School of Business and an accomplished pilot who earned her private license at the age of 18 while still in high school where she graduated Valedictorian. She currently holds a Commercial Pilot Certificate, with Multi-engine and Instrument ratings and is a graduate of the UAV course of the National Test Pilots School in Mojave, California. Her accomplishments include logging more than 2500 combat hours gratefully supporting our military troops while serving 4 tours in Iraq. Ellen served as lead pilot on General Atomics’ Predator for two combat tours and now continues with the Northrop Grumman Hunter program.

With a love of aviation history, Ellen brings her business experience, flying skills and research expertise to Warbird Connection. Currently working on her Certified Flight Instructor certificate, she especially loves to fly aerobatic routines and anything that drags its' tail. As a former EMT, Ellen has volunteered her time alongside local churches in medical assistance. She has also participated in short-term mission trips throughout the world with RockHarbor Church in Orange County, California and is currently involved with "Wings of Faith Ministries," an organization that flies clothing, generators, toys, etc... to remote American Indian reservations and to missionaries throughout the USA.