snf today apr. 23

Thursday, April 23, 2015

The Official Daily Newspaper of the SUN ’n FUN Fly-In — www.sun-n-fun.org

Table of ContentsNow arriving: JetBlue ............................................................. 3The making of a master pilot.................................................10Project STRATOS winners honored ................................... 12Tune into SUN ’n FUN Radio ................................................ 13Education for all ages at this week’s fly-in ....................... 14Judging airplanes at SUN ’n FUN ....................................... 15International Visitor’s Center welcomes the world ........ 19Map of the grounds ................................................................ 20Behind the scenes with the Breitling Jet Team ...............32

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April 23, 2015 Sun ’n Fun Today - www.sun-n-fun.org 3

By ELIZABETH WALKER

A JetBlue Airbus A320 landed at SUN ’n FUN Wednesday with a decidedly young passenger list.

Arriving on the 12-minute flight from Orlando were 67 students and chaperones from 22 high schools and colleges in New York, Florida, and Utah.

The aircraft passengers were welcomed by Bob Knight, chairman of SUN ’n FUN, and John “Lites” Leenhouts, presi-dent and CEO of SUN ’n FUN.

Also greeting the aircraft passengers were Mike Elliott, executive vice presi-dent of people, the human resources arm of JetBlue, plus Bart Roberts, vice presi-dent of Flight Operations at Jet Blue.

Knight issued a welcome to the arriv-ing group aboard the aircraft, called “Vets in Blue.” “We’re here at SUN ’n FUN to raise money to put back into education,” he said.

Leenhouts encouraged the students and other visitors to have fun.

“We at JetBlue share more than a few

things in common with SUN ’n FUN,” said Elliott. “First, our fun value. We like to have fun at JetBlue. Another one of our values is passion, which means we have a passion for aviation and we are here today to ignite your passion for aviation.”

JetBlue officials noted that five of the schools with students participating in the flight have received JetBlue Founda-tion grants of $25,000, including Central Florida Aviation Academy, Polk State College. Travis Technical Center of Polk County, CUNY Aviation Institute at York

College, and the Utah Valley University.Two other groups were on the flight.

One group included six JetBlue crewmem-bers who were winners of a HelloJetBlue contest that asked individuals to share their inspiring aviation stories. A second group was made up of Gateway pilots from six universities, as well as Gateway pilots from Cape Air and Express Jet and two JetBlue pilots who graduated from the program, creating special mentorship opportunities for the younger students on board.

JetBlue brings students to SUN ’n FUN

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PLEASE REMEMBER TO RECYCLE

Issue 3 — Thursday aprIl 23, 2015

publIshersJohn “Lites” Leenhouts

Ben Sclair

edITorIal sTaffMeg Godlewski

Janice Wood

produCTIoNRussell Kasselman

dIsTrIbuTIoNArthur Ward, Paulette Ward

Murray KotJason Kot

Samantha KotPaul Luckett

CoNTrIbuTINg WrITersJoni Fisher, Jack Neubacher, Tom Snow, William Walker,

Elizabeth Walker

SUN ’n FUN Today is published each day of the SUN ’n FUN Fly-In by Flyer Media, Inc., publishers of General Aviation News and Living With Your Plane. Copies of SUN ’n FUN Today are distributed free of charge throughout the fly-in grounds.

Subscriptions to General Aviation News, $29.95 for 1 year or $49.95 for 2 years.

The views and opinions contained herein do not necessarily reflect those of SUN ’n FUN Fly-In, Inc. Neither SUN ’n FUN Fly-In, Inc., nor Flyer Media, Inc. endorse or sanction the products advertised herein, and do not assume responsibility for such advertising.

www.sun-n-fun.orgwww.GeneralAviationNews.com

© 2015 Flyer Media, Inc., SUN ’n FUN Fly-In, Inc.

All rights reserved. Reproduction of photos or articles by any means is prohibited without written consent.

By BILL WALKER

Eagle Scout candidate Luke Liptak’s exhibit at the Florida Air Museum began drawing visitors from the moment SUN ’n FUN 2015 opened its doors Tuesday morning.

Liptak, a ninth grader at the Central Florida Aerospace Academy, put together a display with model aircraft showing the four forces of flight — lift, weight, thrust and drag.

“I wanted to interest other students in aviation,” said Liptak. “I chose to show the four forces in my exhibit because they are basic to flying. You can’t have one without the other. They are really the foundation for understanding flight.”

One of the visitors to Liptak’s exhibit early on at SUN ’n FUN was retired U.S. Army aviator Sean Walsh of Ft. Eustis, Virginia. “It is hard to demonstrate the four forces without flight so this is as good as you can get,” he noted.

Liptak, 14, is studying aerospace tech-nology. He said his goal is to get his pri-vate and commercial pilot licenses.

“It would be a dream to fly for jetBlue,” he said.

He said he got interested in aviation while visiting SUN ’n FUN several years

ago with his Scout troop. It was then he learned about the Central Florida Aero-space Academy and decided to apply.

Liptak will formally present his exhibit in the Aerospace Discovery area at the Florida Air Museum on Thursday from 9 a.m. until 10 a.m.

In recognition of his work on the ex-hibit, Luke is one of four students being

honored with the first annual Red Tail Award presented by the Commemora-tive Air Force’s Red Tail Squadron. The awards will be presented on the flightline Thursday at 2:45 p.m. two of the Tuskeg-ee Airmen, CFAA benefactor James Ray and 93-year-old aviator Lon Cooper. The kids will get leather helmets and a signed photograph of the Tuskegee airmen.

Eagle Scout project draws visitors

sean Walsh and luke liptak discuss luke’s eagle scout project

By MEG GODLEWSKI

Becoming a pilot is a metaphor for life: Getting your pilot certificate is a chal-lenge, and conquering that challenge can give you the confidence to tackle other life obstacles.

Charles Stites, executive director of Able Flight, a not-for-profit organization that makes flight and aviation career train-ing possible for disabled people, knows this only too well. On opening day of SUN ’n FUN, he noted that it would never happen without the support of businesses such as Tempest Plus Marketing Group out of Gibsonville, N.C. For the next three years Tempest will supply scholarships for three disabled people to earn their Sport Pilot certificates.

“I am extremely pleased that Tempest is in a position to give back to our industry in such an inspirational way,” says John Herman, president of Tempest. “We are encouraged by the work of Able Flight in helping to fulfill the dreams of flight for these wonderful deserving people. Able Flight and all of the candidates and recipi-ents are such as inspiration to all of us at Tempest to follow our dreams no matter what the challenges that lay ahead. We are delighted we are able to honor the memo-ry of Lloyd Smith by helping others fulfill their dreams.”

Smith, the first husband of Arleen Smith Herman, was killed in an airplane accident. In 2006 Arleen married John Herman.

Stites notes that Able Flight, which

has been in operation for nine years, has awarded some 60 scholarships.

“Fifty of those are flight training schol-arships, the rest were for aviation career training,” he said. “The pilot training is for the Sport Pilot certificate, although we have had four of our recipients go on to get their private pilot certificates.”

Training is done during a six-week course at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind. “All expenses, from travel, lodging, training and testing supplies, are covered by the scholarship,” Stites said, noting that the training syllabus used by Able Flight usually results in pilots who have more than the minimum 20 hours required by the FAA when they receive their certificates.

Stites and Herman were joined at the press conference by Jessica Cox, a past Able Flight scholarship winner. Cox was born without arms, but was able to earn her Sport Pilot certificate in an Ercoupe in 2008. The Ercoupe was chosen because many of them were made without rudder pedals. The yoke provides both aileron and elevator authority.

“The hardest part of the flight training were things that you would think would be simple, but presented a challenge, like putting on a headset,” Cox laughed. “And then finding an Ercoupe that worked for me. The first one didn’t work because the throttle control was up too high and I couldn’t reach it.”

Ableflight.org

Tempest sponsors Able Flight

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arleen herman, John herman, Jessica Cox and Charles stites on opening day.

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By JONI M. FISHER

Today, Jon K. Brown receives the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award in a ceremony at 10 a.m. in the FAA Building on the SUN ’n FUN grounds, along with several other aviators.

Brown is famous among seaplane pilots because for the last 45 years he has taught at Jack Brown’s Seaplane Base in Winter Haven, Florida.

Jon has loved aviation since his first flight at age 6 with his father. He took fly-ing lessons at 14, earned his pilot’s license at 16, and earned his seaplane rating at 18. He never intended to become a celebrity. In fact after graduating from his beloved University of Tennessee in 1970, he re-turned to teach at the seaplane base his father founded in 1963 in Winter Haven, Florida, only to build up enough hours to become a commercial airline pilot.

Jon did not get to reach his goal of fly-ing for the airlines. In 1975, his father died in an accident, so Jon, driven by love for his father and for aviation, decided to continue his father’s business along with his younger brother Chuck. Why?

“It seemed the thing to do,” Jon said. “After the accident, I didn’t care much for planes. They lost their luster. Chuck and I just kept it going.”

Instructor Jim Torphy from Indiana helped renew Jon’s love for flying. Tor-phy worked at Brown’s for 30 years.

“Jim flew on his 90th birthday,” Jon said, smiling. “He flew better than he drove.”

At 28, Jon became a Designated Pilot Examiner. After Chuck decided to fly cor-porate jets, Jon bought out Chuck’s share of the base. Chuck also became an exam-iner and regularly helped out at the base. Jon has given more than 16,000 check rides, and logged more than 25,000 flight hours. About 500 students a year train at Brown’s Seaplane Base. Lawyers, Black-bird pilots, commercial airline pilots, French astronauts, plumbers, and celebri-ties like Jimmy Buffet and Alan Jackson have trained here. The Breitling Jet Team pilots, here at the start of their first North American tour, took time out to fly sea-

planes at Brown’s Seaplane Base. In 2004, Jon faced another setback.

Hurricane Frances tore the roof off the building. (By the way, Jon’s wife is named Frances.) No planes were damaged, but for three months the school operated out of a tent on the tarmac.

In 40 years of training, there have been few accidents. Jon and a student on a check ride had an emergency landing in Lake Arietta in Auburndale in 1979 when a strut broke loose.

Performing thousands of hours of train-ing naturally involves some risk, Jon notes. Like driving a car, he said, “just backing down your driveway, if you do it 30,000 times at some point you may hit the mailbox.”

Jon has created a welcoming atmo-sphere at the base, treating pilots to a bygone era of basic stick and rudder fly-ing laced with Southern hospitality. Like migrating birds, students return to fly and visit year after year. At the end of the day, pilots gather in the screened porch for

coffee, camaraderie, and storytelling.Though this wasn’t the career Jon had

planned on, he shows no regrets.Jon said what he loves about seaplane

flying is “Freedom. Not being restricted to a concrete slab. Making a new runway every time I land. Flying with the window open. There’s nothing like flying a sea-plane in the morning. Students remind me every day what makes this fun.”

As he looks to the future, Jon says he hopes his new son-in-law, Ben Shipps, who married Jon’s daughter Alison in 2013, and is an instructor at the base, will eventually take over the operations.

“That’s what he wants to do. I’ve taught him how to clean the bathrooms, which is very important in a small business,” he said, smiling. “I want to go to Lake Como in Italy and visit Cesare Baj. And I’d like to go back to Alaska. I went up there with my brother. A friend named Billy Smith took us to places no man had walked.”

Jon believes that he was nominated for the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award

by his friends Jim Torphy and Bill Lowry, M.D. Like much of Jon’s career, this too, is tinged with loss. Torphy passed away in March.

When asked how he wanted to be re-membered, Jon said, “As someone who had the chance to introduce float plane flying to others.”

BrownsSeaplane.com

The making of a master pilot

Jon brown at his seaplane base with a student.

More master pilotsBrown is just one of 10 local pilots

who will receive their Master Pilot award on Thursday morning. The other pilots are: Tim Bauer of Spruce Creek, Richard Boehmke of Ocala, John Castronover of Gainesville, Richard Dayton of Ocala, Daniel Duran of Mulberry, Jerry Kulesia of Edgewater, Burt Olson of Polk City, Roger Ringelman of Wiersdale, and Frank “Red” Schulte of Mayo.

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2015_sunNfunAd-MAF_FINAL.pdf 1 3/9/15 3:20 PM


By MEG GODLEWSKI

For most homebuilders, it takes years to finish their own airplane. Wouldn’t you like some recognition for that effort? It’s possible if you hang a “PLEASE JUDGE ME” card on the propeller.

Any airplane with this card will be eval-uated by a team of experienced aircraft homebuilders or restorers. The judges, all volunteers, have decades of experience from which to draw on.

There are approximately 60 people act-ing as aircraft judges at this year’s show.

The judge’s day begins at 9 a.m. with a staff meeting, presided over by Chief Judge Dale Still. He’s new to the position. April 21 was his first day on the job, as he replaces Leonard Kress, who recently stepped down for medical reasons.

Still is the owner and builder of a Fly-baby. Until the promotion to chief judge he was chairman of the homebuilt aircraft judging. On opening day of this year’s fly-in, he passed that title to 53-year-old Mel Towner of Jacksonville, Fla.

Towner, who has been flying since 1986, has built an RV-6 and a Kitfox. He now has an RV-3 under construction.

You can spot the judges, who often represent the most experienced aviators at the show, because they are carrying clipboards when they approach an air-plane. On the clipboard is a preprinted score sheet where the judge can score the airplane’s appearance, with the criteria running the gamut from authenticity and cleanliness to attention to detail.

For example, Towner notes that the re-ally serious homebuilders use a torque wrench to tighten screws and make sure all the screw heads are lined up.

According to Towner, if someone puts a JUDGE ME prop card on their airplane, it will be evaluated. The prop card dis-plays the pertinent information about the airplane, including the owner/builder of the airplane, the make and model, year of completion, type of aircraft, size of en-gine, and performance specs.

For years the judges had to copy down all the information by hand, and then it

was entered into a computer by hand. This year, there is an increased emphasis on embracing the digital age. Instead of stacks of handwritten notes, each judge has been asked to use a smartphone, digital camera, or tablet to facilitate the judging process. Still asked all the judges to use their smartphones to take a photo-graph of the prop card on the airplanes they are judging, followed by a photo of the fuselage to show the tail number and a full view shot of the airplane. These pic-tures are then emailed to another member of the judge cadre tasked with cataloging all the pictures so that when it comes time to name the winners, the pictures of the airplanes and the names of the winners will be easier to find.

In addition, Towner advised his team to use text messaging as a means of com-munication during the show to help them keep track of the location of airplanes.

“Not all of them park in the Home-built Display Area,” Towner explained. “And some aircraft owners leave partway through the show.

Towner began his first day in the Home-built Display area, looking at a high-wing aircraft on display and carefully making notes on the judging sheet on a clipboard. During the week other judges with an expertise in homebuilts will visit the air-plane and evaluate it.

From there, Towner headed out to air-craft camping, explaining that many pi-lots chose to camp with their airplanes.

“Do you have any of the prop sleeves for the campers who want to have their aircraft judged?” Towner asked the folks manning the camping check-in. When

he learns they do not, he makes a note to make sure they get them.

Towner’s next stop was the main show grounds to see an aircraft at the Lancair exhibit.

“It can be a challenge to get into the core area of the show, especially when it’s crowded in the afternoon,” Towner said, adding it is not uncommon for kit manu-facturers to ask a homebuilder to display their airplane in the company booth.

You know an airplane has been judged because the judges leave their initials and a sticker on the JUDGE ME card to show that they were there.

At the end of the show the airplanes that have the most points will be awarded trophies.

May the best airplanes win!

Look for a full run-down of all the winners in Sunday’s edition of SUN ’n FUN Today.

Judging homebuilt aircraft

Mel Towner is the new chairman of homebuilt aircraft judging.

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Subscription and hardware sold separately. Fees and taxes apply. The subscription plan you choose will automatically renew and you will be charged according to your chosen payment method at then-current rates. To cancel you must call us at 1-866-635-2349. See our Customer Agreement for complete terms at www.siriusxm.com. Data displays vary by device; images are representative only. SiriusXM Services may include weather and other content and emergency alert information. Such information and data is not for “safety for life,” but is merely supplemental and advisory in nature, and therefore cannot be relied upon as safety critical in connection with any aircraft, sea craft, automobile, or any other usage. SiriusXM is not responsible for any errors or inaccuracies in the data services or their use. © 2015 Sirius XM Radio Inc. Sirius, XM and all related marks and logos are trademarks of Sirius XM Radio Inc.

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Ten outstanding students from area high schools have been named winners of the 2015 SUN ’n FUN aviation essay contest, known as Project STRATOS.

The winners are Taylor Avery (Cen-tral Florida Aerospace Academy), Fiona Broomfield (Lakeland High School), Greg Holden (CFAA), Megan Holden (CFAA), Justin Keen (CFAA), Clayton McHugh (CFAA), Catie Rosenoff (George Jen-kins High School), Sean Miller (CFAA), Benjamin Straw (Ridge Community High School), and Franise Wheeler (Teneroc High School).

The contest began in 2014 to recog-nize students whose essays spotlighted aerospace themes. At least six of the 10 students are participating in SUN ’n FUN 2015 and they came together to dis-cuss aerospace education and what they learned in researching for their essays.

For his winning essay, Greg Holden studied new technologies in space explo-ration and the design of reusable propul-sion systems. “I’m looking at going into the Air Force and flying for them, ” Hold-en said. He is a student pilot who will take his private pilot checkride soon.

Megan Holden, no relation to Greg, wrote about Russian Cosmo-

naut Valentina Tereshkova. She noted that Tereshkova, with the codename Seagull, became the first woman to go into space. “She opened up a door and showed people that women do have a place in the space program,” Holden said. Holden plans to enter the military and then attend college.

Justin Keen wrote about aviation pioneer Jimmy Doolittle. He pointed out Doolit-tle’s academic credentials in aeronautical engineering and his flying achievements. “He led the raid on Tokyo after Pearl Har-bor,” said Keen, who is training for his private pilot’s license and plans to enter the military after graduation.

Sean Miller wrote about the Space Sta-tion Mir. “Mir also holds international significance, as it was the first project in space that both the United States and Rus-sia collaborated on since 1975, a big step for former enemies,” Miller noted. He wants to become an engineer.

Clayton McHugh, who earned his pri-vate pilot’s license in December, wrote about the Boeing XB-15, a heavy bomber that he said was the largest aircraft built in the U.S. when it first flew in 1937. “The plane flew at 200 miles per hour but the U.S. Army Air Corps considered the plane too slow for a combat air-

craft and the project was abandoned,” McHugh said. “Although the XB-15 proj-ect ended negatively, Boeing used sev-eral design elements from the prototype to develop other very successful planes, McHugh noted. He plans to attend Em-bry-Riddle Aeronautical University and hopes to become a commercial pilot with a large freight carrier.

Catie Rosenoff wrote about Jackie Co-chran, the first woman to break the sound barrier. “No other pilot holds more in-ternational speed, distance and altitude records, male or female,” Rosenoff said. “She played an instrumental role in the formation of the Women Air Force Ser-vice Pilots (WASP) and Women’s Auxil-iary Army Corps (WAAC). Within WASP they flew over 60 million miles in every type of military aircraft and numbered to a total of 1,074 female pilots.”

Rosenoff is also a student pilot who has already soloed and plans to study aero-space engineering in college. She said she will decide after college if she is going to fly commercially or go into engineering.

The students will be recognized during the tonight’s “Dinner With Legends” at the Buehler Aerospace Skills Center.

Project STRATOS winners named

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left to right: Megan holden, greg holden, Catie rosenoff, Clayton Mchugh, Justin Keen, and sean Miller

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April 21-26 , 2015 Sun ’n Fun Today - www.sun-n-fun.org 13

By JANICE WOOD

“Don’t Miss Out — Tune In.” That’s the message that SUN ’n FUN Radio Chair-man Dave Shallbetter wants everyone on the SUN ’n FUN grounds — and beyond — to get this year.

There is so much going on during the week that it’s impossible to be everywhere to enjoy it. But with SUN ’n FUN Radio’s remote broadcasts and live streaming, you can virtually attend the evening programs, airshow, and more during the week.

The “more” includes interviews throughout the day with airshow perform-ers, exhibitors, general aviation luminar-ies, and TV stars, including the guys be-hind “Airplane Repo.”

“We will have a live morning show

from various remote locations around the grounds,” Shallbetter said, noting some of those locations include the Recreation-al Aviation Foundation Fire Hub in the campgrounds, Paradise City, the Breitling Jet Team parking stand, and Saturday morning’s Balloon Launch.

And for the first time ever, the radio sta-tion, located at 1510 on the AM dial, will hold a contest to give away a mechanics creeper from the EZ Creeper Co. De-signed by a pilot specifically for aircraft maintenance, the EZ Creeper can handle weights up to 300 pounds, using a hydrau-lic system to raise and lower the person. Valued at $899, the EZ Creeper will be given away during this week’s show to one lucky listener of the radio station.

“You have to listen to the radio sta-tion for the details,” Shallbetter advised. “We’ll tell you how to enter the contest.”

Live streaming of all SUN ’n FUN Radio programs is thanks to Live ATC (Live ATC.net/SNF), an audio streaming site, which gives the radio station world-wide exposure.

The station, which has a cadre of 50 or so volunteers, is always looking for more help. If you are interested in volunteering, stop in at SUN ’n FUN Radio during the week.

The station is located at the end of Club House Row next door to the Quiet Bird-man Clubhouse and across the road from the Sunset Grill.

Finally, if you have a story you think

the radio station should cover, Shallbetter invites you to stop by the station and talk to one of the volunteers.

Tune in to SUN ’n FUN Radio

Got a question about this week’s activi-ties? Here’s a few things that may be help-ful to know:

SUN ’n FUN retail outlets are open daily with a large selection of aviation-related items, as well sunglasses, cam-eras, commemorative T-shirts and other memorabilia. The main retail shop is the PilotMall store near the Exhibit Hangars. There are also Gifts of Flight outlets in front of the Sunset Grill, on the east side of the Airshow Announcer Stand, south-west side of the Warbird ramp, and in the Aviation Discovery at the Florida Air Mu-seum.

The Type Club Tent is located across the taxiway from Vintage Headquarters. Look for members of organized clubs dedicated to a particular aircraft.

Stop in at the Visitors Information Cen-ter next to the Sunset Grill to pick up a copy of the Shuttle Map to accommoda-tions, downtown Lakeland and the sur-rounding area. Preston Tours is providing bus transportation for SUN ’n FUN guests to local area hotels and restaurants for a fee. Shuttle pick up and drop off is in the Lindbergh Lot.

There are two Internet Cafes this year: At the Visitor Information Center and the Aerospace Discovery at the Florida Air Museum.You also can get wireless access for $12 a day or $30 for the week. You can purchase on your browser landing page or at the main entrance.

To receive text updates on SUN ’n FUN events, text 69050 and type snfupdate. To receive text updates on SUN ’n FUN alerts, text 69050 and type snfalert.

Aircraft Emergency Repair is available from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. It is located on Taxi-way Echo.

The Lost and Found is located in the Volunteer Center east of the Buehler Res-toration Center.

The Brokaw Medical Hospitality Cen-ter is located across from Main Admis-sions and east of the Buehler Restoration Skills Center on Doolittle Road.

Fly-In Facts

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During this week’s fly-in, exhibits and fun will be intertwined with options that hold true to the SUN ’n FUN mission to preserve and enhance the future of flight through world-class events, inspiring and educating people of all ages.

More than 200,000 guests, exhibitors, instructors, pilots, volunteers, and stu-dents from 80 countries are expected dur-ing the week. And SUN ’n FUN officials made sure to offer diverse educational op-portunities for all who attend the show.

For example, teachers are invited to the Aerospace Educators Workshop, Sat-urday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Workshop instructors are well-known personalities and offer unique lessons, according to organizers. Keynote luncheon speaker is Retired Astronaut Greg Johnson. During the luncheon, the Ray Lien award will be presented to the Aerospace Educator of the Year.

During the day, teachers will rotate through hands-on learning experiences that can be transferred into their curricu-lums as they incorporate aviation-based STEM (Science, Technology, Engineer-ing and Math) techniques into the class-room. Five in-service credits are available for educators.

Student tours will be offered through-out the week to college students, those in grades K-12, and home schooled children,

as well as church and scouting groups. The interactive walking tour may include flying aircraft demonstrations, historic aircraft, ultralight and light-sport aircraft, a museum visit, and more.

Tours include age-specific hands-on activities in the Piedmont Aerospace Lab, as well as interactive learning stations and historic static displays in Aerospace Dis-covery at the Florida Air Museum.

On the WarBird Ramp, students will be introduced to the story, in a portable the-ater, of the Tuskegee Airmen and their ac-complishments during World War II and beyond.

Throughout the week all guests of the fly-in can visit the Rise Above Traveling Exhibit in WarBird Country. The exhibit tells the story of the Tuskegee Airmen, who wanted to fight in World War II but were denied because of their race. Presi-dent Franklin D. Roosevelt was pressured to change that. He ordered the Army Air Corps to set up a pilot training program in Tuskegee, Alabama. The program was not expected to be successful, but the young black soldiers who worked so hard to be-come America’s first black military pilots proved everyone wrong.

The mission of the Commemorative Air Force (CAF) Red Tail Squadron is to share the inspiring legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen — America’s first black military

pilots and their support personnel. Their success in triumphing over adversity dur-ing World War II can still inspire people of all ages to rise above obstacles they may face.

In addition to the traveling exhibit, the CAF Red Tail Squadron provides edu-cational materials and ideas for teachers and others who work with children so the young people they guide can be motivated to set goals and “rise above” any obstacles to achieve success.

The CAF also flies a World War II-vin-tage P-51C red-tailed Mustang at airshows across the country — including SUN ’n FUN this week — to create interest in the history of the Tuskegee Airmen who flew similar red-tailed Mustangs over Europe from 1943 to 1945.

On Friday, April 24, the Thunderbirds will be on stage at 10 a.m. for a student assembly in the Aerospace Pavilion. Pi-lots, mechanics and medical support of-ficers will speak to the students, who are being brought in from high schools in and around Polk County.

Featured STEM partners and aviation programs will be found at the Education Showcase Thursday, April 23, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Aerospace Discovery at the Florida Air Museum. Exhibits include Admiral Farragut Academy, Bok Acad-

emy, Central Florida Aerospace Acade-my, Eagles Nest (Florida, Texas, Indiana, Wisconsin), Florida Air Academy, Flori-da Memorial University, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, Florida Insti-tute of Technology, Florida Polytechnic, Florida Southern College, Jacksonville University, Lakeland Highlands Middle School, Nature Coast High School, Polk State College, and Traviss Career Center.

Also on April 23 at 11 a.m., be at the flightline as JetBlue Airways arrives with its Airbus and hosts 150 aviation students visiting for the day from New York City, Orlando, and Lakeland. JetBlue has made a major commitment to support the SUN ’n FUN Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) Mechanics training and hosts CFAA stu-dents at JetBlue University throughout the school year.

This year, there are more than 300 fo-rums on the schedule. Held at the Central Florida Aerospace Academy (CFAA) and hosted by Polk State College, the forums fall into themed learning tracks such as Aerobatic, Alternative Engines, Sport Pi-lot/LSA, Type Club, FAA Wings Credit, Youth and FAA/IA Renewal.

Additional seminars are being held at the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Associa-tion (AOPA) Special Activities tent, Para-dise City, and the FAA Safety Center.

Education for students of all ages offered this week

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The Red Tail Squadron’s traveling exhibit can be found on the warbird ramp.

The Central Florida Aerospace Academy on the SUN ’n FUN campus.


By MEG GODLEWSKI

“Have the judges been by yet?”This question is frequently uttered

by the owners of airplanes that have a PLEASE JUDGE ME card mounted on their propellers. You know the answer to the question when you see the judge’s ini-tials inscribed on the card — among them LK for Leonard Kress.

Kress, 73, has been writing on these prop cards at SUN ’n FUN for the better part of 20 years. For the last 12 he has car-ried the title of Chief Judge.

“That means I am in charge of keeping everything organized,” he laughs.

Kress works with a cadre of some 60 people, some in the field in teams of three to five people, others in clerical positions in the office. Their jobs? To find the best of the best, the most authentic, the most aesthetically pleasing, the most skillfully built aircraft from what is often a very crowded field — and to make sure those aircraft are recognized.

It’s not an easy task, says Kress, “be-cause no mother ever had an ugly baby.”

Translation: The aircraft is beautiful in the eye of the owner, so the judges know they have to keep their expressions neu-tral when looking at an aircraft, and not express any kind of opinion out loud.

Kress got his start in aviation in the 1970s as a crewman in the United States Air Force. He used the GI Bill to learn to fly, earning up through his multiengine commercial ticket, but decided not to pur-sue a career as an airline pilot.

“At the time the airlines were in a slump and I had a family to support,” he explains. “Instead I moved to Jacksonville and got my Airframe and Powerplant ticket. Then I bought a Bonanza and I have been flying that ever since.”

His interest in aviation brought him to SUN ’n FUN. Because of his experi-ence on both sides of the firewall, he was a natural for the position of aircraft

judge, so he went through the judge’s training program.

“The trainees are taught to use the man-ual set out by the Experimental Aircraft Association. The manual can be found on the EAA website for anyone who is inter-ested in having their aircraft judged,” says Kress. “It outlines requirements for all the different classes of aircraft, as well as the official judging standards.”

Trainee judges are paired with an ex-perienced judge in the field, he explains. Then they get to work: “We look at the overall appearance of the airplane, the au-thenticity of the cockpit, if it is an older airplane, how clean the engine is, how

straight and true the fuselage is, if there are any dents and, if it is an aluminum air-plane, how shiny it is.”

Owners gain points for having a clean airplane with an emphasis on authentic-ity. For example, there are some vintage aircraft owners who go so far as to in-stall false panels on their aircraft to hide modern radios when the aircraft is on the ground on display. Points are deducted for non-authentic items.

Other owners have detailed photo al-bums of the work that went into the air-plane, showing the journey from wreck to project to award hopeful machine. Points are awarded for the presentation.

Judging airplanes at SUN ’n FUN

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2014 Homebuilt Kit Built champion, a Swearingen SX-300 (left), and the 2014 Plansbuilt champion, a Hatz.


This week’s show features not one, but two jet teams to delight the SUN ’n FUN crowds.

Making their North American debut at this week’s show is the Breitling Jet Team, while the Thunderbirds will perform this weekend.

The Breitling Jet Team is made up of seven L-39C Albatros jets. The team promises a meticulous performance where the aircraft fly within 10 feet of each oth-er, at speeds of almost 435 mph and up to 8G accelerations.

Having flown across 36 countries around the world, the Breitling Jet Team will commence their “American Tour” by opening SUN ’n FUN on Tuesday and performing throughout the week.

“It will be the first time North Ameri-can audiences will have a chance to see the Breitling Jet Team, and witness the precision and unmatched skill that goes into their display,” said Breitling USA President Thierry Prissert. “They are the epitome of Breitling with pilots who are dedicated to their craft and constantly pushing the envelope with their daring maneuvers.”

Slated to perform Saturday and Sunday are the Thunderbirds, the U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron.

The Thunderbirds, a perennial SUN ’n FUN favorite, fly the F-16 Fighting Fal-con, the Air Force’s premier multi-role fighter jet.

The team’s demonstration begins with a “sharply choreographed, drill-style ground ceremony” that showcases the “attention to detail and esprit de corps that defines enlisted members,” Air Force of-ficials said.

“As their jets take to the skies and fly only a few feet from wingtip to wingtip, the crowd gets a glimpse of the awesome skills and capabilities that all fighter pilots must possess,” officials continue. “The solo pilots integrate their own loud and proud routine,” exhibiting the maximum capabilities of the F-16.”

While at SUN ’n FUN, the Thunderbird team also will participate in several com-munity events.

Two jet teams roar into Lakeland

The Thunderbirds are a perennial crowd favorite at SUN ’n FUN.

The Breitling Jet Team makes its North American debut at this week’s show.

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The SUN ’n FUN workshops are popu-lar, not only among homebuilders, but also aviation enthusiasts who want to try their hand at various aspects of aircraft building or maintenance.

All of the workshops are staffed by a combination of amateur and professional instructors with experience in the subjects they present. Many hold FAA Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) ratings and/or have extensive experience with vendors supplying the aviation community. Most of the volunteer instructors are builders themselves and enthusiastically share their experience with novice builders.

The workshops include:Woodworking, which includes con-• struction of wing ribs, fuselage, jigs and tooling and adhesives.Metal fabrication, which includes • sheet metal selection, cutting, drilling and riveting, fabrication of all metal aircraft components.Metal shaping, which covers the shap-• ing of custom compound shapes in aluminum using various metal shaping techniques and equipment.Oxy-fuel Welding of both steel and • aluminum.TIG/MIG Welding of both steel and • aluminum.Avionics/Electrical installation, which • covers the proper wire, terminals, tools

and techniques for installation of a re-liable aircraft electrical system.Electrical Noise, which includes the • proper installation and isolation of cir-cuits to reduce interference and “noise” in avionics systems.Fabric Aircraft Covering, where you • can get hands-on experience in fabric covering and doping.Rib Stitching, which demonstrates the • attachment of fabric to wing structures Composite Construction, which in-• cludes foam shaping and cutting, fiber-glass and resin selection and applica-tion and vacuum forming.Safety Wiring and Cable Swaging, • which covers the use of safety wire and proper tools for installation of safety wire and swaging of control cables.Engines and Firewall Forward Installa-• tions, which covers all things engines. Engine maintenance, assembly, modi-fication and installation are addressed, as well as display and run-up of vari-ous engines.

Many of the workshops are approved by the FAA for IA renewal.

The Workshops run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day of the show. The Work-shops are located near the Buehler Resto-ration Center.

There is no additional fee for attending any of the workshops.

Get hands-on at this week’s Workshops

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See your favorite planes in the Show-case Fly-Bys all week. The Fly-Bys are featured daily throughout the fly-in from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

The fly-bys are an opportunity for manufacturers and individuals to display their aircraft in the air in the fly-by pattern

at show center while having it described over the public address system.

Pilots and their announcers are given a briefing at the Fly-By and Showcase Briefing building. Briefings are daily at 8 a.m., 9 a.m., and 10 a.m., and include a description of the Fly-By pattern, staging

and launching times. The Showcase crew will be on hand to stage, launch, and re-call each aircraft on a discrete radio fre-quency.

Each aircraft or group of manufac-turer’s aircraft have exclusive use of the Fly-By pattern for six minutes while their

representative extols its virtues over the PA system.

Look for a special Showcase Fly-By on Thursday, when students from the Lake-land AeroClub take to the skies in their re-stored Piper J-3 Cub, along with students from the Polk State Aviators.

Students featured in Showcase Fly-Bys

Visitors to SUN ’n FUN from around the globe are invited to stop in at the In-ternational Visitors hospitality tent, which is located at the treeline in the Southeast Exhibit area. From the front gate walk di-rectly towards the flight line and stop at the trees.

At the tent, you’ll find volunteers who are continually working to meet the needs of guests expected to arrive in Lakeland this week from more than 80 countries.

The tent features a board that tracks vis-itors. Each international visitor is asked to register and stick a pin in a world map de-

picting “home.”Translators are at the tent to assist in

communication needs, from buying tick-ets to finding a hotel to getting tickets to nearby attractions, including Legoland, Sea World, Busch Gardens, Disney and Universal.

The tent also features refreshments and a gathering place on the grounds for in-ternational visitors, courtesy of sponsor, The Florida Restaurant and Lodging As-sociation.

International visitors also are invited to an International Visitors Party Wednesday, April 22, at 5:30 p.m. at the Aerospace Pavilion next to the Aerospace Discovery at the Florida Air Museum. A food truck rally will provide refreshments, with en-tertainment by the Hoyt Hughes Band.

International Visitors Center welcomes the world

Volunteer opportunities are available at the Volunteer Center, located next to the Buehler Restoration Center.

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It was two years ago when Project STRATOS was launched by SUN ’n FUN to challenge the research and literary abil-ities of high school students to produce an aerospace-themed essay.

“It is our intention to use this competi-tion to bring awareness to the outstanding STEM (Science, Technology, Engineer-ing and Math) based programs conducted year-round at the Aerospace Center for Excellence on the SUN ’n FUN Conven-tion Campus,” said John “Lites” Leen-houts, SUN ’n FUN president and CEO.

This year’s winners, who are dubbed the 2015 Project STRATOS Squadron Ambassadors, include: Taylor Avery, Central Florida Aerospace Academy (CFAA); Fiona Broomfield, Lakeland High School; Greg Holden, CFAA; Me-gan Holden, CFAA; Justin Keen, CFAA; Clayton McHugh, CFAA; Catie Rosenoff, George Jenkins High School; Sean Miller, CFAA; Benjamin Straw, Ridge Commu-nity High School; and, Tranise Wheeler, Teneroc High School.

Besides getting their essays published in this year’s commemorative program, the students also will attend the Dinner With Legends, slated for Thursday eve-ning.

They aren’t the only students who are winners.

The Commemorative Air Force (CAF)

also has chosen the recipients of the Tuskegee Airmen Leather Helmets.

On Thursday, April 23, Colonel Charles McGee, Tuskegee Airman, Lt. Colonel George Hardy, Tuskegee Airman, James Ray, SUN ’n FUN philanthropist, and Re-tired Navy Commodore Leenhouts will make the presentations to Central Florida Aerospace Academy (CFAA) students.

Recipients of the famed leather helmets are Viola Gould, Clayton McHugh Luke Liptak, and, Lexi Wines.

Additionally, SUN ’n FUN officials note that Gould and Wines won second place for their presentation about Lt. Col-

onel Leo Gray at the Tuskegee Airmen for History Fair and will be representing CFAA at the State Competition May 3-5 in Tallahassee, Florida.

In other education news, SUN ’n FUN officials will officially dedicate the Pied-mont Aerospace Experience Thursday, April 23, at 10 a.m.

The Piedmont Aerospace Experience is a fully-functional aircraft that will be used as a learning center. The Boeing 727, donated by FedEx, will be the only facil-ity of its kind on a high school campus in the world, according to SUN ’n FUN officials.

SUN ’n FUN recently received $225,000 in funding from the Emil Bue-hler Perpetual Trust to be used towards the completion of the Piedmont Aero-space Experience.

The Emil Buehler Trust was established in 1984 to perpetuate the memory of Emil Buehler and his commitment to aviation science and technology. As an aviation visionary, architect and engineer, Buehler considered the majesty and mystery of flight more than a private interest. He had a vision to be shared during his lifetime and beyond. It is this same vision that is perpetuated today through the continuing philanthropic involvement of the Buehler Trust.

Several years ago, the trust donated the money to create the Buehler Restoration Center, which is an integral part of the SUN ’n FUN campus.

The new grant from the trust will enable the completion of the new learning center. It will house the Bernie Little Classroom and is dedicated in memory to Piedmont Airlines founder Tom Davis and Buehler.

Modern technology will allow students in the classroom to monitor the students in the cockpit as computer displays of all activity will be available. Students from CFAA, Polk State College and Traviss Career Center will have classes in the 727, according to SUN ’n FUN officials.

Education milestones recognized

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The Piedmont Aerospace Experience is near CFAA.

See us at SUN ’n FUN 2013 - Booth D061


By JAMIE BECKETT

Shhhh. I’m going to trust you to keep this to yourself. It’s a secret. It has been for years. Yet, I’m going to tell you the truth. Here. Now.

What I have to share is important. It truly is. For while it might not really be a closely held secret that’s been shielded from the wider public, it is information that’s unknown in the wider world and directly affects the future of general avia-tion in a very real way.

SUN ’n FUN has been one of the high-lights of my year for more than two de-cades. Literally thousands of people fly in, while even larger numbers drive onto the grounds of Lakeland Linder Regional Airport (KLAL). Untold numbers will camp in tents or in recreational vehicles this week. They’ll be beneath the wing of their aircraft, in the campgrounds, or parked beside their display space in Para-dise City.

General aviation comes alive here in central Florida this week.

But not everything is as it seems. And that’s the unknown tidbit of information. It’s the salient point we’ve all missed for too many years. Unheralded, unspoken, and often misunderstood — I am going to share with you the true reason that the SUN ’n FUN International Fly-In and Expo exists: It’s a fundraiser.

Yep. The primary reason for holding SUN ’n FUN each year is to raise funds for….wait for it….educational programs.

I’ll bet you didn’t know that. Most people don’t. SUN ’n FUN is essentially in the business of providing educational opportunities for young people, funding educational opportunities for young peo-ple, and encouraging people of all ages to consider aviation as a career or a hobby.

If you take the time to look behind the greasepaint and razzle-dazzle, you’ll no-tice there is a high school standing direct-ly across the street from what used to be known as the Florida Air Museum. That high school sits on SUN ’n FUN’s prop-erty.

You may also notice the building we all used to know as the Florida Air Museum is now known as the Aerospace Center for Excellence. And that’s not the result of a new logo, crisp paint, and a crafty mar-keting plan. It’s real. During the other 51 weeks of the year you’ll find students in the Center learning about all things avia-tion.

Those students are being educated, in-spired, motivated and mentored on a reg-ular basis, thanks to the dollars that come through SUN ’n FUN’s ticket window during its annual fundraiser.

Unlike Public Television, SUN ’n FUN doesn’t urge you to call in with a credit

card number and make a donation. Al-though you certainly can — and what a good idea it would be for each of us to do exactly that, now I think of it — they choose to hold a massive celebration of flight instead.

SUN ’n FUN provides a massive bang in exchange for your hard-earned buck. Not only do those who wander through the turnstiles get to see an incredible air-show up close, as well as rub elbows with aviation luminaries of past and present and meet the manufacturers, distributors, salespeople, and advocates of the industry face-to-face, but every single person who walks the grounds can also go home with a full heart knowing the dollars they spent will find their way back into a classroom or a workshop in a way that — directly or

indirectly — benefits the next generation of pilots, mechanics, designers, engineers, and administrators.

It could certainly be said that I go to SUN ’n FUN every year because it is my job. Or I could say I go because I meet so many fascinating people, see a great airshow, get to sit in a variety of amaz-ing aircraft, occasionally participate in a demo flight, and learn a new skill or two in the workshop tents.

Then again, I could tell people I go be-cause it makes me feel good about sup-porting aerospace education, the future of general aviation, and puts young people of all socioeconomic backgrounds into an environment where they can learn to thrive professionally and personally.

Each one of those descriptions of why

I go is true. But it’s that last one that re-ally matters in the long run. It’s the self-less reason.

You see, SUN ’n FUN isn’t really a one week fly-in and airshow. It’s a 52-week-a-year educational support system that has a profound impact on aviation in the United States.

So congratulations for being part of it all — and making a difference.

The secret is out — finally

Jamie Beckett is the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) Ambassador in Florida and the Politics for Pilots columnist for General Aviation News. You can find him all this week at the AOPA Tent.

Need a slight break from all the ac-tivity? The Nature Trail behind Han-gar E has 16 stations located along the boardwalk detailing the Florida flora and fauna.


By MEG GODLEWSKI

The crowds on the flightline are ex-pected to be bigger this year due to the appearance of the Breitling Jet Team and the Thunderbirds. While this means more people will see your pride and joy, it also can put your airplane at greater risk for inadvertent damage.

Although you can’t be there all the time, there are some things you can do to protect your airplane when you aren’t around.

“Do not touch” placards are a must. These are provided for display aircraft when you register. These cardboard sleeves slip over the propeller.

Verify the security of your aircraft tie-downs. If you use single stakes, insert them into the ground at a diagonal. A stake inserted on a diagonal takes more force to lift out of the ground than one driven straight into the ground.

You may want to invest in the “claw” type of aircraft tie-down. Instead of a sin-gle stake in the ground, there are three at different angles. As the name implies, it resembles a claw when used properly. Ac-cording to pilots who use them, they are easier to install and remove, yet provide sturdier protection than the one-stake va-rieties.

Make sure gust locks are installed cor-rectly.

Do not leave anything near your air-plane that can be thrown, such as a foot-ball or a Frisbee, a model glider or even extra tie-down stakes. Also don’t leave any cleaning products that have a spray trigger around. One unsupervised kid is all it takes to do damage. Put these items out of sight.

Be careful of the position of your pro-peller. In camping areas experienced campers recommended that you turn the propeller so the blades are vertical. Some-one walking between rows at night is less likely to hit the blade.

In adverse weather, such as high winds, do not try to “save your airplane.” If the wind is blowing hard enough, the plane

could flip over and land on you. The air-craft can be replaced. You can’t.

Supervise the refueling of your air-craft.

Take all the expensive portable items, such as yoke-mounted GPS and headsets, out of your cockpit. Either lock them up or hide them well. Although most people are honest, there are some folks who see large events as an opportunity to steal.

Taxi a little bit slower than you would normally, especially if there are lots of people around. Some of them may be aviation novices and may walk with their backs to the aircraft or on taxiways in-stead of on footpaths, and could step into the line of a wing.

New for 2015 Signature Flight Support will provide a dedicated Pilot Services Center near Homebuilt registration along the flightline viewing area. The Pilot Ser-vices Center provides weather briefings, flight planning facilities, and more.

“SkyVector will be powering the flight-planning services portion of Signature Flight Support’s Pilot Services Center,” noted David Graves, SkyVector’s founder

and CEO. “We’ll be using SkyVector to help pilots plan their trips home.”

“Historically, Signature Flight Support hasn’t exactly had a GA-friendly reputa-tion,” admitted Patrick Sniffen, Signature Flight Support’s vice president of mar-keting. “Six years ago new management came on board and restructured our focus, regardless of aircraft or fuel type.”

To get to the heart of the matter, Signa-

ture sponsored a number of employees — more than 15 — who earned their private pilot certificates. “It allowed us to step into the shoes of a GA pilot,” he said. “We flew to other airports and FBOs to experi-ence what works and what doesn’t.”

What about fuel? Signature Flight Sup-port has 100LL at nearly all U.S.-based locations and mogas at a few. “Signature — from a corporate responsibility per-

spective — is 100% dedicated to finding a replacement for 100LL,” he said.

Many Signature locations can perform maintenance on most GA aircraft. “And if we can’t, our partners — on the field in most cases — will be able to,” noted Sniffen. “We’ll take care of you.”

The center will be open from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. daily, with live weather brief-ings at 10:30 a.m. and 5:45 p.m.

Protect your plane

Signature Flight Support sponsors Pilot Services Center


SUN ’n FUN has made a commitment to the future, with its mission to “Building a Brighter Future through Aviation.”

In that vein, SUN ’n FUN is offering expanded educational opportunities and youth activities not just this week, but all year round.

For those at the fly-in, daily activities begin at 9 a.m. at the Piedmont Hangar Workshops (just past the Florida Air Mu-seum). Activities, which will run until 2 p.m., are age specific.

Children in Grades K-6 will be intro-duced to the creative side of science, with encouragement and supplies to explore kites, windsocks, parachutes, foam air-planes and paper airplanes or experience an art project on paper or their face.

Kids in Grades 7-12 will have the op-portunity to work with engines, electrical circuits, motors, weather, wave forms, and

rocketry and even try a flight simulator.Volunteers also will offer kids tours,

from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The interactive walking tour may include flying aircraft demonstrations, antique aircraft, forums, rotorcraft, ultralight and light-sport air-planes, historic warbird airplanes, a mu-seum visit, and more.

The Florida Air Museum also will be open, and officials invite kids to explore the exhibitors and authors on site, as well as the interactive learning devices like wind tunnels and weather stations that have been donated for use and will be added to the new science center.

Also returning this year is the Kid Zone, near the front entrance, which is packed with aviation-themed activities.

Be aware that tickets for the Kid Zone are required.

Ticket prices start at 26 tickets for $20,

with 60 tickets for $40. An all-day pass to ride the inflatables is $20.

It takes 10 tickets to ride the zip line, and five to try the rock wall. Inflatables,

including the Space Shuttle Slide, Bounce House, Jolly Jumping Jet, Space Camp Combo, Wall E 3-1, and the Obstacle Course, are two tickets each.

Kids activities abundant during the fly-in

Due to record rainfall over the last six months, SUN ’n FUN has cancelled the Seabird Splash-In that has been held an-nually on Lake Agnes at Fantasy of Flight during SUN ’n FUN.

SUN ’n FUN officials report the Lake

Agnes water level is more than 2 feet above normal, which creates numerous hazards to seaplane operations in the form of hidden obstructions and very shallow and long approaches to land access.

Additionally, both the dock and ramp

at Fantasy of Flight are essentially unus-able.

“This decision does not come lightly and was made after a recommendation from the SUN ’n FUN Seabirds chairman and discussions with Seaplane Pilots As-sociation leadership and others,” officials said in a prepared release.

SUN ’n FUN officials noted that Fan-

tasy of Flight founder Kermit Weeks and his team were “ready and willing to sup-port this year’s event and we thank them for their preparation efforts to make it happen.”

A Saturday night BBQ dinner at the SUN ’n FUN Seabird area on the conven-tion grounds will be held prior to the eve-ning airshow and fireworks.

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By BEN SCLAIR

For those people on the SUN ’n FUN grounds early Sunday morning, you’ll likely hear a groundswell of noise wind its way through the exhibit area and campground. Don’t be alarmed, it’s just the army of volunteers celebrating the 13th annual Volunteer Parade.

Volunteers from around the world make SUN ’n FUN what it is. To celebrate, they will gather at 7:30 a.m. in front of the FAA building, then depart for the parade.

At 8 a.m. the parade will arrive at the Announcer’s Stand for the annual Trophy Presentation to the Grand Marshall. This year, that’s SUN ’n FUN Radio.

Informally, the “parade” started in the early 1980s when Freddie Quinn — long-

time SUN ’n FUN volunteer Suzy Eick-hoff’s father — was Air Ops Chairman. He started the Airside Ground Safety

team with Kirby Orme as its chairman. The team would ride their motorcycles in formation to the Air Ops building for the

morning briefing. It was very much pomp and circumstance ending in salutes and formation departure to assignments.

Later, after Freddie retired from the Air Ops Chairmanship, he rode with the Air-side Ground Safety Team. In the morning they would gather in the Volunteer Camp-ground and ride out to airside together in formation with Freddie in the lead.

As time passed, other volunteers would join the formation in their decorated golf carts, trucks, or whatever and ride out through the campground to celebrate. Thus, the formal Volunteer Parade began.

“After Dad passed away in 2002, it was decided that the Volunteer Parade should continue with a new volunteer area cho-sen to act as the Grand Marshall,” said Suzy Eickhoff.

The Parts Exchange, which returns this year to Hangar E, is a popular stopping place for aircraft owners and homebuild-

ers in search of the perfect part to com-plete their project.

Items at the Parts Exchange are sold on

consignment. Those wishing to sell parts can purchase tags for the items for 50 cents each.

Parts of all types are accepted for sale. The exception is tires and batteries, which Florida law prohibits including in the Parts Exchange.

Tires mounted on aircraft wheel assem-blies will be accepted if described as such on the tag, Parts Exchange volunteers add.

The Parts Exchange will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day of the fly-in, except Sunday, when sales will stop at noon.

All payments will be made in cash un-less the consignor specifically states on the tag that he or she will accept a per-sonal check. Cash is the preferred method of payment, according to volunteers, who note that no credit cards or check cash-ing will be available. ATM machines are

located on the grounds for those planning to shop at the Parts Exchange.

Consignors may claim unsold items or change prices at any time during regular business hours by asking for assistance from any Parts Exchange Volunteer. No items will be sold if the tag has been al-tered in any way or is not legible.

The Parts Exchange tent will be open for consignors only on Sunday, from noon until 5 p.m. to claim unsold items.

The tent will close promptly at 5 p.m. and any unclaimed items will become do-nations to SUN ’n FUN, Parts Exchange volunteers noted.

Volunteer Parade set for Sunday

Shop ’til you drop at the Parts Exchange

The Veterans Plaza is back again this year in the Southeast Exhibit Area, bigger than ever.

Organizations participating in the pla-za this year include Air America, which is commemorating the 40th anniversary of leaving Saigon, Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 787 and Chapter 1040, The Bomber Girls, Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association of Florida, National Warplane Museum, Military Officers of America, Lodwick School of Aeronautics, Steel Soldiers, Military Vehicle Group, Flight to Honor, Team Tomahawk, and more.

There also will be pilot chats and pre-sentations, World War II re-enactors, World War II military vehicles, as well as the debut of the Mohawk OV-1.

Several aircraft will be on display and members and officials with the organiza-tions are available to answer any ques-tions.

Also located in Veterans Plaza is an in-formal area for veterans and active-duty military to meet up, share stories and en-joy the fly-in.

Veterans Plaza returns


There is a lot to see and do this week at SUN ’n FUN, but for officials of the fly-in, safety is always the first priority.

SUN ’n FUN officials realize that peo-ple want to see the vast array of aircraft up close, which is why the flightline is open to the crowds.

But it’s important that everyone in crowd follow some simple rules to ensure that everyone at the show — as well as the aircraft on display — are protected.

By entering the flightline area, you agree to follow these important safety rules:

Aircraft in motion have spinning pro-• pellers that can cause serious injuries. Be aware of this at all times to avoid injury to you and those you are with.Aircraft always have the right of way. • Please yield.No food is permitted on the flightline • (except for airside food vendor loca-tions).Pets are not permitted on the con-• vention site. They are allowed in the campgrounds on leashes.Do not touch the aircraft without the • owner’s permission.Supervise your children closely so they • don’t inadvertently hurt themselves or damage the aircraft.Make sure your lawn chairs are attend-•

ed or they may blow away and cause damage to people or aircraft.Please mind your camera, belt buckles • and other clothing or accessories when

bending over to look at an airplane. These items can damage paint jobs worth thousands of dollars.No smoking is allowed on the flight-•

line or around display aircraft.If you have the opportunity, please • thank the pilots who bring their aircraft to SUN ’n FUN!

Stay safe

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One of the most beautiful SUN ’n FUN traditions — the Saturday morning Bal-loon Launch — is also one that many people haven’t seen since it begins at the crack of dawn.

On Saturday morning, starting about 6:30 a.m., hot air balloon pilots will in-flate their balloons just past the Warbird Ramp.

Weather permitting, the balloons will launch in a traditional “Hare and Hound” race. As the name suggests, this event involves chasing a single balloon after it takes off. This balloon acts as the “hare” and floats in the air for a short while before other balloons are allowed to take off. The balloons that follow are the “hounds,” and the winning balloon is the one who lands closest to the “hare.”

During the week, look for daily dem-onstration flights of balloons from the Ul-tralight field by commercial firms, usually around 7 a.m.

Also look for the “balloon glow,” when the balloons inflate, at twilight and before the two night airshows.

The pilots who bring their balloons to SUN ’n FUN are part of a group of sea-soned airshow veterans from around the world.

Hot air balloon pilots carry an FAA is-sued pilot’s license in the “Lighter than

Air” Category. In addition to passing the traditional written tests, a pilot is specially trained in balloon mechanics, safety, pro-

cedures, and the unique flight character-istics of balloons. Rated as either private or commercial, pilot competence can only

be attained by extensive experience in ac-tual flight, according to seasoned balloon pilots.

Balloons launch Saturday morning

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Their business is picking upBy JACK E. NEUBACHER

One of the most revered volunteer posi-tions at SUN ’n FUN is the Raiders.

Who are the Raiders? They are the guys and gals who keep the SUN ’n FUN grounds clean by picking up all the trash and garbage.

In the beginning many of these volun-teers included some of the highest profes-sionals living in the Lakeland area. Today, many of those early volunteers are still present, enjoying the fellowship and ca-maraderie of their old friends.

According to what the volunteers sitting around the tables on Tuesday afternoon told me, “it’s just a great group of guys that just get better every year. All the im-provements are good improvements, and the people who come here are good peo-ple and are friendly and we have more fun than anyone else. They even feed us.”

Today Raider Chairman Rick Hayes, along with the co-chairmen Jeremy Brown and Connie Cadwell, carry out the day-to-day chores and scheduling of trash removal.

“The most amazing thing is we are all pilots, either learning to fly or flying a triple seven,” said Hayes. “The gambit of people who come together to support SUN ’n FUN and try to make this thing go by picking up trash is amazing. We have a 98-year-old man here — he is a story to be told because he is still inspect-ing airplanes and still has a private pilots license. The diversity that we have, from him to Jeremy here, who has been work-ing here since he was 14 years old, is just amazing.”

“Each year we have about 70 volun-teers to handle the duties,” Hayes said. “We have seven tractors and trailers, and make three runs a day.”

Each run takes about an hour and a

half and has a driver and a normal pick up crew of three. Hayes estimates that last year the Raiders picked up more than 200,000 pounds of trash.

According to Hayes, in the early days, many volunteer drivers brought their own tractors. Today they are contracted and leased through the SUN ’n FUN office.

There have been some interesting finds on the trash runs, according to Hayes.

“We always pick up a bunch of chairs near the end of the show,” he said. “So many people fly in and make a trip up

town to buy their supplies and their chairs and then leave them by the trash cans. We also get a lot of tents. We even found some headsets.”

A few years back the Raiders worked on recycling, part of the “Wipe out Waste” campaign. It was a lot of extra work for the volunteers separating bottles and cans from the other trash. Cadwell noted it now gets done at their vendor, Republic Services. When the garbage gets to their facility, the trucks dump the load into a hopper that feeds onto a conveyor.

Sensors recognize cans, bottles and even corrugated cardboard and with a jet of air blows the different items off the conveyor and into its own bin.

So the next time you see a flat bed trail-er coming by loaded with barrels, give the guys and gals with the burgundy hats with a winged trash can a big salute and a thank you for helping keep the SUN ’n FUN grounds clean all week.

Or better yet stop by their encampment just off SUN ’n FUN Drive and volunteer to help.

Raiders refuse to let garbage pile up

Camp Duffy dedicated

on opening day of the show, Camp duffy was officially dedicated to

honor duffy Thompson. Cutting the ribbon was (from left) suN ’n fuN

Chairman bob Knight, Jo Thompson, duffy’s widow, suN ’n fuN president

John “lites” leenhouts and board member bob beatty.

Trailer driver ray daley and, from left, Ken rayburn, bryan patterson, rob Nelson, patricia lambert, and Jesse Waller.

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By JONI M. FISHER

The eight Czech-built L-39C Albatros aircraft flown by the Breitling Jet Team can fly at 466 mph in level flight, climb to 38,000 feet, sustain integrity from +8 to -4 Gs, and with drop tanks have a ferry range of 621 miles. They arrived in Lake-land last month.

Their journey began in Dijon, France, where the team is based. Disassembled at their home base and packed with equip-ment into 11 containers, the planes were shipped by boat to Miami, then transport-ed to Lakeland, Florida.

After arriving here, they were unloaded in hangars owned by Bob Knight, chair-man of the Board of SUN ’n FUN. Knight also loaned the jet team offices. Lakeland will be the base for the Breitling Jet Team during its first-ever North American tour. Seven planes are used in the team’s aero-batic performances and one plane is kept ready to use as a backup.

“The containers arrived in early March in parts, fuselage, tail assembly, and wings,” said Knight. “It took about three weeks to get them all assembled and they began flight testing them on April 3.”

The engineers reassembling the planes included three Estonians, and Breitling technicians David Champion, Abder Benrkia, Yannick Diry, Julien Marche,

and Jean Yves Moreau. Four engineers were also hired in the U.S. to assist with the North American tour: Igor Vetnan (an L-39 specialist), Texan David Coss, and Floridians Sayge Woodham and Payton Richardson.

“The technicians have been trained in emergency procedures, use of the ejection seats and so on, because they fly with the pilots when the team travels from one city to another,” Knight said.

At the end of its North American tour, the Breitling Jet Team will return to

Lakeland to again disassemble and ship the planes back to Dijon, France.

The team made their debut during Tues-

day’s airshow. The team will also perform Friday and Saturday.

Breitling-Jet-Team.com

Behind the scenes with the Breitling Jet Team

The breitling jets were shipped to lakeland in containers, then reassembled on site.

The Recreational Aviation Founda-tion will host its annual Potato Bake to-night at the RAF Fire Hub at 6:30 pm. This year the RAF will host Backcoun-tryPilot.org contributor Patrick Roma-no, who will lead a backcountry safety

seminar based on his popular STOL Tips series. Romano, a backcountry flight instructor, has been flying since he was 14 and has more than 8,000 hours to date. See Romano’s STOL Tips at BackcountryPilot.org/STOL-tips.

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Spuds and STOL Tips

By BEN SCLAIR

Superior Air Parts introduced the Gem-ini Diesel engine on opening day of SUN ’n FUN. Using technology acquired from Power Plant Developments late last year, the 100-horsepower engine already has 10 years and 10,000 flight hours of develop-ment, according to Tim Archer, Superior Aviation Group CEO.

He added that because of its uniflow de-sign featuring two-opposing-pistons-per-cylinder, the Gemini will be smaller than many current gasoline and diesel piston engines, giving it a power-to-weight ratio advantage and making it especially attrac-tive to the experimental and LSA markets initially.

A fully loaded Gemini 100 weighs 199.7 pounds and burns 4-5 gallons per hour at 75% cruise power settings.

“We have already had preliminary dis-cussions with manufacturers representing a variety of experimental and LSA air-craft,” Archer said. “The most common question everyone asks is how soon can we get one?”

Superior will begin deliveries to origi-nal equipment manufacturers (OEM) in 60 to 90 days. In total, 25 pre-production engines will be built before the end of 2015. The majority will go to OEMs, but a handful will end up in the hands of some experimental aircraft builders.

“The path we’ve charted is furnishing the Gemini 100 to the experimental mar-ket, followed by ASTM compliance in the first quarter of 2016,” said Scott Hayes, Superior’s vice president of sales and marketing.

The 100-series is the first in a family of engines. Archer and Hayes charted out fu-ture iterations at 125, 180-200, 300-360, 450, and 550-horsepower with an eye on the turbine market with the latter varia-tion.

Archer mentioned a number of solu-tions the Gemini-series solves, including the use of Jet A, high power-to-weight ra-tio; higher engine torque at lower RPM; and projected to have up to 20% lower fuel burn than conventional engines.

See the Gemini 100 at SUN ’n FUN at booth LD-2 and GeminiDiesel.aero.

Gemini 100 diesel debuts

April 23, 2015 33

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Globalstar reports its new aviation an-tenna is now available for use with Ex-perimental Category Aircraft. An STC for Part 23 aircraft approval is pending, com-pany officials note.

Globalstar recently completed the launch of its second generation satellites for full commercial service. Paired with the Globalstar Satellite Phone (GSP-1700) or the Globalstar Sat-Fi satellite hotspot, the new aviation antenna allows for voice and data communication while in-flight completely independent of cel-lular coverage, company officials said. Currently, the GSP-1700 is free with select airtime plans.

Reaching beyond cellular, the SPOT Gen3 and SPOT Trace offer real-time GPS tracking. Pilots can track their route down to every 2.5 minutes and give indi-viduals on the ground the ability to moni-tor departures and arrivals.

Additionally, the SPOT Gen3 provides peace of mind through location-based messaging and life-saving emergency no-tification technology, company officials.

Stop at the company’s exhibit in Hangar D, Booth 63, to get one of a limited amount of new Experimental Category Avia-

tion Kits at special show pricing.

Globalstar offers show special

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By MEG GODLEWSKI

Bigger, stronger, faster: That describes Just Aircraft’s XL SuperStol, which is making its debut in Paradise City.

XL stands for eXtra Large. The high wings with the bulbous tires is reminis-cent of Just Aircraft’s popular Super Stol, but the XL is 24 inches longer in the fuse-lage and 6 inches longer in the cowling.

“The larger cowling helps to accommo-date a larger engine if our customers want a larger engine,” said Harrison Smith, demo pilot for Just Aircraft.

The airplane comes in kit form from the factory in Walhalla, South Carolina. For the pilot who would like to get the air-plane in the air sooner rather than later, there is a Builder’s Assist program at the factory.

Aircraft owners that take advantage of the Builder’s Assist program also can get transition training in their new airplanes.

One of the new plane’s key features, according to Smith, is the locking tail-wheel.

“That’s really what makes this airplane work,” he said. “It helps the pilot keep it straight in takeoff.”

In addition to the backcountry aircraft, Just Aircraft’s designer Troy Woodland also designed the Light-Sport Escapade and Highlander, so displaying in Paradise

City is like being home, he noted. The air-craft are known for durability and Short Field Take Off and Landing — or STOL

— characteristics.The back of Smith’s shirt says it all:

“Fly it like you STOL it.”

Just Aircraft debuts XL Super Stol

The 2016 U.S. Sport Aviation Expo, held each year in Sebring, Fla., is set for Jan. 20-23. The theme for 2016 is “There’s something affordable in the air!”

The Expo will focus on all types of af-fordable aircraft, including ultralights, light-sport, homebuilt, and refurbished production aircraft.

The Aircraft Sales Lot will be back in 2016. Underwing camping and homebuilt aircraft parking areas also return.

During SUN ’n FUN, Expo Direc-

tor Jana Filip can be found at the Light Aircraft Manufacturer’s Association (LAMA) tent near Paradise City.

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‘There’s something affordable in the air!’Ph

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April 23, 2015 35

By MEG GODLEWSKI

Combine the Internet, a television live truck and a cadre of volunteers and just about anyone with computer access can take advantage of the aviation safety pro-grams that are being offered by the Flori-da Aviation Network this week.

During the fly-in a small army of vol-unteers will be interviewing the movers and shakers in the industry, either out in the field or in a studio inside the Florida Aviation Museum. There is also a post-production facility on site to apply the finishing touches to the programs.

Outside the museum there is a televi-sion live-truck waiting to take the video and send it across satellites or online to a waiting audience.

“Simply stated, we are an organization that promotes aviation and aviation safe-ty,” said Obie Young, president of the Na-tional Aviation Safety Foundation, as well as the producer for the Florida Aviation Network. “The broadcast and production parts of the operation are tools that we use in order to accomplish those goals.”

During the year Young oversees a team of approximately 150 volunteers. During

SUN ’n FUN he works with some six to 40 people per day. “It’s not the same 40 people each day, they rotate in and out,” he explains. “They work from 7:30 in the morning until late at night.”

The volunteers bring a wide variety of talent and experience. Some are retired from jobs in Information Technology or television. Others are interns just learning how to use a camera or how to interview someone.

Among the guests slated to be inter-viewed this week are Jessica Cox, the woman who earned her Sport Pilot Certif-icate although she was born without arms. Other guests include authors such as Gary Powers, Jr., who has written a book bout his father’s U-2 flight,

“The interviewers do their homework before the guests arrive,” says Young. “And our reporters and photographers out in the field have a list of places they’d like to shoot and what to cover. We are also working with the local schools to get teenagers involved in aviation, as well as television production work.”

“Last year we did 55 shows. We expect to do about the same number this year,” says Young.

Florida Aviation Network broadcasts live from show

This week, SUN ’n FUN is highlighting women in aviation, partnering with Wom-en in Aviation International to present a luncheon on the grounds Friday, April 24, at noon at the Buehler Aerospace Restora-tion Center.

Dr. Peggy Chabrian, the founder and president of Women in Aviation, will serve as keynote speaker. A panel of women representing a number of facets of the aerospace industry will include Patty Wagstaff, Angela West, Karin Goulian and more will discuss their motivation to join the industry, how they overcame bar-riers, and what path may have given them

the best chance for success.Students from the Central Florida Aero-

space Academy will be in attendance to experience firsthand what their future in aviation might hold.

Women will have a chance to network with their peers and learn from those who have already excelled in their chosen fields. Women in Aviation International will have representatives who can discuss the benefits of membership.

“It will be a fantastic opportunity to celebrate not only how far we have come, but to learn where we have yet to go,” as-sociation officials said.

Women in Aviation honored

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What’s happening todaySUN ’n FUN 2015

SUN ’n FUN FORUMSForums are held in classrooms at the Cen-tral Florida Aerospace Academy (CFAA). Volunteers are near all entrances to help you find the right room.

Rm# 9 am

1 Getting started with iPad fly-ing, Brent Koebbe

2 What every new student pilot should know, Scott Carson

3 Interior Renovation in Pro-duction Aircraft, Dennis Wolter

4 Buying your first airplane with confidence, Danny Lucas

5 Mastering Crosswinds, Tay-lor Albrecht

6 Benefits of Painting with Wa-terborne, Dan Stewart

7 The Truth about Stalls, Thomas P. Turner

8 Aviation Spark Plug Design & Maintenance, Brian Cox

9 Aviation Insurance Myths: What they can cost you, Mike Adams

10 Auto Engine Conversions, Pat Panzera

11 Electronic Ignition Systems for Piston Powered Aircraft, Mi-chael Kobylik

Rm# 10 am

1 Advanced iPad flying, John Zimmerman

2 Everything you wanted to know about learning to fly, Dr. Peggy Chabrian

3 Airparks: The selection pro-cess-Landing on grass, Ron Heidebrink

4 Sheet metal for kit aircraft, Mark Forss

5 Decrease Costs: How to minimize and avoid Bird Strikes, Gary Cook/LtCol David Pauls-grove

6 Flying the F-117 Stealth Fight-er, Lt Col William O’Connor

7 Fly the Bahamas & Caribbean: What You Need to Know, Jim Parker

8 ADS-B, Peter Ring

9 Building and Flying the Midg-et Mustang and Mustang II, Chris Tieman


11 I’m a Sport Pilot: Now what can I do? Carl Houghton

Rm# 11 am

1 Advanced Flying with Fore-Flight, Eric Hake

2 Ercoupe Maintenance, Lynn Nelsen

3 Side Kick: Right-Seat Flying for the Non-Pilot, Donna Wilt/Virginie Rollin

4 IAC

5 Why GAMI’s G100UL is the “Wright” fuel for G, Timothy Roehl

6 What every pilot should know about FAA enforcement, John Yodice/Kathy Yodice/Michael Yodice

7 Windshields and windows from start to finish, George Me-siarik

8 Understanding Aircraft En-gine Lubrication, Edward Kollin

10 Auto Engine Conversions Pat Panzera

11 Zenith STOL SkyJeep aircraft, Sebastian Heintz

Rm# 12 pm

1 What you need to know about ADS-B, Tom Harper

2 Reviving General Aviation by Dragging Your Tail, Charles Lewis

3 Flying the Wing: Understand-ing Angle of Attack, Mark Korin

4 IAC

5 Navigating in and around Spe-cial Use Airspace (SUA), Lt Col David Paulsgrove

6 The Sonex, Waiex, Xenos & Onex: Sport Pilot Designs, John Monnett


7 Bird Strike reporting: Life cycle of a report, Sara Brammel/Mike Begier

8 Buy, rebuild and fly the afford-able certified ride, CI Stevens/Clyde Smith

9 Exploring your options at TBO for Continental and Lycoming Powered Aircraft, Bill Ross


11 Lightning kit and S-LSA air-craft, Nick Otterback

Rm# 1 pm

1 What’s new at Van’s Aircraft, Gus Funell/Dick VanGrunsven

2 Single Pilot IFR: Tips from a Double I, Doug Stewart

3 Loss of Aircraft Control, Paul Cox

4 Taming the tailwheel, Jim Guldi

5 Saving money through PMA Parts at Overhaul, Dale Smith

6 Lead Acid Aircraft Battery Air-worthiness, Chris Holder

7 Airships: Past, Present & Fu-ture, Richard G. Van Treuren

8 Proper care & maintenance for starters & alternators, Tommy Ussery

9 JFK Jr Accident Analysis, Jason Schappert

10 Universal Motor Mounts for Mazda rotary engines, Paul La-mar

FAA FORUMSFAA Forums are held at the FAA Avia-tion Safety Center located in the middle of the exhibit area at the corner of Laird Drive and SUN ’n FUN Drive. The FAA Center opens daily at 8 am and the FAA Exhibits are open daily 9 am to 5 pm.8:30 am Loss of Control, Paul Cox, NTSB Senior Air Safety Investigator10 am Wright Brothers “Master Pilot” and Charles Taylor “Master Mechanic” Awards Ceremony, FAA Regional Admin-istrator, Southern Region1 pm Meet the FAA, FAA Regional Ad-ministrator, Southern Region

PARADISE CITY FORUMSLight-Sport Aircraft, Sport Pilot and Ultralight forums are held in the Paradise City Briefing/Forum Tent.10:30 a.m. The Modern Gyroplane, Bob Snyder, Auto Gyro12 p.m. Hints For Homebuilders & We-binar Overview, Timm Bogenhagen, EAA

1:30 p.m. I’m A Sport Pilot, Now What Can I Do? Carol Houghton, Aero AT3 p.m. Light Sport Aircraft Operational Tips, Lou Mancuso, Bristell Aviation

MUSEUM PROGRAMS9 am Building Tomorrows Greatest Avia-tors Today, Mike Zidziunas, Lakeland Aeroclub10 am New exhibits displayed for the Aerospace Discovery at Florida Air Muse-um, Luke Liptak, Eagle Scout Candidate; Hector Santa, Polk State College Intern; Frank Klatt, SUN ’n FUN Volunteer11 am Eagles Nest Projects: Learn how high school students from Florida, Texas, Indiana and Wisconsin are building RV-12 s with the assistance of the Eagles Nest programs now running nationwide12 pm Building Excellence in Tomor-row’s Pilot, Les Westbrooks, NIFA Region lX Representative1 pm Experiments in Alternate Control Methods for Micro Air Vehicles (MAVs), H. David Mathias, Professor at Florida Southern College

AOPA ACTIVITY TENT FORUMSA variety of forums will be held through-out the week at the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) Activity Tent.10 a.m. Handling In-Flight Emergencies, Rod Machado11 a.m. Maximum Fun, Minimum Cost

— Building & Growing AFlying Club, Kelby Ferwerda1 p.m. Air Safety Institute: Accident Case Study Live, George Perry2 p.m. Avidyne: Improving Technologi-cally Advanced Cockpits, Tom Harper

AIRSHOWFORMATION DAYPatriot Jump TeamAeroshell Aerobatic Team - AT-6 Tex-an Formation Team Aerostars -Yak 52 TW Formation TeamTrojan Horsemen - T-28 TrojansGary Rower/Buck RoetmanRedline Airshows - RV-8 Formation TeamGeico Skytypers — AT-6 Texan Aero-baticsTX Flying Legends - B25, F4U Corsair, P-40, F6F Hellcat, A6M Zero4CE Rob Holland/Matt Chapman/Bill Stein

EVENING ENTERTAINMENT7 p.m. Aerospace Pavilion: Presentation by SR-71 Pilots with Lt. Colonel Blair Bozek 7 p.m. Buehler Aerospace Skills Center: Dinner With Legends


Scenes from SUN ’n FUN

ralph “Call me Colonel” Cobb, and assistant, Jim Musgrove, of eaa Chapter 635 roast corn in the campgrounds.

airshow performer Melissa pemberton escaped her hanger to grab an ear of corn at the corn roast.

a young corn enthusiast digs into a tasty ear with gusto.

rodeo drive performs for the crowd at the corn roast.

a new way to use your cordless drill, power your bike!

Photo by Michael Maillet

Photo by Michael Ladd



Photo by Jack Phelan

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