snf today apr. 25

Saturday, April 25, 2015

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

Table of ContentsSolo bricks mark aviation milestone .................................... 3Take a ride back in time .......................................................... 8Master Pilots asked to become mentors .......................... 12Tune into SUN ’n FUN Radio ................................................ 13Education for all ages during this week’s fly-in ............... 14Judging airplanes at SUN ’n FUN ....................................... 15International Visitors Center welcomes the world......... 19Map of the grounds ................................................................ 20Pilots with a higher calling ....................................................30

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April 25, 2015 Sun ’n Fun Today - www.sun-n-fun.org 3

By ELIZABETH WALKER

The inscribed bricks at the entrance to the Central Florida Aerospace Academy mark a significant milestone for a small group of students at the school. Each of the red bricks commemorates a student’s first solo.

To date, 28 of the bricks have been laid and the numbers will climb steadily with each yearly dedication.

Mike Zidziunas, director of the Lake-land Aero Club, said the brick project be-gan as an extension of an idea by CFAA benefactor James Ray to commemorate a student’s first solo.

“Mr. Ray knew that the solo marks a change in a student’s life,” Zidziunas said. “The solo bricks will be added in a ceremony each November. An additional 27 solo bricks are already scheduled for the 2015 ceremony and that number will certainly grow.”

Zidziunas, a veteran flight instructor who has taught many CFAA students to fly in the past few years, added, “To date, we have had 55 students who have soloed and many more are in the program.”

At this time, 49 additional students are working toward their solos, he said.

The students are part of the aviation scholarship program at CFAA. Scholar-

ships are in two parts — a student who qualifies with good grades and meets oth-er requirements, including a written sub-mission and a personal interview, receives a $5,000 scholarship that pays flight train-ing through the first solo.

“Students have six months to solo un-der the scholarship,” Zidziunas said. “If they want to continue and earn their private pilot’s license, they apply for an additional scholarship of approximately $6,750. They have to meet the criteria and go before a scholarship board that meets quarterly.”

To date, 104 scholarships have been granted and 35 students are under consid-eration for scholarships.

The application process is a continuing one with student interest remaining high, Zidziunas said. “Twenty-eight of our scholarship students have gotten their pri-vate pilot certificates, including six who also earned their commercial certificate,” he said. “And three are now flight instruc-tors.”

CFAA graduate and Polk State student Dane Busone said seeing his name on a solo brick gave him a lot of satisfaction.

“I know it will always be there,” said Busone, who got his private pilot’s li-cense last year and is currently working on his instrument rating. He hopes to fly

for a private firm and is also studying air-port management.

CFAA senior Cole Harris also earned his private pilot’s license in 2014, and said it was a rewarding experience to see the solo bricks in front of the school. His sentiments were echoed by CFAA junior

Skyler Burnam, who has his private pi-lot’s license and is working on an instru-ment rating.

“The brick is something I’ll always remember and perhaps seeing the bricks will be an inspiration to others to also solo,” Burnam said.

Senior Liam Clancy said the brick was a reminder that he did a demo flight with Zidziunas as a 12-year-old and that was his start. Sophomore Michael Jenkins, who soloed only a week before SUN ’n FUN, added, “I’m looking forward to see-ing my solo brick dedicated next Novem-ber.”

“All this is not just about flight train-ing,” Zidziunas said “Not everyone is go-ing to go on after solo and get a pilot’s license. But the skills that the students de-velop in learning to solo will carry them in life. They will have that confidence to do things. And some of them, like some of the students that already have their li-censes, will breathe and dream flying.”

Zidziunas said there may be an addi-tional category as part of fulfilling James Ray’s dream of celebrating the solo as a major step in life.

“We have a glider and we want to start glider operations,” Zidziunas said. “We will start attracting the 14- and 15-year-olds and they’ll be able to solo a glider.”

Solo bricks mark aviation milestone

Student pilot Cole Harris with the brick commemorating his solo flight.

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PLEASE REMEMBER TO RECYCLE

ISSue 4 — SaTurday aprIl 25, 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 JANICE WOOD

About 100 teachers will descend on the SUN ’n FUN grounds today to attend an Aerospace Teachers Workshop, a day full of activities designed to inspire educators to use aviation as a teaching tool.

“We have teachers from kindergar-ten through 12th grade in private, public or home school,” says Barbara Walters-Phillips, a veteran educator who helps or-ganize the workshop. “It is also for scout troop leaders and others who work with young people to teach them about aviation and space. The goal is to teach teachers to integrate aviation and space into their curriculum and give students information about aviation-related careers.

This year will be the 28th year for the workshop, she notes.

“It started as a small group of teachers who met in the FAA building and then in the forum tents,” she recalls. “Today our concurrent sessions are held in the Cen-tral Florida Aerospace Academy and our opening ceremony and luncheon are held in the Buehler Restoration Center.”

Over the years, the teacher’s workshop has evolved to include a variety of pre-senters from teachers to speakers from the Civil Air Patrol, Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, NASA and the FAA, according to Walters-Phillips.

“We always have an astronaut as the keynote speaker,” she said, noting this year’s speaker is retired astronaut Grego-ry H. Johnson, who is now the executive director of the Center for the Advance-ment of Science in Space (CASIS).

“They are very much involved in STEM activities, which take place on the Inter-national Space Station,” she notes.

“With the increased interest in STEM, we have presenters who will discuss many activities and careers that relate to Science, Technology, Engineering and Math,” she continued. “We will have ses-sions on robotics for all grades K-12. One presenter is bringing a robot!”

Other topics include weather, com-munications, designing and building sci-ence gizmos, “Aha Moments in Teaching Aviation” and “Motivating Millennials,” she says.

New this year, the teachers will take a group photo in front of the Boeing 727, dedicated Thursday as the Piedmont Aerospace Experience.

“I have asked John Iskra and Robb Wil-liams of the SUN ’n FUN staff to give teachers a preview of what’s coming in the future for this aircraft,” she says. “We will go inside and see where they will have a classroom set up. Next year, we hope to hold some of our hands-on ses-sions in the 727.”

Returning this year is the chance for four of the teachers to fly with the Aeroshell Aerobatic Team during the workshop.

“The Aeroshell Team has been very dedicated to supporting our workshop for many years,” Walter-Phillips says. “They enjoy giving teachers a thrilling ride so they can go back and share the experience with their students. Their goal is to thank teachers for what they do for students and make them feel very special and appreci-ated.”

While the Aerospace Teachers Work-shop lasts just one day, planning for it takes an entire year.

“We have an amazing committee of 16 people who work throughout the year to plan the workshop and make it happen on the Saturday of SUN ’n FUN,” she says. “Their dedication continues to make the workshop possible. Also, we are very ap-preciative of the support of the entire SUN ’n FUN staff. They value education and are always there to provide what we need for the event. It’s a real team effort!”

Once the workshop is over at around 2 p.m. this afternoon, the teachers are free to go out onto the SUN ’n FUN grounds and enjoy the rest of the show.

“Many of them probably wouldn’t have come out to SUN ’n FUN except for the workshop,” Walters-Phillips noted.

Teaching teachers about aviation

last year’s teachers got a chance to ride with the aeroshell aerobatic Team.

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A cornerstone of the Experimental Air-craft Association’s Flight Plan program for youth is free access to Sporty’s Learn to Fly Course. Sporty’s now offers new content and functionality for the course, which serves as ground school, test prep and a flight training companion. Nearly four hours of new high-definition video content and animations have been added, along with improved features for the writ-ten test prep application.

New video content includes training in cross-country flight operations that focus-es on airspace, chart interpretation, plan-ning, and detailed weather analysis that takes advantage of the latest products and technology available.

Sporty’s has also improved functional-ity within its written test prep application allowing Young Eagles to earn the writ-ten exam endorsement directly from the course. Test prep, included with the Learn

to Fly Course, allows customized study sessions and simulated exams.

Young Eagles can register for the course after completing their Young Ea-gles Flight.

At the completion of Sporty’s first solo module, Young Eagles are also eligible for a free first flight lesson.

Learn more at Sporty’s exhibit in the North Exhibit Area, Booths 100-101, or at Sportys.com, or YoungEagles.org.

Young Eagles receive course upgrades

Join The Pack!Flying my Husky is absolutely some of the most fun flying I have ever enjoyed in over 30 years of flying. Having owned several other aircraft and a helicopter, it’s the Husky that has opened up a world of backcountry flying and possibilities we only dreamed about but never had the right equipment to fully explore. It has the range and performance necessary to lift my wife and I and our gear to places off the beaten path with comfort and safety. Being based in Northern Idaho, I have had unlimited opportuni-ties to test the capabilities of the aircraft and have never been disappointed. The Husky Experience has even stimulated my wife to go and get her private ticket. As she readily repeats, “I just can believe what a ton of fun this is!” - Marc & Jeannie Grenier

Try HuskyFlight. It’ll change your life. Log on to http://husky.aviataircraft.com. Check out the videos, get inspired, and call to schedule your own Husky Experience!

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By JACK E. NEUBACHER

Sometimes living in this high-tech world of smartphones and high speed In-ternet is great, but other times wouldn’t it be nice to revert back to a more simple time? You have the chance to do that here at SUN ’n FUN. Come on down by the WarBird ramp where you can not only see — but ride — the Ford Tri-motor.

The Experimental Aircraft Association operates two Ford Tri-motors, one owned by the EAA and one on lease. The planes circle the country each summer, bouncing from airport to airport, in old-fashioned “barnstorming” style, giving many a chance to step back in time.

When you get out on the flight line, you can look at this grand old airplane and see the beginning of air travel as we know it today.

When it was time for our ride, our pi-lot, Cody Welch started us out with a brief history of the plane.

“The Tri-motor was the airplane that birthed the whole commercial industry that we all take for granted, and there was a reason for that,” he said. “In the transi-tion period from horse and buggy to mo-torized transportation, there was no infra-structure, no roads, no runways.”

The Ford could hop over the plains and forests and land, not on a runway, but on a 40-acre field. That way they always land-ed into the wind and didn’t need much brakes, he explained.

The origins of the plane began with Henry Ford’s son, Edsel, who knew a man who was an inventor. He was tasked to work on an airplane project. The Fords wanted an airplane made out of metal that was lightweight so it could carry a larger

load, but still be strong. They heard about some Germans who used corrugated alu-minum for strength, so they chose to use that. Why three engines? For the illusion of safety.

The airplane that is giving rides at SUN ’n FUN played a role in the transconti-nental air service. The TAT or Transcon-tinental Air Transport was a combination of railroad and airline, formed to shorten the time it took to travel across the coun-try. Passengers left New York City on a sleeper car, traveling overnight by train to Columbus, Ohio. There they were trans-ferred to the terminal building where they boarded the Ford Tri-motor, which made stops in Indianapolis, St. Louis, Kansas City, Wichita, then to Waynoka, Okla-homa, where they boarded an overnight train to Los Angeles. The combination of plane and train cut the old 96-hour train ride time in half.

Now the service wasn’t terribly reli-able. It couldn’t fly in icing conditions and the navigation wasn’t very good, so it was basically a VFR operation. But it was a proof of concept that the airplane was a viable means of transportation.

From those humble beginnings we can now fly around the world at any time, with safety and reliability, but that wouldn’t have been possible without the Ford Tri-motor starting the industry.

So while you are at SUN ’n FUN this week, stop by the Ford Tri-motor, and take a moment to jump back in time. You can book a flight from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. for $90.

A portion of your ticket goes to help the youth from the Lakeland Aero Club fulfill their dream and fly to Oshkosh again this year.

Take a ride back in time

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Congressman Sam Graves (R-Mo.), a pilot and aircraft owner who is a strong advocate for general aviation in Wash-ington, D.C., will hold his annual Pilot Town Hall this morning at 10 a.m. at the

FAA Building in the middle of the SUN ’n FUN grounds.

Graves has held the Pilot Town Hall for the last few years at SUN ’n FUN. Be-sides giving an update on what is going

on in Washington, D.C., he traditionally includes the heads of all of general avia-tion’s advocacy groups at the Town Hall. He also ensures there is plenty of time for questions from the audience.

Pilot Town Hall today at FAA building

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


By JONI M. FISHER

On Saturday after the missing man for-mation tribute, in the middle of Warbird Country, three small flags will be added to the outside of a Grumman Mohawk OV1-D by the names of three MIAs whose remains have been recovered: Lt. Richard C. Clark, Sergeant Rodney L. Griffin, and Command Sergeant Edwin E. Morgan.

This particular Mohawk, purchased eight years ago by pilot and airshow per-former Joe Masessa, M.D. of Florida, was painted with the names of 1,636 Vietnam MIAs last month. Masessa has flown the plane to Oshkosh and various fly-ins and airshows around the country.

The Mohawk was used by Army Intel-ligence and the CIA to fly at 500 feet, illu-minate an enemy’s position using a 2,500-volt flasher pod with a self-enclosed generator, and photograph the site. The flasher pod is under the co-pilot’s wing beside the exterior tank.

“Last year in Oshkosh there was a man named Wayne Klotz who served in Viet-nam in ’68 and ’69. He ran cameras from the right seat in a Mohawk. I took him up in it at Oshkosh,” Masessa said.

He then pointed to names marked with an airplane silhouette symbol and said those MIAs flew in Mohawks.

The belly of the plane held a panoramic camera, with another camera in the wing and one in the nose. At times it could be fitted with 50-caliber machine guns, mis-siles, rockets, and bombs for close air support.

This Mohawk has 2,800 total time and was rebuilt in 1982 at Grumman in Stew-art, Florida, in preparation for use in the Middle East. It was not sent, so it has a low-time engine.

It is aerobatic and IFR certified. Mases-sa installed a smoke system on the co-pilot’s wing for use in airshows.

Team Chief Larry Easter noted, “Every so often we’ll find a pilot standing by the plane trying to hold back tears. He’ll tell us that he’s flown one of these.”

For more information on this flying monument, go to UnaccountedForViet-nam.org and MohawkAirshows.com.

A flying monument to Vietnam MIAs

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The belly of the plane held a panoramic camera to photograph enemy sites.

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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By JONI M. FISHER

On Thursday morning at SUN ’n FUN in the FAA Building, 10 Florida pilots received the prestigious Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award.

This award recognizes individuals who have exhibited professionalism, skill, and aviation expertise for at least 50 years while piloting. The names of these recipi-ents will be added to the FAA’s Roll of Honor to join others on the list, includ-ing Astronaut Neil Armstrong, Astronaut Gene Cernan, SUN ’n FUN’s own Billy Henderson, aerobatic great Bob Hoover, and Arnold Palmer.

After each of the recipients and their spouses were introduced, FAA Deputy Administrator Michael G. Whitaker pre-sented them with a copy of their careers’ worth of licenses and other paperwork from the FAA, along with their plaques.

The new Master Pilots are:Tim Bauer of Spruce Creek;• Richard Boehmke of Ocala;• Jon K. Brown of Auburndale;• John Castronover Jr. of Gainesville;• Richard Dayton of Ocala;• Daniel Duran of Mulberry;• Jerome “Jerry” Kulesia of Edgewater;• Burt Olson of Polk City;• Roger Ringelman of Wiersdale; and,• Frank “Red” Schulte of Mayo.•

In addition to receiving their Master Pi-lot Award, the FAA asked each Master Pi-lot to mentor an aspiring pilot, who stood behind them on the stage to signify fol-lowing the masters in their footsteps. St

Mentors and their students are Bauer and Central Florida Aerospace Academy (CFAA) student Thang Dang; Boehmke and Summerlin Military Academy stu-dent Taylorjay Roberts; Brown and CFAA student Caleb Fussell; Castronover and CFAA student Trevor Peet; Dayton and

CFAA student Gianna Azzarro; Duran and CFAA student Austin Roshe; Kule-sia and CFAA student Abigail Anderson; Olson and CFAA student Daiken Martin; Ringelman and CFAA student Joseph Hodges; and, Schulte and CFAA student Liam Clancy.

These mentors from the Greatest Gen-eration have much to offer the future of aviation.

Find out more about the Wright brothers Master Pilot Award at FAASafety.gov.

Master Pilots asked to mentor students

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Sheltair at Lakeland Linder Regional Airport, the most recent addition to the Sheltair network of FBOs, has been gear-ing up for this week’s show for quite some time. Special amenities offered dur-ing the fly-in include courtesy shuttles to and from the show grounds, early bird pre-show lunch, Avfuel Contract Fuel, AVTRIP Points and more.

“This is a spectacular event and we are excited for visitors to experience an elevated level of service and support at KLAL,” said Karen Kroeppel, director of sales and marketing. “To facilitate in-creased fueling demands, we have added to our refueling fleet and have designated personnel in mobile units available in each zone to coordinate fuel service. Addition-

ally, we are more than doubling our staff with experienced line professionals with large event experience to ensure safe, ef-ficient, and seamless service.”

Sheltair (KLAL) operates out of a re-cently constructed 3,200-square-foot ter-minal with acres of parking, she noted.

Learn more at Sheltair’s exhibit in Han-gar D, Booth 89.

Sheltair offers fly-in special amenities

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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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14 SUN ’n FUN Today - www.sun-n-fun.org April 21-26 , 2015

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.

Seaplane Splash-In cancelledPh

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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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By JONI M. FISHER

Where do missionary pilots go to net-work and unwind? Thanks to the efforts of Mission Aviation Support Association of Florida (MASA-FL), they come to SUN ’n FUN.

This year 70 missionary pilots and me-chanics will enjoy Southern hospitality through the work of MASA FL.

MASA works under the umbrella orga-nization International Association of Mis-sionary Aviation (IAMA), which has 50 schools and organizations connected to it. MASA-FL recruits host families and local churches to house the pilots. MASA-FL arranges for parking and passes to SUN ’n FUN, loaner cars, local speaking engage-ments, and shuttle service for the pilots from their “Feature Tent” in the Southeast Exhibit Area to the dining tent.

“We’ll serve about 1,200 meals at this site,” said John Hoke of MASA-FL, re-ferring to the red and white striped dining

tent waaaaay out in the South East aircraft parking area. “They’re healthy meals, the kind you would eat at home. They are pre-pared by 16 local churches.”

The local churches who host and feed the missionary pilots are: Auburndale Community Church, Browning Road Baptist, Calvary Chapel Lakeland, Church Ignited, Evangelical Presbyterian Plant City, Grace Bible Church, First Baptist Church of the Mall, Harborside Chris-tian, Heritage Baptist, Legacy Christian, Northside Baptist, Northside Christian, Victory Church, and Vineyard.

MASA-FL representatives John Hoke and Bob Moore spoke at the Monday night dinner called “The Gathering,” where the pilots and their local host fami-lies network and learn about the various missionary aviation organizations.

Organizations who sent missionary pilots to SUN ’n FUN this year include Agape Flights, Adventist World Aviation (AWA), Harvest Aviation, JAARS (Jun-

gle Aviation And Radio Service), Mis-sion Aviation Fellowship (MAF), Mission Flights International (MFI), Moody Avia-tion, and New Tribes Missions.

Go to the corner of Doolittle and SUN ’n FUN Drive in the Southeast Exhibit Area to find out more about these organi-zations in the giant white tent.

Pilots with a higher calling

By JONI M. FISHER

In the world of missionary aviation, getting to remote areas is a challenge met through organization, specially-designed aircraft, and sheer determination.

The organization comes in part from International Association of Missionary Aviation (IAMA), the umbrella group that connects 50 missionary groups that deploy pilots and mechanics to the far reaches of the planet, like Papau New Guinea, the Amazon, and hazardous areas like Afghanistan. Reaching these places means landing on short airfields, rivers, mountainsides and places many pilots would refuse to land.

Specially-designed aircraft like the Helio Courier and modified Kodiaks suit the STOL needs of missionary pilots. The Helio Courier was designed by MIT grad Otto Koppen to be unstallable. In use since the 1950s, it can operate at alarm-ingly slow speeds and almost hang by the prop. Mike Mowler, of JAARS (Jungle Aviation And Radio Service), explained the reasons the Helio Courier is consid-ered unstallable.

“Seventy percent of the wing is fowler flaps and the leading edge of the wing ex-tends,” he said pulling out the wing ex-tension. “It flies so slowly the wings just keep flying.”

At a glance the Helio looks like a preg-nant Cessna 206. When the plane was first used it did not have an extra cargo door or the storage pod under the fuselage. According to Mower, after the pod was added to allow for 350 pounds of cargo, natives argued that the “new” plane was female.

“One pilot brought along a radio-con-trolled plane and when he pulled it out of the pod, the women were convinced from

then on that this was a female plane,” said Mower.

The Helio Courier on display at SUN ’n FUN (N461FM) has flown 11,000 hours over 60 years of use in Ecuador, Indone-sia, and other places.

“I’ve landed and taken off in the Philip-pines in 300 feet on a 600-foot runway,” Mower said.

They still use the Helio Courier to train pilots, but “Pilatus Porters are replacing the Helios and the Kodiak is replacing the Cessna 206 in the field,” he noted.

One specially-designed Kodiak on floats (N113MF) still has that new plane smell. John Hook, of Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF), said, “Quest built this plane just the way we wanted it. The floats are carbon instead of aluminum. That saves 300 pounds, which is room for more cargo or people.”

Also on display at the IAMA tent is the JAARS version of the all-terrain vehi-cle—a motorcycle that tows a boat. When the driver reaches a river, he puts the bike and the trailer in the boat and crosses. That’s determination.

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John Hoke and bob Moore, representatives of MaSa-fl.

The modified Kodiak with a cargo pod for extra carrying capacity.

an extendable leading edge helps the Helio Courier fly at ultra low speeds.

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By JANICE WOOD

There was a lot happening on opening day of SUN ’n FUN, including a milestone for Lakeland Linder Regional Airport: A groundbreaking ceremony was held for the airport’s new air traffic control tower.

The new tower will be 141 feet, signifi-cantly higher than the 50-foot tower now in operation. “That was built in the late 1970s,” noted Gene Conrad, airport man-ager.

The new tower, on the north side of the airport, will cost $5.2 million to build, with most of the funds coming from a grant from the Florida Department of Transportation. Construction on the feder-al contract tower will actually begin after SUN ’n FUN and is expected to take 240 days to complete. “It should be ready to go for SUN ’n FUN 2016,” Conrad said.

The new tower is just one more im-provement to the bustling airport, which gets busier and busier every year.

Conrad reports that in March, the air-port had 11,261 operations, making it the third busiest month in the last five years. In just the first eight days of April — long before SUN ’n FUN began — the airport saw 3,717 operations.

It’s not surprising, when you consider that the airport now has five flight schools

and 75 businesses and organizations that call KLAL home. More than 1,000 em-ployees come to the airport on any given day to work.

“The state did a study in 2010 that showed the airport had an economic im-pact of $162 million,” Conrad said. “In August 2014, that was updated to $284 million. All the improvements we have made to the airport — the solar farm, the high school and all the new tenants — have resulted in our economic contribu-tion increasing by $122 million.”

Conrad was quick to note that it’s not

just KLAL where things are happening. The other three GA airports in Polk Coun-ty — Winter Haven, Bartow, and Lake Wales — have a total economic impact of more than $400 million. “Aviation is alive and well in Polk County,” he said.

And the future of aviation in the county is looking brighter with the emphasis on education from SUN ’n FUN and other organizations on the airport.

It’s already home to the Central Florida Aerospace Academy, with students from Polk State College also training and tak-ing classes here. Under renovation is the

old FlightSafety building and once that $1.5 million project is complete, Polk State College will move into and begin classes there, hopefully in the fall.

“There are so many jobs available,” Conrad noted. “We’re trying to be part of the solution as there’s a real shortage of employees coming down the pike.”

As an employer, KLAL is already ben-efitting from the educational facilities on the field. Through an internship program, students can begin working at the airport, getting valuable experience. For example, the airport’s operations coordinator start-ed as an intern, while two former CFAA students are working as interns now.

Other improvements at the airport are on display at this year’s show, including the recently completed Warbird Ramp, which doubled in size, and the new headquarters for the EAA Warbirds of America.

Also in the works is a facility for Cus-toms and Border Patrol, which will allow pilots to fly into KLAL from destinations outside the country. Once that is up and running, the airport may be looking at a name change, according to Conrad, as it will become an international airport.

But for now, Conrad and other airport employees are focused on SUN ’n FUN.

“It’s a year-round process to get ready for SUN ’n FUN,” he said.

Groundbreaking held for new tower

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By BEN SCLAIR

A new four-seat, three-door, high-wing, piston single made its U.S. debut at SUN ’n FUN this year. Tecnam has at its dis-play in the Manufacturer’s Display Area, Space 27, its EASA certificated P2010.

Since being certified in September 2014, 20 of the P2010s have already been delivered to European customers, said Shannon Yeager, Tecnam’s Director of U.S. sales. “We expect FAA certification in September 2015.”

Yeager noted the last clean sheet stan-dard category four-place high-wing pis-ton-single was the Cessna 182.

“The P2010 has the load-carrying abil-ity of the 182 using the same engine as the Cessna 172,” continued Yeager. “That’s what new technology and design can de-liver.”

The fuselage is carbon fiber, the wing is metal, the engine is Lycoming’s IO-360-M1A. A pilot can push the throttle for-ward and see 140 knots at max continu-ous power or pull it back to 125 knots and

burn just 7.8 gallons per hour. A nice feature is a third door on the

right side of the P2010. Yeager chuckled as he talked about watching many people slide the right side front seat forward to see about getting into the back seat. When it becomes obvious that familiar method won’t work, they turn and look at Shan-non with a question mark on their face. He points them to the third door, which makes entry and exit much easier.

U.S. list price for the P2010 with stan-dard Garmin G1000 panel is $379,000. The first 10 customers to place an order at SUN ’n FUN will be eligible for a special price of $345,000.

Tecnam is also celebrating the first an-niversary of its 21,000-square-foot sales and support facility at Sebring Regional Airport (KSEF) in Florida. The Sebring site plays host to every Tecnam model the company sells in the United States.

At the one-year mark, Yeager reports he has taken 40 orders for aircraft.

“Nearly all have also been delivered,” he noted.

P2010 makes U.S. debut

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iFlightPlanner users can now create and save flight plan files for use in the new GTN 600 and 700-series avionics by Garmin.

This eliminates the need for pilots to enter routes by saving a GFP file from iFlightPlanner.com to a compatible SD Card, which can then be loaded to the Garmin unit for activation or storage.

“iFlightPlanner is very excited to be the first flight planning resource offering file export capabilities for use in the Garmin GTN series of avionics,” said Andy Mat-thews, iFlightPlanner’s co-founder and director of business development. “Safe-ty, usability and flight planning efficiency are at the core of every new feature we develop and we believe our membership will find this technology to be an incred-ible asset to their flying.”

iFlightPlanner has been a leader in flight plan file creation since it first introduced this type of functionality for its members

in 2012, with GFP compatibility building on iFlightPlanner’s existing FPL flight plan file creation for Garmin’s G1000 and 430/530 avionics packages. Collectively iFlightPlanner now supports five different file formats – Garmin GFP and FPL, GPX, GPX for AvMap and the FMS flight plan file format used in the popular X-Plane Flight Simulator by Laminar Research.

The GFP format is compatible with the GTN 625, 635, 650, 725 and 750 models running software version 5.10 or later and requires an iFlightPlanner Premium or Premium Plus membership.

iFlightPlanner Premium memberships with route export capabilities start at just $9.99 a month and include access to iF-lightPlanner’s cloud-based flight planning technology across all of its platforms, in-cluding iFlightPlanner for iPad.

Learn more from iFlightPlanner in Han-gar D, Booths 11-12 or at iFlightPlanner.com.

iFlightPlanner offers Garmin GTN flight plan compatibility

April 25, 2015 33

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By JONI M. FISHER

Welcome to the temporary Ham or am-ateur radio station W4S (Whiskey Four Sierra) transmitting live from SUN ’n FUN all this week from under a canopy sandwiched between the Aerospace Dis-covery at the Florida Air Museum and the Aerospace Pavilion.

Set up by ham radio operator Tom Ruhlmann (identified in amateur radio as W9IPR), the temporary event station in-vites licensed operators to sign in and be guest operators.

The frequencies for transmitting are established by the International Telecom-munications Union, which also sets regu-lations and protocols. More than 700,000 amateur radio operators are licensed in the U.S. through the Federal Communica-tions Commission. Worldwide there are 3 million licensed operators.

Ruhlmann said these operation chats are “a lot like going fishing. It might be quiet all day, but then depending on the time of day and good atmospheric condi-tions, the traffic might pick up.”

Bob T. Flynn said Ham radio “used to be done through Morse code, but that’s no longer a requirement.”

He demonstrated a transmission in Morse code for pilot and guest Ham Op-erators Jennifer Elliot (KE8AJE) and Jim Riverside (K8ABS). He said that they have logged replies from other operators from Texas, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, and the Bahamas this week.

Amateur radio operators can also be trained through a group known as Ama-teur Radio Emergency Service (ARES). Ruhlmann says ARES-trained operators work with county emergency manage-ment from a disaster area to outside emer-gency services.

Ham radio station transmitting from show

In an exclusive partnership with Aero Vodochody and Williams International, Lakeland-based Draken International is now offering next generation upgrades on L-39 aircraft in the Americas.

The L-39 upgrade program, or L-39NG

upgrade, enables owners of Aero Vodo-chody L-39 aircraft to implement a num-ber of enhancements to deliver improve-ments in performance, technological capability, aircraft availability and safety, company officials said this week.

The key feature of the upgrade is the Williams International FJ44-4M engine, which delivers improved performance. A new electric starter allows the original APU to be removed with all its compo-nents, saving weight, officials add. In the cockpit, new digital instruments are add-ed, as well as OEM overhauled ejection

seats with fresh pyro.The upgrade results in decreased fuel

consumption by 15%, decreased mainte-nance costs, and decreased aircraft weight by approximately 330 pounds, company officials report.

Find out more at Draken’s exhibit in the North Exhibit area, Booths 57-59.

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Draken offers L-39 upgrades

Ham radio operators Jim riverside, Jennifer elliot, and bob T. flynn at their display outside the florida air Museum.

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Whether you’re a pilot, an aspiring pilot, or just love airplanes, EAA will help you get the most out of aviation.• Purchase your EAA AirVenture

Oshkosh 2015 tickets• See SUN ‘n FUN from the air in our

historic Ford Tri-Motor or B-17• Enter the 2015 EAA Sweepstakes• Pull a rivet, help build a Sonex Onex fuselage,

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April 25, 2015 35

ForeFlight Mobile 7.0 enhancedForeFlite Mobile 7.0 will be released

soon after SUN ’n FUN. Check out these new features while you’re at SUN ’n FUN at ForeFlight’s exhibit in Hangar C, Booth 92-93:

Delta Downloads: Faster and smaller downloads that use less disk space during cycle cross-over time. Delivers only the “what changed” data each month, result-ing in a 70% to 90% reduction in down-load time. Available to Basic and Pro sub-scribers.

Departure, Arrival, and Instrument Procedure Preview: Procedure Advisor tool allows pilots to preview and select arrivals, departures, and approach proce-dures, making it easier to see how various procedures enter and exit a terminal area. The waypoints can then be automatically

inserted into the route navlog. Available to Basic and Pro subscribers.

ForeFlight Web Beta: Flight planning lands on your desktop. The new platform gives ForeFlight customers more flex-ibility when planning a flight. Routes, favorites, and recents are synced across devices.

ForeFlight for Apple Watch: ADS-B weather to your wrist, flight notifications, timers, customizable flight instruments.

Chart Legends on the Maps view will be rolled out to all VFR and IFR charts.

Cabin Altitude Advisor will alert pilots when the barometric pressure begins to deviate from GPS altitude at an unaccept-able rate. The instrument is automatically armed and activates once the airplane climbs above 12,500 feet MSL.

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Two and three blade MT propeller sys-tems — with a reversing option — are now available for installation on Aviat Husky aircraft.

Flight Resource founding partner Larry Schlasinger said he received the STC on Tuesday, April 21.

“We are very excited to be able to of-fer this new option to our customers,” said Schlasinger. “The reversing system allow pilots to toggle between normal forward thrust and reverse thrust while the aircraft is on the ground or water, adding another level of safety to those who are flying with our MT Propellers.”

A special designed MT Propeller gov-ernor is used, along with redundant safety systems, to ensure the prop will move into reverse mode only when the plane is not in flight. The pilot controls operation of

forward and reverse with a simple, conve-niently placed toggle switch.

“That prop is a game changer,” said Al-pine Aviation salesman Todd Smith after flying the plane. “Docking is a snap.”

The kit includes the prop, governor, kevlar spinner, installation kit, wiring har-ness and the STC.

The system is available for all Hus-ky models. The two-blade system cost $24,550 and saves a few pounds over a stock two-blade prop from the factory. The three-blade set-up costs $25,875 and weighs about the same as the stock two-blade prop.

Schlasinger has already started the STC process for the Cessna single-engine line.

See a video at the Aviat Aircraft display (MD-30C-31B) or on YouTube.

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Piper Aircraft has chosen Parker Aero-space’s Cleveland division to supply wheels, brakes and brake system hydrau-lics for the new M600.

Parker has been working with Piper Aircraft engineering for more than two years to develop a new high-performance

brake system for the aircraft.For more information about Parker’s

line of wheel and brake equipment, visit the Parker booth in Hangar C, Booth 32. The Meridian M600 is on display during the show at Piper’s exhibit in the Manu-facturer’s Display area, Spaces 18-19.

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What’s happening todaySUN ’n FUN 2015

SUN ’n FUN FORUMSForums are held in classrooms at the Cen-tral Florida Aviation Academy (CFAA).

Rm# 9 am

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

2 Decrease Costs: How to mini-mize and avoid Bird Strikes, Gary Cook/LtCol David Paulsgrove

3 Panel Design and Cockpit Er-gonomics, Chuck Rowbotham

4 Day in the life of a NORAD fighter pilot, LtCol Kevin Roethe/LtCol Mike McMillin

5 The Fundamentals: Artistry of a Great Flyer, Jim Alsip

6 Bird Strike: Life cycle of a re-port, Sara Brammel/Mike Begier

7 Quickie builders forum, Jerry Marstall

8 Personal Air Mobility-Electric Aircraft in the 21st Century, Neil Cosentino

9 Protecting your medical and flying safely, Greg Pinnell

10 Auto Engine Conversions, Pat Panzera

11 Tips on Touring with your LSA behind your Motor Home, Dr. Robert Jones

Rm# 10 am

1 Advanced Flying with Fore-Flight, Eric Hake

2 Avoid Hangar Hazards: Hangar Safety and Organization, Marcie Katz

3 Seaplane Safety is NO Acci-dent, Steven McCaughey

4 Benefits of Painting with Wa-terborne, Dan Stewart

5 American Yankee Association, Guy S. Warner

6 Mountain Flying, Gary Reeves

7 Should you rent or buy? Scott “Sky” Smith

8 In-Flight Emergency! Don’t be overwhelmed, Fred Herbert

9 Protecting your medical and flying safely, Greg Pinnell


Rm# 11 am

1 Physics and Flying in Van’s RV, Aircraft Jan Bussell

2 Training International Stu-dents the Right Way, Michelle Haworth

3 A&P/IA Licensing Process and FAR Review, Thomas D. Black

4 IAC

5 American Yankee Association, Guy S. Warner

6 Free CSC DUATS: The Future of Flight Planning, Terry Stalvey

7 The Politics of Aviation, Danny Lucas

8 Mastering Crosswinds, Tay-lor Albrecht

9 Getting the airline pilot job you want — fast! Kit Darby


11 Building an all-metal kit aircraft for first-time builders, Sebastian Heintz

Rm# 12 pm

1 How I use the iPad in the Cock-pit, Jason Schappert

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

3 Reviving General Aviation by Dragging Your Tail, Charles Lewis

4 IAC

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

6 Training in a Box: Shake, Rattle and Roll! Stephen Gatlin

7 The Magic behind your Glass Panel, Kirk Kleinholz

8 CloudAhoy Debrief for safety and self-learning, Chuck Shavit


9 Medical Fitness for General Aviation Pilots, Dr. Mary Pat Mc-Kay


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

Rm# 1 pm

1 iPad Takes Flight! EFB Chal-lenge Contest to Test Skills, Charles Schneider

2 Flying for Business: Tax Con-siderations as you Make Your Aircraft Work for You, Jonathan Levy/Suzanne Meiners-Levy

3 Women who build: Networking and Tips, Robin Lamar

4 Introducing the Saberwing Airplane, William Clapp

5 Aviation Weather for General Aviation Pilots, Don Eick

6 A Pilot’s Guide to Medications and the FAA Medical, Dr. Larry Diamond

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

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

9 General Aviation Safety: How are we doing? Earl Weener


11 Clean & Green SAMS (Small Aircraft Mobility Systems), Neil Cosentino

FAA FORUMSFAA Forums are held at the FAA Aviation Safety Center.8:30 am Aviation Weather for General Aviation, Don Eick, NTSB Senior Meteo-rologist10 am Pilot Town Hall With Congress-man Sam Graves (R-Mo)11:30 am General Aviation Safety: How Are We Doing? Dr. Earl Weener, NTSB Board Member1 pm Flight Service, Mike Glasgow, Lockheed Martin

PARADISE CITY FORUMSLSA, Sport Pilot and Ultralight forums are held in the Paradise City Forum Tent.10:30 a.m. LSA Operational Tips, Lou Mancuso, Bristell Aviation12 p.m. Seaplanes 101, Steve McCa-ughey, Seaplane Pilots Association1:30 p.m. Getting Started In Ultralight Flying, Timm Bogenhagen, EAA3 p.m. AeroVee Engine/Aero Injector: John Monnett, Sonex Aircraft

MUSEUM PROGRAMS9 am The Battle of Leyte Gulf, Captain Kevin Miller 10 am Flying the Stealth Fighter, Lt. Col. Brad O’Conner, United States Air Force11 am Significant Milestones with the SR-71, SR-71 Pilots and Crew12 pm Tales of the Dynamic Duo, Ken Cage and Danny Thompson of TVs Air-plane Repo1 pm The U-2 Incident: A Son’s Perspec-tive, Gary Powers Jr

AOPA ACTIVITY TENT FORUMS7:30 a.m. Rusty Pilots Breakfast Buffet12 p.m. Reducing Cockpit Stress Be-

tween The Sexes, Rod Machado1 p.m. Ice Cream Social With AOPA President Mark Baker

AIRSHOWSoCommGeico SkytypersDavid MartinBreitling Jet TeamGene SoucyMike GoulianJeff BoerboonKyle FranklinWill AllenMatt YounkinUSAF Thunderbirds

SATURDAY EVENINGLee LauderbackAeroshell Aerobatic Team Team AerodynamixBat Copter/Eugene NockMatt YounkinGene Soucy Manfred RadiusDan BuchananRaiders

What’s happening


Scenes from SUN ’n FUN


Photo by Harvey RenshawPhoto by Harvey Renshaw



Photo by Chuck RackowPhoto by Christoph Ziegler

snf today apr. 25

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