snf today apr. 6, 2016

Wednesday, April 6, 2016

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

Table of ContentsPaying for ATC ............................................................................3Teen’s jewelry business supports flying ............................10Air racers make their way to Lakeland ..............................12Honoring our Armed Forces .................................................16Red Bull Air Race demo premieres .....................................18Map of the grounds .................................................................20Redbird debuts new series ...................................................33Stay an extra day .....................................................................35What’s happening today ........................................................36

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Coast Guard celebratescentennial

As part of the celebrations of the centennial of Coast Guard aviation, a Coast Guard MH-60T helicopter performed a Search and Rescue (SAR) operation at SUN ’n FUN on opening day. The Coast Guard aircraft will be on static display throughout the air show.

Photo by Matt Genuardi

Student flies Crazy HorsePage 4

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April 6, 2016 Sun ’n Fun Today - www.sun-n-fun.org 3

In the weeks before SUN ’n FUN, fly-in officials found themselves scrambling after the FAA told them the estimate for air traffic control services at this year’s event would be a whopping $325,000.

That’s a big difference from last year’s bill of $202,000.

“We told them we can’t survive,” re-calls SUN ’n FUN President John “Lites” Leenhouts, adding he told FAA officials “you will literally put us out of business.”

And so began some negotiations. Leen-houts, working with Gene Conrad, man-ager of Lakeland-Linder Regional Airport and other local officials, asked if they could arrange hotel rooms for the control-lers, instead of the FAA, which was pay-ing close to $300 a night per room. “We can get the same rooms at another hotel for $130 night,” Leenhouts said.

Then the locals offered to arrange the rental cars, which saved even more mon-ey. Next they looked at the staffing levels and determined that full staffing wasn’t needed on the Sunday before the show.

“So we cut down the number of days needed, which cuts down the number of people,” he said. “Then we were able to manage the travel costs associated with cars and hotel rooms and that brought the price down to approximately $282,000.”

And there is the possibility — a slim

one — that they won’t have to pay the bill.That’s because an amendment was

added to the Senate FAA reauthorization bill that would require the FAA to pay all costs for air traffic control services at fly-ins, such as SUN ’n FUN and AirVenture.

Leenhouts credits Experimental Air-craft Association President/CEO Jack Pelton for the amendment.

“It’s about time we put a request in for sainthood for Jack,” he said. “He does have a team, but that was Jack Pelton working as hard as any man with a pas-sion for aviation could ever do — calling on the Senate and calling upon common sense to prevail.”

As part of his lobbying efforts, Pelton pointed out to lawmakers that the FAA is not supporting the airshows — rather the agency is responsible for safe air travel.

“We just happen to have an event that requires more air travel,” Leenhouts ex-pounded.

Of course, no one knows if the amend-ment will survive the lawmaking process, but Leenhouts noted that SUN ’n FUN officials are hoping that if it does, the requirement will be made retroactive to cover this year’s show.

“That’s yet to be determined,” he said. “I’d say the odds are not high, but I will still hope.”

Paying for ATC at the fly-in

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4 SUN ’n FUN Today - www.sun-n-fun.org April 6, 2016

PLEASE REMEMBER TO RECYCLE

ISSUE 2 — WEDNESDAY APRIL 6, 2016

PUBLISHERSJohn “Lites” Leenhouts

Ben Sclair

EDITORIAL STAFFJanice Wood

PRODUCTIONRussell Kasselman

DISTRIBUTIONArthur Ward, Paulette Ward,

Murray Kot, Jason Kot, Samantha Kot, Paul Luckett

CONTRIBUTING WRITERSJoni Fisher, Jack Neubacher, Tom Snow, William Walker,

Elizabeth Walker

PHOTOGRAPHERSMatt Genuardi, Ken Strohm,

Ryan Cleaveland, Jason McLemore

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 JONI M. FISHER

On opening day of SUN ’n FUN, Tay-lor Avery, 18, had the experience of a lifetime: He got the chance to fly the P-51 “Crazy Horse.”

The flight started Tuesday morning at Kissimmee Gateway Airport in Florida, where Crazy Horse is based as part of Stallion 51’s fleet, and ended at 9 a.m. at the SUN ’n FUN grounds on the Warbird Ramp.

Taylor, a senior at the Central Florida Aerospace Academy (CFAA), won the ride for his “hard work and high stan-dards in his academic career,” according to SUN ’n FUN officials. An Air Force ROTC cadet who plans to go to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University after he graduates, Taylor also has been award-ed an Aerospace Center for Excellence (ACE) flight training scholarship and has earned his private pilot license.

He also is a member of the STRATOS squadron, which is a group of students from Polk County selected to serve as ambassadors at the annual SUN ’n FUN International Fly-In and Expo.

The flight of two included P-51 Mus-tangs Crazy Horse (N41306) flown by Lee Lauderback and Avery Taylor, and Mad Max (N51MX) flown by Louis Horschel with copilot John “Trunk Mon-key” Posson. Lauderback is the president and CEO of Stallion 51.

Lee Lauderback said about Taylor, “He’s very serious about aviation, which is fun. He flew 90% of the flight. I did the takeoff and the close formation. It takes only seven minutes to get here, but

we went out and did aileron rolls, barrel rolls, loops, and one half Cuban eight. He hadn’t done aerobatics before, which is great.”

The ACE program at SUN ’n FUN is an important launching pad for engag-ing young people in aviation, Lauderback added.

“I give high accolades to John ‘Li-tes’ Leenhouts for pushing forward with ACE,” said Lauderback. “This is the future, the next generation of aviators. When I asked Taylor if he wanted to fly fighters, he told me he wanted to fly Air-force 1.”

Leenhouts is the President and CEO of SUN ’n FUN.

Louis Horschel in Mad Max flew as wingman for Taylor and Lauderback. He said Taylor’s handling of the P-51 “looked

awesome from where we were.”Taylor calmly stood in front of the

gleaming heavy metal plane for photos and questions with the poise of a profes-sional pilot. When asked how the aerobat-ics were in the Mustang, he broke into a broad smile. He said he won the flight based on merit after earning a spot on the STRATOS squadron in part for an essay on Tony Janus. He said his goals are “Plan A to serve as an Air Force pilot, then plan B to fly commercial, and C to open a flight school.” His dream job and highest goal is “to fly Airforce 1.”

KT Budde, promotions coordinator of Stallion 51, said that on Wednesday at 7 p.m. on the Warbird Ramp Stallion 51 and Experience Kissimmee will be announc-ing a special opportunity for SUN ’n FUN attendees.

Student flies Crazy HorseTaylor Avery after flying Crazy Horse.

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April 6, 2016 SUN ’n FUN Today - www.sun-n-fun.org 5

Are you building a kit aircraft? Looking for an engine? You should stop at the Aero Sport Power booth at SUN ’n FUN.

The Kamloops, British Columbia, Can-ada-based company assembled its first en-gine in 2000 and just completed its 2,100 engine. The milestone engine is an IO540-C4B5 that will be paired with a Harmon Rocket being build by Dwain Harris.

On the heels of engine 2,100, Aero Sport Power completed a CC340 destined for CubCrafters.

“We at CubCrafters have relied on Aero Sport Power as an engine resource in some capacity for 10 years,” said Cub-Crafters’ President Randy Lervold. “In that time we have come to appreciate their sound technical knowledge, the con-sistently high quality of their engines, and

the ongoing support we rely on.” Aero Sport Power offers an array of

stock kit engines from Lycoming, Supe-rior Air Parts and Continental. The com-pany also recently introduced its first “branded engine,” the 200-horsepower Wildcat, which is based on the Superior Air Parts’ XP-382 engine.

“Whether an aircraft builder wants a fully-customized, aerobatic-ready en-gine or is looking for the best value in a stock engine for their homebuilt airplane or helicopter, our master engine builders are committed to delivering the absolute best product every time,” said Rob Wharf, Aero Sport Power president.

Find out more at AeroSportPower.com and at SUN ’n FUN in exhibit space NE-003.

2,100 engines and counting

By JACK E. NEUBACHER

Anyone who has ever been in the mili-tary knows this call: It means someone who is important wants to tell you some-thing you need to remember.

This is the case during this week’s fly-in. And just like Uncle Sam, Brian Kiss-inger, a pilot and movie maker, says “I want you.”

What he really wants are your stories.It goes without saying that every veter-

an has their stories, some good relating to home comings, adventure, travel and mil-itary operations. On the other hand, some of these stories are sad, relating to separa-tion from family and friends and even loss

of fellow soldiers and shipmates.Whatever the stories, it is time for them

to be told, according to Kissinger.He is looking for veterans at this week’s

show to do some interviews for part of an upcoming TV series.

“We want to get the information out there of what these veterans have done for our country,” he said. “There are many survivors of combat and even non-combat situations that suffer from ‘survivor’s re-morse’ and other forms of PTSD.”

In addition, he is open to training “jour-nalists” in filming interviews. For vets who want more information on this pro-gram or to set up an interview, text Brian at 352-601-1908.

Veterans: ‘Listen UP’

Dwain Harris (L), Harmon Rocket builder, and Rob Horvath, Master Engine Builder with the 2,100th engine assembled by Aero Sport Power.

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Scenes from SUN ’n FUN

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Sonex Aircraft will hold a public un-veiling ceremony today at 9:30 a.m. in its exhibit in the Northeast Exhibit Area, booths 11/29, of the new Waiex B-Model prototype.

Less than six weeks ago, Sonex of-ficials revealed the company’s latest de-velopment project, the Sonex and Waiex B-Models.

The B Models feature “more of every-thing you want in a sport aircraft,” ac-cording to Sonex designer and founder John Monnett, who notes they have “more room and comfort, more panel space, more fuel, more engine choices, and more standard features combined with reduced build time and the same great Sonex and Waiex flight characteristics.”

Sonex and Waiex B-Models have been enlarged by straightening of the forward fuselage sides, and feature improved crea-ture comforts, such as more width and comfort at the shoulders, hips, knees and feet. The seat back is moved aft, and new seat geometry accommodates taller indi-viduals.

A center “Y-Stick” offers dual controls with easier cockpit entry and roomier seating, while Electric flaps reduce cock-pit clutter.

The enlarged B-Model instrument pan-el offers plenty of space for today’s dual-

screen avionics installations, company officials noted.

Sonex Aircraft also is expanding engine options with the B-Models, offering the same firewall-forward support for Aero-Vee/AeroVee Turbo and Jabiru/CAMit 3300 engines, while adding engine mount options for UL Power 350i, 350is, and Rotax 912-series engines. A new univer-sal cowl is designed to fit all four options.

B-Model kits will ship with more stan-dard features, and will require less build time, according to officials. Assembled Wing Spars and Machined Angle Com-ponents are now standard. Upgrades and accessories such as the AeroBrake Hy-draulic Brakes, dual AeroConversions Throttle Quadrants, and AeroConversions Trim System are now included. Build time improvements include more laser-cut,

formed and machined parts, machined canopy bows for easier installation with a better fit, an easy-fitting horizontal-split cowl, and engine mounts that bolt quickly and accurately to the airframe.

B-Models will replace the original model Sonex and Waiex in the company’s lineup. New Sonex and Waiex original model kits will only be available for a limited time, however original model sub-kits will still be available to those needing to complete existing projects and legacy service parts will still be produced ac-cording to demand.

B-Models will only be available in kit form, however, the original model Sonex plans will still be available to scratch builders.

Sonex and Waiex B-Model kits will be offered at an introductory price of $23,000 and refundable Kit Reservation Deposits are now available at $1,000 per reserva-tion. Deposit holders will be placed in-line for B-Model kit delivery slots accord-ing to date and time of deposit.

B-Model kit deliveries are estimated to begin in June, 2016. Customers seeking the earliest shipping opportunities may purchase a B-Model Tail Kit with their Kit Reservation Deposit, and they will be moved to the front of the line. Tail Kits began shipping in March.

Sonex debuts aircraft on opening day

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By TOM SNOW

After being dormant for two and a half years following the owner’s death, PK Floats is back in production and exhibit-ing at SUN ’n FUN for the first time.

Located in the Manufacturer’s Display Area, MD-16B, the company is featuring a brand new set of PK 2250A amphibi-ous floats mounted on a blue 2014 Aviat Husky A-1C.

The Lincoln, Maine, float manufacturer is now owned by SR Aviation, a Seattle-based company with Chinese backing. It is seeking an expanded worldwide market for the company, which has sold 1,400 sets of floats since being founded in 1954.

“We were very careful to select the right buyer,” said Anna Bouchard, widow of former owner Elton Bouchard, a Viet Nam veteran who owned the company for 14 years. “We wanted manufacturing to remain in Lincoln, since a paper mill that was the major employer in the area recently closed. Both the town and state have been very supportive and we were able to hire all our former employees back.”

Founded in Minnesota by Peter Kellner and subsequently relocated to New York State and Albuquerque, N.M., before finding a permanent home in north cen-

tral Maine, the 12-employee company is known for rugged floats.

Patrick McGowan, a long-time sea-plane pilot, business consultant and for-mer Commissioner of Conservation for the state of Maine, is the new president of the company. Keith Strange is the long-time float designer and also serves as pro-duction manager and chief pilot.

“We know a commercial operator who wore out two Cessna 185s on the same set of PK floats, which are still in use despite 20,000 hours on salt water,” said McGowan. “We told him we’d be glad to make him a new set.”

Current production models range from straight PK 2050 floats suitable for a 150-hp Piper PA-18 all the way up to the PK C35000 model designed for the Cessna 206.

“We’re a small custom float manufac-turer and our 2016 production capacity is 70% sold out,” added McGowan. “We’re currently looking at new products, such as straight floats for the Husky and the Ma-hindra GA8 Airvan. We’ve also looked at the Light-Sport market and we may start making skis for the Husky.”

If you’d like a set of PK floats as a SUN ’n FUN souvenir, the Husky on display with new amphibs is for sale at $259,000. The floats alone are priced at $49,000.

PK Floats: First time exhibitor at SnF

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If you’re interested in warbird history, the place to be each day at 11 a.m. is Vic-tory’s Arsenal Theater on the Warbird Ramp next to the food court.

Today’s program is scheduled to be a presentation by Jim Tobul and Scott Yoak titled “The Class of ’45,” which features the F4U Corsair and P51.

Thursday’s talk by Doug Jeanes will fo-cus on the B-25 Mitchell.

On Friday World War II triple ace Bud Anderson will discuss enemy fighter tac-tics.

Saturday’s program will be a presenta-tion on the F-35 Lightening II by Captain Daniel “Jinks” Haily.

Victory’s Arsenal Theatre

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By ELIZABETH WALKER

One of the most aviation-oriented youngsters attending SUN ’n FUN 2016 is also one of its most business-minded youth.

Rachel St. Louis, 14, plans a career in aviation and is marketing a line of avia-tion jewelry from her own display booth at this week’s event to help finance her ambitions.

Rachel, an eighth-grade middle school student from Machias, Maine, said she started making jewelry at the age of 8 af-ter admiring her mother Rose’s jewelry. When she was 10 her father, Michael, took her for a flight in his Cessna 172 and that launched her aviation dreams.

“I put two beads together one day and I liked the way they looked and I wanted to do more,” Rachel said. “My mom encour-aged me and when I made enough pieces I took them to a small shop and people told me they loved them and they bought them.”

She started her aviation jewelry line after the introductory flight in her father’s plane.

“I was so excited about flying that I began designing airplane jewelry that night,” she said.

The aviation designs are available at her mobile shop set up outside Hangar

D on the SUN ’n FUN grounds. She also does other jewelry designs in addition to the aviation theme.

Rachel is currently going to ground school and hopes to get her private pilot’s license in two years.

“I have learned from my business that it takes a lot of work to be successful,” she

said. “And I know the dreams I have in aviation will take a lot of work and I am willing to work for what I want.”

She said she is a straight A student at Rose M. Gaffney Middle School in Math-ias and hopes to attend Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University after high school graduation. She plans to enter the U.S.

Air Force after that.“I hope to fly my dream plane, the F-

22A Raptor,” she said.Building an airplane during the next

few years is also on Rachel’s agenda.“I want to build a plane,” she said, “be-

cause it would show me how it is made and how it runs. I want to prove that I can do it and I want to fly a plane that I made with my own hands. I plan to build my plane myself, but my dad will be there for support. My goal is to solo in my own plane, the BushCat SkyReach.”

She hopes her jewelry business will go a long way toward financing her pilot and aircraft building ambitions.

“My aviation jewelry is one of my top sellers,” she said. “All of it will be at my mobile showroom at SUN ’n FUN. My key to success has been creating some-thing I love that people also love to buy. My parents have been my role models. My dad has his own business and he helps me. My mom inspires me to be creative and takes me to the crafts fairs to sell my jewelry. I am saving my money for the plane I am going to build.”

Meet your favorite airshow performers at Concorde Battery’s booth during the fly-in this week.

Get free signed posters of the Aero-shell Team, Lima Lima Team and Sean D. Tucker all week at the Concorde Battery exhibit in Hangar B, booths 50-51.

Also on hand are free posters of Pat-ty Wagstaff, Julie Clark, Skip Stewart, Kyle Franklin of Franklin’s Flying Cir-cus, Gene Soucy & Teresa Stokes, Kirby Chambliss, and Mike Goulian.

You can also get your own autographs when Concorde hosts the Lima Lime Team

Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.; the Aeroshell Team on Wednesday from 2:15 p.m. to 2:45 p.m.; and Sean D. Tucker on Thursday from 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Teen’s jewelry business supports flying

Meet airshow performers

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Volunteers needed

SUN ’n FUN could use your help in the parking lot to help cover the following shifts:

Wednesday 7 a.m. to 11 a.m., and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Thursday 7 a.m. to 11 a.m., and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Fri-day 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Saturday 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Stop by the Volunteer Center on Doolittle Road across the street from the Piedmont Aerospace Experience to find out more.

Photo courtesy Concorde Battery


By MARK BAKER

Every spring, SUN ’n FUN marks the beginning of the fly-in and air show season. It is an opportunity for the gen-eral aviation industry to gather, but more importantly, it is an opportunity for the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) to hear from our members — the grassroots of aviation.

Whether you are a current pilot, lapsed pilot, student pilot, or aviation enthusiast, we want to hear from you — and we prob-ably have something for you at AOPA’s Campus at SUN ’n FUN Stop by to learn how to take full advantage of your AOPA membership, meet our staff, see what products and services are best suited for your aviation lifestyle, and share what’s on your mind.

If you would like to talk to me, I am hosting two Town Halls at AOPA’s Pro-gram Pavilion. The first is on Wednes-day at 8:30 a.m. and we will have coffee and donuts, and the second will be an ice cream social Friday at 1 p.m. Bring your questions, concerns, and ideas on how we can work together to make aviation more accessible for everyone.

One program I am looking forward to updating our members on is You Can Fly, which has a number of initiatives focused on improving everyone’s experience in and around general aviation. You Can Fly literally has something for everyone.

If you are a pilot looking for ways to help you fly more, come learn about what You Can Fly is doing with refurbished aircraft and our network of more than 600 flying clubs. Last year AOPA helped start 10 new flying clubs and announced a number of free benefits, including sched-uling software.

If you are an aspiring pilot, talk to rep-resentatives from the You Can Fly Flight Training Initiative so you can learn about what you should expect and what flight

schools received Flight Train-ing Excellence Awards based on our extensive poll-ing and research. We also have a High School Avia-tion Initiative, which is focused on creating the tools to launch, support, grow aviation Science, Technol-ogy, Engineering and Math (STEM) pro-grams to help promote interest in aviation and connect young people with the skills they need for good-paying jobs.

If you are a pilot, but not current, come

to the You Can Fly Rusty Pilots presenta-tion 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. on Saturday at AOPA’s Program Pavilion. The three-hour seminar is free and lapsed pilots will leave with a sign-off for the ground por-tion of their flight review.

Last year we hosted 103 Rusty Pilots seminars across the country and 25% of the attendees have gone on to complete their flight review and are flying again. That’s over 1,200 pilots who are back do-ing what they love.

I hope you can spend some time at the AOPA Main Tent. Membership represen-tatives can assist you with show specials we are offering to people who already be-long to AOPA or those who are consid-ering joining. Aviation loan experts can

give you a free rate quote if you are inter-ested in purchasing an aircraft and even assist aspiring pilots with flight training loans. Members of our AOPA Insurance team are also available to discuss our Life and AD&D Insurance coverage and you can receive a free umbrella with a rate quote. Finally, you’ll be able to purchase apparel and merchandise from the AOPA Pilot Gear Store.

AOPA was founded 77 years ago by a group of people who were concerned about preserving access to aviation. Today, our goals and values remain the same, but we are focusing even more on inspiring, con-necting, and supporting our pilots. Stop by the AOPA Campus just down from the FAA Building to learn more.

AOPA wants to hear from you

SUN ’n FUN and the Aero-News Net-work have produced the “SUN ’n FUN Innovation Preview” for this year’s fly-in. The preview consists of nearly 20 short videos that give viewers a glimpse of what is new at SUN ’n FUN.

Companies profiled include Aeroma-rine LSA, Airtime Aircraft, Avilution, Best Tugs, CloudAhoy, LightSpeed Avia-tion, Piper Aircraft, PS Engineering, SAFE Toolkit, Sonex Aircraft, MGL Avi-onics, TruTrak, Wipaire...and more.

You can see it at Sun-n-Fun.org, Air-bornetv.net, or Aero-News.net.

Show videodebuts

Mark Baker

Mark Baker is president of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA.org).


By JONI M. FISHER

The second annual Sunshine Express 400 ran Sunday, April 3. A strong tailwind helped the 17 racers set fast times on the course from Greenwood County Airport (KGRD) in South Carolina, to Multrie (KKGR), Georgia, then to Winter Haven’s Gilbert Field (KGIF). The 400 nm race was organized by Pat Purcell, who was a racer in the Air Race Classic in the 1970s and 1980s, and Richard Kaczmarek.

Last year the race was called Race to the Sun, but this year, it was renamed. The race is sanctioned by the Sport Air Racing League, whose motto “Racing for the rest of us” truly suited the group who raced this year. The winners earn bragging rights instead of sponsorships or large cash awards.

The race has three categories: Experi-mental, factory built, and heavy metal. The categories have classes within them based on horsepower, landing gear config-uration, engine type, and cubic inch dis-placement. The pilots came from Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, South Carolina, Utah, and Wis-consin. Most will stay for SUN ’n FUN. Quite a few said they will participate in the SUN ’n FUN Sprint this morning.

Mike Patey won in the Experimental

Category and also placed first in the Sport class. He flew a Lancair Legacy (N36XX) with an elapsed time of 1:30:27 and 277.39 knots.

Greg Force, of Woodruff, S.C., won first place in the Factory Built Category.

“This is my first race,” he said. “It’s been great fun with great people.”

He flew a white and blue Mooney Rocket (N57323) with an elapsed time of 2:08:28 and 195.31 knots.

Other awards were:A special team award was given to

Rodney and Samantha DeBord who flew a PA28-140 Cherokee (N5129S) with an elapsed time of 3:06:20 and 134.65 knots

Dave Adams won first place in the Sprint class, flying a Long EZ (N83DT)

and he carried a passenger, Wendy Law-son. Adams is a Gold Champion in the Sport Air Racing League. Adam’s elapsed time was 2:08:24 and 195.41 knots.

Don Gates won in the Factory 4RG Class in his Mooney M20-C (N69007) with an elapsed time of 2:30:36 and 166.60 knots.

In the RV Gold Class, Jim Wilson won in his RV-8 (N2235Z) with an elapsed

time of 1:58:53 and 211.05 knots. In the RB Gold Class, Jeff Barnes won

in his RV-6 (N790DW) with an elapsed time of 1:58:37 and 211.52 knots. Barnes is a Gold Champion in the league.

The Anchor Award went to Dave Thompson, of Greenwood, South Caro-lina, who flew a Cessna 172.

For more on the league, go to SportAir-Race.org.

Racers make their way to Lakeland

Sunshine Express Race Winner in the Experimental Category was Mike Patey of Utah. When Mike paused in his preflight at Greenwood, SC, for this photo, he neglected to remove his improvised gust lock—a blue paper towel.

Sunshine Express organizer and racer Richard Kaczmarek gives the Anchor Award to Dave Thompson who flew a Cessna 172.

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14 SUN ’n FUN Today - www.sun-n-fun.org April 5-10 , 2016

In cities across the U.S., vintage mili-tary aircraft rest quietly in museums where school children and tourists admire them, take their pictures and leave them behind closed doors at the end of each day. But at this year’s SUN ’n FUN Inter-national Fly-In & Expo, the Commemora-tive Air Force (CAF) will blast aviation history out of the museum and into Flor-ida as they roar into Lakeland this week.

The CAF is bringing two unique assets to help tell the story of the Tuskegee Air-men, America’s first black military pilots and their support personnel. Texas Raid-ers, a fully restored B-17G Flying For-tress, is appearing at this week’s show, along with the CAF Red Tail Squadron’s RISE ABOVE Traveling Exhibit, a mo-bile theater featuring an original film about the Tuskegee Airmen. This duo shares an important story that honors the history and legacy of these World War II aviators, and serves as an inspiration to current generations to RISE ABOVE ob-stacles in their own lives.

The CAF Dixie Wing’s P-51 Mustang Red Nose will also be on site with the RISE ABOVE Traveling Exhibit for view on static display on the Warbird Ramp.

Visitors can tour the cockpit of the Fly-ing Fortress and step inside a world of living history. Admission for this special

appearance is $10 for adults, $5 for chil-dren under 12, and $20 for a family of up to five members.

Entrance is free to the RISE ABOVE Traveling Exhibit 53-foot mobile pan-oramic theater. All ages are welcome to enjoy a chance to learn about the Tuske-gee Airmen.

Special Opportunity for Veterans

In addition, all aircrew from the World War II, Korea, and Vietnam eras are invit-ed to attend a special event on Wednesday, April 6, at 11 a.m. Come see the Flying Fortress take to the air and meet today’s crews alongside yesterday’s heroes.

The CAF will host a meet-and-greet with original Tuskegee Airmen, and will share with guests how the unique relation-ship between the bombers and the Tuske-gee Airmen ensured the success of critical bombing missions.

Veterans are invited to gather for a spe-cial photo commemorating their success.

History comes alive on Warbird ramp

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The theme of this week’s fly-in is Hon-oring Our Armed Forces.

A number of activities have been planned to fit into the theme, but the highlight, according to SUN ’n FUN of-ficials, will occur Thursday around 7:30 p.m when a Flight to Honor will land at

Lakeland-Linder Regional Airport with much fanfare, returning from Washing-ton, D.C., after carrying World War II and Korean War veterans to the nation’s capi-tal to view the various memorials.

The Veterans Plaza returns even bigger this year in the Southeast Exhibit Area,

while a variety of military aircraft will be featured during the daily airshows, in-cluding: • The U.S. Army Golden Knights Para-

chute Team;• A U.S. Navy F-18 Hornet Demo;• A U.S. Air Force F-16 Viper demo;

• A U.S. Marine Corps aerial demo;• Coast Guard Search & Rescue demos;• A U.S. Air Force Heritage Flight; and• A U.S. Navy Legacy Flight — back

after three years, a dramatic forma-tion flight with modern jet and vintage World War II fighters.

Honoring our Armed Forces

General Aviation News has great content scheduled for the remainder of 2016 but we're looking to share unique stories. Do you have a story related to one of these topics?

• Business of Aviation (June)• Aviation Lifestyle (July)• Warbirds (September)• Homebuilts (October)• Flying for a Purpose (November)• A Year in Pictures (December)

Stop by the SUN 'n FUN Today of�ce (near the Cessna exhibit) and tell us your story.

Or, drop an email to [email protected] and we'll follow-up after SUN 'n FUN.

So... what's your story?

WHAT'S YOUR STORY?

(800) 426-8538 | www.generalaviationnews.com

Photo courtesy Lockheed Martin

The F-16 Viper demo is part of the week’s activities. The F-35 will make its first appearance at SUN ’n FUN this year.

Photo courtesy U.S. Navy

April 5-10, 2016 Sun ’n Fun Today - www.sun-n-fun.org 17

Making its first appearance at SUN ’n FUN will be the F-35 Lighting II Joint Strike Fighter.

There also will be a daily vintage War-bird Flying Showcase featuring the EAA Warbirds of America.

The Golden Knights Parachute Team.

The Viper Demo Team’s F-16s have a distinctive “SW” tail marking signifying that the jets are assigned to Shaw Air Force Base, S.C.

Photo courtesy Lockheed Martin

Photo courtesy U.S. Army

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A first for SUN ’n FUN — and other air shows — will be this week’s demon-stration by two Red Bull Air Race pilots, Michael Goulian and Kirby Chambliss.

The demonstration will give attendees at this week’s show an idea of what they can expect if they ever attend one of the eight Red Bull races taking place around the world this year.

Master Class pilots Goulian and Cham-bliss will showcase their skill and daring for the fans at SUN ’n FUN while flying at top speeds around the race’s signature 80-foot pylons.

While not an actual race, SUN ’n FUN attendees can learn how the races operate with regard to scoring, rules and timing, SUN ’n FUN officials explained.

The new Challenger Class will also be described, showing how aspiring pilots hone their skills to one day fly in the Mas-ter Class.

This is the first time such a demonstra-tion has been presented at a North Ameri-can air show, SUN ’n FUN officials said.

“We are thrilled to be the inaugural venue for this exciting event. It will treat our guests to a rare and intriguing peek at one of the most prolific and famous avia-tion spectacles in the world,” said SUN ’n FUN Airshow Director Greg Gibson. “We make a huge effort to bring new and ex-citing content to our show each year, and hosting the Red Bull Air Race team really adds a fresh and exciting element to SUN ’n FUN.”

“We are excited to be a part of SUN ’n FUN for the first time,” said Red Bull Air Race General Manager Erich Wolf. “We have a fast growing fan base in the U.S. and our American pilots will certainly showcase our World Championship Se-ries at its best.”

Fans also are being treated to a Red Bull Air Race World Championship ex-hibit in the Southeast Exhibit Area on the SUN ’n FUN grounds with tours of a full scale pylon, virtual reality simulators, merchandise, and more.

You also can buy tickets this week for

the two 2016 U.S. races in Indianapolis and Las Vegas later this year.

The Red Bulls are scheduled to appear

during the afternoon airshows on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, weather permitting.

RedBullAirRace.com

Red Bull Air Race demo premieres

Aircraft Emergency Repair, located on Taxiway Echo, is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

If you would like to be a blood donor, visit the Bloodmobile in the Southeast Exhibit Area in Veterans Plaza.

Check cashing is provided to members of the Florida Air Museum from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily in the Finance Office at the Main Registration Building by the park-ing lot. ATMs are located throughout the grounds. Check the map on pages 20-21 for locations.

Handicapped Services, located on the west side of the Main Registration Build-ing, is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

Internet Cafés are in the Visitors Cen-ter (near Hangar A) from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Aerospace Discovery at the Florida Air Museum from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Inter-net access and printing are available.

SUN ’n FUN fast facts

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By JANICE WOOD

“Don’t Miss Out — Tune In.” That’s the message that SUN ’n FUN Radio Chairman Dave Shallbetter wants every-one on the SUN ’n FUN grounds — and beyond — to get again 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, air show, and more during the week.

In keeping with the SUN ’n FUN 2016 theme “Honor Our Armed Forces,” SUN ’n FUN Radio will have numerous inter-views with veterans and active military. Some special guests include the Tuskegee Airmen on Tuesday and the Women Air-force Service Pilots (WASP) on Thurs-day and Friday.

Radio Chairman Dave Shallbetter also noted that this year there’s something new: The SUN ’n FUN Radio Mobile Studio, powered by Aviators Hotline.

“A specially equipped vehicle will be roaming the grounds seeking out some of the many great stories at SUN ’n FUN,” he said. “If you see them, stop and say hi. You could be our next interview.”

“Our morning show returns, sponsored by Wipaire, broadcasting from various

remote locations around the grounds,” Shallbetter adds, noting some of those lo-cations include the Recreational Aviation Foundation Fire Hub in the campgrounds, The Texas Raider’s B-17, Paradise City, and Saturday morning’s Balloon Launch.

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.

Did you miss an interview? You can check out the radio station’s archives at ChatsFromTheDeck.com.

The station, which has a cadre of 40 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 Path next to the Quiet Bird-man Clubhouse and across the road from the Sunset Grill.

And if you have a story you think the radio station should cover, Shallbetter in-vites you to stop by the station and talk to one of the volunteers. Or you can email your suggestions to [email protected].

Also, he asks that you like the sta-tion’s Facebook page (Facebook.com/ SnFRadio) and follow them on Twitter (@SnFRadio).

Tune in to SUN ’n FUN Radio

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For the second year in a row, the Bre-itling Jet Team will roar into Lakeland to perform for the SUN ’n FUN crowds.

The team made its North American de-but at last year’s SUN ’n FUN, kicking off a tour of air shows around the country.

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 other, at speeds of almost 435 mph and up to 8G accelerations.

The third annual SUN ’n FUN Car Show returns to the grounds Saturday and Sunday in the Southeast Exhibit Area. The car show was added to the fly-in for the first time in 2014.

“I’m a car guy,” says SUN ’n FUN President John “Lites” Leenhouts. “And all my buddies are car guys. I think if you have an airplane, you probably like cars. They go together.”

The show is limited to 150 cars and mo-torcycles each day. Rare beauties from the earliest days of driving will be on display. Be sure to make your way to the show.

Breitling Jet Team returns to SUN ’n FUN

Car show set for this weekend

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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.

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, ex-cept Sunday, when sales stop at noon.

All payments must be made in cash un-

less the consignor specifically states on the tag that he or she will accept a per-sonal check. No credit cards are taken at the Parts Exchange and there is no check cashing available. Volunteers note that ATM machines are located on the grounds for those planning to shop at the Parts Ex-change.

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

Any unclaimed items will become do-nations to SUN ’n FUN.

Shop til you drop at the Parts Exchange

The Ladies Pavilion in the camp-grounds has a week of activities planned.

It’s a great place to take a break from the fly-in, meet new friends and see old friends, according to organizers.

Events begin on opening day, with a Tupperware party (10 a.m.), followed by an Open House party (12 p.m.) and a

Pampered Chef party (12:30 p.m.)Wednesday begins with a Quilt Show

(10 a.m.), followed by a Tea Party (11:30 a.m.) and a Tastefully Simple party (2 p.m.).

Thursday opens with a Tastefully Sim-ple party (10 a.m.), followed by a Pam-pered Chef party (12 p.m.) and a Tupper-

ware party (1 p.m.).Friday kicks off with a Pampered Chef

party (11 a.m.), followed by a Tastefully Simple party (1 p.m.).

Saturday’s big event is Square Dancing, (10 a.m.), while Sunday church services will be held at 10 a.m. on closing day.

During the week, the Ladies Pavilion

will also host Brian White, a massage therapist. There also will be Thelvia’s basket making, make and take sewing projects with the Quilted Lady Bug, Scolo Candles, Cross Stitch greeting cards, 31 purses, Soaps and Such, Strawberry Tree Farms soups and spices, Mary Kay, free daily drawings, and much more.

Ladies Pavilion plans fun-filled week

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The SUN ’n FUN workshops are popu-lar, not only among homebuilders, but also with 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 have extensive experience with vendors sup-plying 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 circuits 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, SUN ’n FUN officials note. Check in at the workshop to get the proper forms.

The Workshops, which run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day of the show, are locat-ed near the Buehler Restoration Center.

There is no additional fee for attending any of the workshops, according to fly-in officials.

Hone your skills at a workshop

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New this year at SUN ’n FUN is Ace’s Flyin’ Flix in the campgrounds.

In the past, the nightly movie has been held in the Aerospace Pavilion, next to the museum.

“I’ve camped at SUN ’n FUN for years and though it was always nice to go over to the pavilion for a movie, a lot of people didn’t want to trek all the way over there and all the way back,” noted SUN ’n FUN President John “Lites” Leenhouts. “It was kind of stoic in the pavilion and I thought ‘why don’t we take the movie to the peo-ple?’ I thought we would try that in the

forest.” “We’re always looking at ways that we

can enhance the customer’s experience,” he continued. “We had an area back in the campgrounds that we thought we could carve out. Yes, it will take away a few camping spots in the trees, but it seemed like such a cool environment, we thought we would give it a shot. If the public doesn’t want it, we’ll take it away.”

Playing on the giant screen — as part of the fly-in’s honoring of the military — will be vintage movies from the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s that Leenhouts said will

“speak to the service members that we’re trying to recognize.”

Movies scheduled include:• Tuesday: “The Story of G.I. Joe” –

Army;• Wednesday: “Bridges at Toko-Ri” –

Navy;• Thursday: “Flying Leathernecks” –

Marines;• Friday: “The Guardian” – Coast

Guard;• Saturday: “Iron Eagle” – Air Force.The movies will start at sunset.“All the movies will be done by 9:30

p.m. so that the quiet hours at 10 p.m. will not be violated and people can get to sleep,” Leenhouts noted.

The outdoor theater is located just south of Showerhouse D in the conven-tion campground. You can see it from the Recreational Aviation Foundation’s Fire Hub, Leenhouts said, adding the movies are near where the Royal Air Force cadets make their camp.

Bring a chair or blanket to help increase your comfort while watching the movie.

And just like at any other movie, pop-corn and refreshments will be available.

Now premiering: Ace’s Flyin’ Flix

Win a chance to fly a P-51 Mustang, while helping Mercy Flight Southeast.

Raffle tickets will be on sale through Saturday for the flight, donated by Stal-lion 51, based at Kissimmee Gateway Airport in Florida.

Mercy Flight Southeast provides free air transportation to far-from-home medi-cal appointments through its network of volunteer pilots. While pilots donate their airplanes and fuel, the non-profit organi-zation relies on donations and fundraising to pay for support services.

The prize includes a one-hour dual-cockpit orientation flight at Stallion 51’s headquarters in Kissimmee. The experi-ence includes a pre-flight briefing, cock-pit orientation, hands-on flight, post-flight briefing, flight video, photo, a flight cer-tificate and round-trip airfare up to $500.

Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at MercyFlightSE.org or at Mercy Flight Southeast’s exhibit in Hangar B, booth 108. The winner, who need not be present, will be selected Saturday afternoon at the Stallion 51 exhibit on the Warbird Ramp.

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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.

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 fluent in many languages are at the tent to assist in communication

needs, from buying tickets to finding a ho-tel 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 inter-national visitors, courtesy of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association. The tent is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

A new addition to the evening event for international guests is a Tampa Bay Food Truck Rally with a DJ on Wednesday eve-ning. Complimentary coupons are offered to international guests, but everyone at the fly-in is welcome to attend, according to SUN ’n FUN officials.

International visitors welcomed

The Seabird Organization at SUN ’n FUN is prepared for a gathering of sea-plane pilots, seaplanes and enthusiasts at this week’s show. However, there will not be a Splash-In again this year.

The Seabird hospitality tent is located at the same location as last year, off Taxi-way E-1.

The tent will be the center of activities for seaplane pilots throughout the show this week.

SUN ’n FUN will award trophies for the Best of Show Seaplanes for pilots desiring to have their seaplane judged. “Judge me signs” are available at the Sea-bird tent to mount on aircraft. Awards will be presented at a ceremony on Saturday evening.

Seabird pilots wishing to participate in the Seaplane Pass-In-Review, a flying event, should attend a briefing at the Sea-bird tent at 10 a.m. on Wednesday.

Seabirds flock to SUN ’n FUN

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One of the most beautiful SUN ’n FUN traditions — the Balloon 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 that lands closest to the “hare.”

During the week, look for daily demon-stration flights of balloons from the Ultra-

light 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 air show 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 special-ly trained in balloon mechanics, safety, procedures, and the unique flight charac-teristics of balloons. Rated as either pri-vate or commercial, pilot competence can only be attained by extensive experience in actual flight, according to seasoned bal-loon pilots.

Annual Balloon Launch set for Saturday

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Photo by Ken Strohm Photo by Matt Genuardi Photo by Matt Genuardi

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By BILL WALKER

There are a couple of good reasons Gil-bert and Barbara Pierce’s bright red 1949 Piper PA-16 Clipper occupies Space 1 on Row 1 of the vintage aircraft parking at SUN ’n FUN. First, they were early ar-rivals and, more importantly, their aircraft is a past champion and always receives a prime display spot.

The Pierces, from Germantown, Tenn., relaxed in lawn chairs under the wing of N5834H on Monday enjoying their front-row seating at the fly-in. They arrived the previous day after a five-hour plus flight from the Volunteer State.

“We’ve owned the plane since 1995,” said Gilbert, a retired Navy communica-tions technician. “We restored it one wing at a time, one part of it at a time.”

That restoration was complete in 2005 and it was judged the Custom Classic Winner at SUN n’ FUN that year.

The Pierces and their plane are long distance flyers. In the past two decades they have flown to Alaska, across Canada, to Pennsylvania, Colorado, Sault St. Ma-rie, Ontario, and Seattle. There were a lot of shorter trips in between.

“I first built a Kitfox,” Gilbert said, “but it was too small and too slow. I decided to move up.”

He got a good recommendation on the Clipper as a cross-country aircraft and bought his plane from a pilot in Seattle in 1995.

Gilbert credits his wife with helping him fulfill his ambition to be a pilot. “I flew as an aircraft crewmember in the Navy,” he said. “Every time I heard a plane I looked up at the sky, so for Christ-mas in 1990 Barbara gave me a receipt for what it would cost to be a private pilot. Six months later I had my license.”

“But I created a monster,” Barbara quickly added. “He got the license and said,’ now I need an airplane.’”

That led to his building a Kitfox and then acquiring the Clipper, which is the last plane the Pierces plan to own, accord-ing to Gilbert.

It would be an easy plane to sell, he noted. “At Oshkosh, a guy came up to me and said he was going to buy my plane,” Gilbert recalled. “I told him it wasn’t for sale. He said everything has a price. I said I wasn’t selling because my wife said not to sell it. The fellow got mad.” Another potential buyer pulled out his checkbook and asked Gilbert to set the price. “I had to tell him it just wasn’t for sale,” he said.”

When Gilbert got out of the Navy in 1976 he returned to his university studies and graduated from Memphis State with an engineering degree two years later. He began a second career as an engineer and also remained interested in aircraft. He was able to document his extensive Navy aircraft maintenance experience and pro-vided the FAA information on that and his aircraft building skills in constructing the Kitfox. As a result, in 2002 he received his Airframe and Powerplant license without

formal study based on his work experi-ence. He has since added the Inspection Authorization rating.

“Two of our sons are pilots,” said Bar-bara, adding she has no aspirations of becoming a pilot, but enjoys riding with Gilbert in their plane.

“The boys tell me they wish their wives would fly with them like Barbara does,” Gilbert said.

The PA-16 Clipper is a special aircraft, Gilbert noted. “There were only 736 of them produced in 1949,” he said. “It cruises at 115 mph and is easier to land for me than a 172. The Clipper has a 30-foot wing and I find the wind doesn’t get under that as much as the 36-foot 172 wingspan.”

Gilbert said a trip to Denver in 2004

convinced him to install a larger engine than the O-235 on his aircraft when he bought it. “We were over Kansas at 5,500 feet in 100° temperatures,” he said, “and a Tri-Pacer passed us and began climbing. We couldn’t climb and I decided I needed a larger engine. But when I got to the spot where the Tri-Pacer had begun to climb I started up also. It was a thermal. But I still called my son Steven, who is an A&P, and asked him to find me an O-320.” One was found and the plane now sports the 150 horsepower O-320 engine.

The panel on Pierce’s Clipper is a one-off design he did and had custom cut. He added a number of gauges to the standard instruments to more closely monitor en-gine performance. He has ECI exhaust gas and cylinder head gauges, an ECI

volt and ammeter gauge. “I also have an ICOM A-210 communications set and a King 270 transponder,” he said. He fit-ted a Stratus 2 receiver under the panel for ADS-B In reception and has an iPad Mini using ForeFlight attached to the side of the panel to show the Stratus gener-ated information. An external antenna im-proves the Stratus reception, he said.

Gilbert, 77, and Barbara, 72, say they will continue to fly long distance journeys. That will add to the approximately 2,200 hours he has logged as a private pilot. And together the Pierces have reached an im-pressive number. Their next wedding an-niversary will be their 54th. They haven’t settled on a flying destination to celebrate, but all indications are it will be someplace on the other side of the country.

A 1949 Piper Clipper takes the spotlight

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Sporty’s big tent will be busy all week on the fly-in grounds, with Sporty’s Pilot Shop temporarily moving from Batavia, Ohio, to Lakeland for the week.

Located north of the main exhibit han-gars in outdoor space N100, Sporty’s tent provides a shopping hub with hundreds of products that can be touched and tried.

Product experts and Sporty’s pilots will be on hand to give product details and an-swer questions, company officials noted.

In addition, Sporty’s flight instructors will make themselves available in a Learn to Fly department of the tent to discuss flight training.

A customer favorite — a headset demo station — makes a return appearance in Sporty’s 1,200-square-foot tent. Custom-ers can make side-by-side comparisons of headsets to test for fit and comfort. Head-set experts also will be on hand to help comparison shop.

Other popular products, including cock-pit video cameras, GPS, flight hear bags, RAM mounts, iPad accessories and more, also will be available for inspection.

“One product that interests many pi-lots is our award-winning Stratus,” says Sporty’s Vice President John Zimmer-man. “We’ll have one operating, with all the time in the world to answer questions from pilots.”

Sporty’s big tent is an interactive shop-ping experience, he added. Customers are encouraged to touch, inspect and ask questions.

Sporty’s also will be offering show spe-cials, Zimmerman noted.

Sporty’s ForumsSporty’s staff also will present these

forums:Thursday 9 a.m.: 10 things every iPad

pilot should know, presented by Bret Koebbe;

Thursday 10 a.m.: Advanced Fore-Flight and Stratus Tips, presented by John Zimmerman;

Friday 9 a.m.: ADS-B In and Out: A Pi-lot’s Guide by John Zimmerman;

Friday 1 p.m.: So you want to fly drones, presented by John Zimmerman with avia-tion attorney Jonathan Rupprecht.

“We know it’s supposed to be Spring Break for Pilots, but these forums are fun and interactive and we make learning easy,” says Zimmerman. “We look for-ward to meeting and greeting thousands of Sporty’s devoted customers.”

Sporty’s relocates to Lakeland for week

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Redbird Flight Simulation’s latest ad-venture, an online show called “Winging It,” took flight last night during a premiere event at SUN ’n FUN.

Winging It host Brittney Miculka will travel to 10 locations across the country to promote pilot proficiency and showcase the best in aviation education. Viewers can follow Brittney on her cross country trip and experience each step of the jour-ney.

She’ll head to Massachusetts for an upset recovery course with air show pi-lot Michael Goulian, to Denver to learn mountain flying, to Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland to get trained as a medevac nurse, and to California to sharpen her skills on emergency proce-dures, among others. She’ll visit flight schools, high schools, universities, and sim centers and will experience some-thing new at each location.

Redbird will release a new Winging It episode every two weeks, culminating at the Pilot Proficiency Center at EAA’s Air-Venture in Oshkosh, Wis., in late July.

In addition to the main video of each episode, the show’s website, WingingIt.show, provides viewers with an interac-tive experience that includes Brittney’s insights from the trip, information about the highlighted locations, as well as tips and tricks to encourage viewers to consid-er similar training. Pilots attending Air-Venture will get the opportunity to join in the experience, flying scenarios inspired by each location in Redbird simulators at

the EAA Pilot Proficiency Center. “This adventure is going to be fun and

a lot of laughs are in store, but what I’m looking forward to the most is being able to spotlight the places we visit and show the remarkable ways that the flight train-ing community is working to create safer and more proficient pilots,” said Miculka. “I’m also excited to highlight technol-ogy’s impact on aviation education and show how training is evolving through the use of that technology.”

The first episode of Winging It, “Sim-ple Mission, Complex Problem,” is now available on WingingIt.show and features Brittney attempting to complete a photo mission and navigate the one-of-a-kind, complex, and intimidating airspace over Washington, D.C. with the guidance of Bob Hepp from Aviation Adventures in Manassas, Va.

Redbird online video series premieres

The National Association of Flight In-structors reports that Jerald D. Cockrell will be inducted into the Flight Instruc-tor Hall of Fame in ceremonies at SUN ’n FUN. The induction ceremonies are scheduled to take place during the NAFI Member Dinner on Wednesday evening.

Cockrell, of Stevensville, Montana, is president of Cocluell Aviation Training, which provides cockpit resource manage-ment and check airman/instructor pro-grams as well as flight instructor refresher courses, aviation safety education pro-grams, and aircraft accident investigation services.

He has more than 52 years of aviation experience, including more than 5,000 hours of instruction given in more than 20,000 flight hours. A pilot since 1965 and CFI since 1968, he is type-rated in the Douglas DC-3, Boeing 737 and 747-400.

Cockrell holds a Ph.D. in Educational Counseling and Psychology from the University of Mississippi and has done post-graduate study in Multi-Cultural In-

teraction at Columbia University.NAFI sponsors the National Flight In-

structor Hall of Fame (HOF) to recognize individuals who have made significant contributions to aviation education and flight instruction while reflecting credit upon themselves and their profession.

The NAFI Member’s Barbecue Dinner begins at 6 p.m. in the Buehler Restora-tion Hangar.

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Brittney Miculka, host of Winging It.

Jerald D. Cockrell

Cockrell to be inducted into NAFI Hall of Fame


While the ongoing issues of ATC priva-tization and aeromedical reform have grabbed much of the spotlight, the Exper-imental Aircraft Association’s advocacy work has made the difference in a large number of areas already in 2016, EAA of-ficials report. These are specific victories for EAA members and general aviation that will lower barriers to flying and pro-tect recreational aviation, officials note.

“EAA’s unique ability to create relation-ships that lead to solutions is unmatched in the GA community,” said Sean Elliott, EAA’s vice president of advocacy and safety. “Paul Poberezny set the standard in EAA’s earliest days, as he believed it’s more important to roll up your sleeves and work on a problem than simply criticize.”

Among the highlights already in 2016:Fending off a threat to privatize the na-

tional airspace system under the control of a board dominated by airline interests. In addition to EAA advocacy on Capitol Hill, this effort against a House FAA reau-thorization bill included the involvement of thousands of EAA members who con-tacted their representatives. House leader-ship saw the opposition and shelved the bill, although EAA predicts that issue will resurface, and we remain vigilant.

Aeromedical reform is through the Sen-ate. The Senate passed the Pilot’s Bill of

Rights 2 that included the best opportuni-ty for third-class medical reform in a half-century. That language is also contained in the Senate’s FAA reauthorization bill, due to be voted on after the Easter recess. EAA and AOPA fought hard to make that a reality, despite strong opposition in

some corners of Congress.That Senate version of FAA reauthori-

zation also contains language to ensure that active aircraft building and restora-tion is a protected aeronautical activity in airport hangars.

Another provision helps dozens of aviation events throughout the country, including SUN ’n FUN, by ensuring that ATC and safety support be made avail-able by FAA without fees, taxes or other charges.

The bill also provides a continuing path forward for FAA to undertake the even-tual fleet-wide authorization for high oc-tane unleaded aviation fuels, where EAA is playing a leadership role.

Outside Congress, EAA’s collaborative approach to solving problems has also made great strides in 2016. Those areas include:

Direct work with the FAA and industry on affordable avionics that will enhance safety and bring down costs for GA air-craft owners. More news about this will be released in the very near future, EAA officials promise.

Finding ways for experimental aircraft to use non-TSO ADS-B equipment, en-suring the ability for homebuilders to innovate while maintaining the highest standards of safety. EAA is also push-

ing a plan to allow S-LSA to be similarly equipped.

Playing a leadership role in developing regulations for unmanned aerial systems (UAS) in collaboration with other avia-tion groups, the FAA and the UAS/drone community. This collaborative approach has forged recommendations designed to protect manned aircraft operations and will be published for public comment lat-er this month.

EAA’s Founder’s Innovation Prize, an-nounced at Oshkosh last summer, has al-ready brought forth many applicants with ideas that will directly improve homebuilt aircraft safety. The “Shark Tank”-style fi-nals will be held at AirVenture 2016.

“EAA advocacy spans a spectrum from addressing issues confronting recreation-al aviation on a national level to providing service to individual EAA members on matters of utmost importance to them,” Elliott said. “We’re able to bring about successful outcomes thanks to our unique working relationships with the FAA and elected officials, the knowledge and dedi-cation of our staff, and the passion of our members and volunteers on whom we rely as an integral part of representing our community.”

Learn more at EAA.org or EAA’s ex-hibit on the SUN ’n FUN grounds.

EAA advocacy brings big wins for GA

EAA’s Sean Elliott

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Central Florida’s Polk County offers a wide range of activities and attractions for SUN ’n FUN attendees to enjoy, so much so that you might like to “Stay An Extra Day.”

The Detroit Tigers are celebrating their 80th Spring Training season at TigerTown in Lakeland, extending the longest-stand-ing relationship between a major league team and a current Spring Training host city, so be sure to catch a game.

Enjoy today’s featured attraction below and for more reasons to Stay An Extra Day, stop by Visit Central Florida’s Visi-tor Information Center here at SUN ’n FUN, or go to VisitCentralFlorida.org.

Dude Ranch & RodeoEncompassing 1,700 beautiful acres on

one of the few untouched pieces of Flor-ida wilderness and located just one hour south of Orlando, Westgate River Ranch Resort & Rodeo provides an unparalleled dude ranch experience where guests can return to the days of “Old Florida” when the Sunshine State was home to cowboys and cattle ranchers.

Westgate River Ranch features recently renovated Florida cowboy-themed ac-commodations, ranging from guest rooms and suites to cottages and two-bedroom cabins that boast fully equipped kitchens,

51-inch flat-screen TVs, and wraparound porches or screened-in patios.

Westgate River Ranch also offers Glamping (“Glamorous Camping”), which combines luxury and creature com-forts with adventure in the great outdoors – without any of the hassles associated with traditional camping.

Glamping sites are set on platforms in a wooded area with spacious, fully fur-nished, air-conditioned canvas tents, and glampers receive a key to their own pri-vate bathroom facility with shower.

The newest Glamping opportunity at Westgate River Ranch, the Luxe Teepee, blends the ultimate outdoor adventure with all the comforts of a luxurious villa full of upscale amenities such as a double-sided stone rock hearth fireplace. Each of the authentic Luxe Teepees at Westgate River Ranch is themed in Native Ameri-can style with distinctive names such as “Dancing Warrior,” “Roaming Buffalo” and “Soaring Eagle,” among others.

The range of family activities at the Florida dude ranch includes horseback riding along the miles of trails that wind through Westgate River Ranch, as well as a petting farm, pony rides, hiking trails, hayrides, a nine-hole golf course, state-of-the-art trap & skeet range, archery range, airboat and swamp buggy rides, 18-hole

miniature golf course, rock climbing wall, zip line, bungee jumper, mechanical bull, outdoor pool, full-service marina with boat rentals, catch and release pond, and more.

Enjoy a meal at the award-winning Westgate Smokehouse Grill, go line danc-ing at the River Ranch Saloon, and thrill to the action of the Saturday night Cham-pionship Rodeo, which offers trick riding, bull riding, and barrel racing, as well as

a “calf scramble” for the little cowpokes and a patriotic tribute to our armed forces at the 1,200-seat Rodeo Arena.

You can even fly in for lunch — West-gate River Ranch Resort boasts a 4,950-foot paved and lighted air strip that can also accommodate helicopters. Fuel is available onsite. Learn more at AirNav.com/Airport/2RR.

For more information, go to WGRiver-Ranch.com or call 863-692-1321.

Stay an extra day

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WHAT’S HAPPENING TODAYSUN ’n FUN 2015

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

9 amRm#

1 iPad Take Flight: Advanced iPad Use, Charles P. Schneider 2 Aircraft Engine Oil: What’s The Difference? Edward Kollin 3 Bolt-On Performance & Ef-ficiency for Your Aircraft, Darren Tillman 4 General Aviation Electrical Systems Failures, Ron Heide-brink 5 Franklin Engines: Mainte-nance and New Production, Robert Still 6 Flying the A-1 Skyraider in Vietnam Combat, John Golden-baum

7 Designing the Perfect Paint Scheme/Vinyl Design for Your Aircraft, Craig Barnett 8 Latest on General Aviation Development in China, Jane Nu Zhang 9 Intro to FlyQ EFB & The FlyQ Family, Steve Podradchik10 Revmaster 85-hp R-2300 & Turbo, Patrick Panzera11 A New Aircraft Design from Sonex, John Monnett

10 am 1 Flying Your Own Plane to Cuba, Jim Parker 2 Owning & Maintaining Beech Airplanes, Bob Ripley & Curtis Boulware 3 Care & Feeding of the Cess-na Cardinal, Keith Peterson & Paul Millner 4 Flying Around the World Can Be Safe & Fun, CarolAnn Gar-rett

5 Real Estate With Runways: Live the Dream, Kathie Beaty & CarolVandervliet 6 Using Your Aircraft for Busi-ness: Tax Planning to Maximize Opportunities, Jonathan Levy & Susanne Meiners-Levy 7 CFIs: Ready for ACS? It’s Coming, Ready or Not! Phillip Poynor 8 ADS-Be Ready: 2020 Starts Today! Peter Ring 9 The Cub Club, John Hof-mann10 Auto PSRU’s (Formerly Geared Drives) Chevrolet LS3 & Subaru Engines for High-Perfor-mance Aircraft, Stewart Davis11 Zenith CH-650 Low-Wing, All-Metal Kit Aircraft, Sebastian Heintz

11 am 1 Using Technology to Review Your Flights: A Guide for CFIs, Students & Pilots, Gary Reeves 2 Which Engines Oils are Right for Your Engine? Steve Strollo 3 High-Wing Citabria, Decath-lon, Scout Issues & Announce-ments, Robert Sego & Jerry Mehlhaff 4 There are no Unusual Atti-tudes for Aerobatic Pilots, Patty Wagstaff 5 Air Camping Gear Essen-tials, Ramona Cok 6 Care and Feeding of the Cessna 170, Harley Pickett 7 Understanding DUATS, Leon Thomas 8 Dynamic Propeller Balanc-

ing, Michael Fox 9 Buy, Build & Fly The Most Affordable Ride, Clyde Smith Jr. & Connie Stevens10 Suzuki G Series Engine Conversions, AeroMomentum Aircraft Engines11 Touring with LSA & Motor Home, Dr. Robert Jones

12 pm 1 Mountain Flying, Gary Reeves 2 TITAN Aircraft Engines for Your Experimental Aircraft: Increasing Power While Reduc-ing Weight and Costs, TITAN by Continental Motors 3 Low Wing (Cruisair, Cruise-master, Viking) Issues & An-nouncements, Robert Szego 4 Out of Control? Now Is Not The Time to Learn How to Re-cover, Bill Finagin 5 Checklist: Flying to the Islands of the Bahamas, Terry Carbonell 6 Care and Feeding of the Cessna 170, Harley Pickett 7 Should you Rent, Buy or Build? Scott Sky Smith 8 Pilot Induced Emergencies, Jason Schappert 9 Classic Piper Wing Repair, Paul Babcock10 BMW V-12 and Chevy LS3 for Homebuilt Aircraft, Bill Ko-leno11 Innovator ShipOne: Exceeds Expectations, Richard Hogan

1 pm 1 How Pilots Can Make Flying


More Affordable, Bill Ross 2 Scholarships Are Not Just For Kids, Dr. Peggy Chabrian 3 Amateur-Built Aircraft Con-struction Errors, Zoe Keliher 4 Five Easy Ways to Fly Safer, Larry Diamond 5 Luscombe Restoration, Maintenance & Operations, Doug Combs 6 Rules and Regulations of Homebuilding, EAA Staff 7 Propeller Balancing & Vibra-tion Analysis, Steve Sennett 8 The $100 Snapshot: Aerial Art and a Reason to Fly, Mike Brown 9 What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You! David St. George10 All Auto Conversions: What’s New, What’s Old, What Works, Patrick Panzera11 Seaplanes 101, Steve Mc-Caughey

FAA FORUMSFAA Forums are held at the FAA Aviation Safety Center located in the middle of the ex-hibit 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 Vintage Aircraft Main-tenance, Al Kimball DAR, Re-tired FAA Inspector10 am GA Maintenance Issue, Ric Peri, Aircraft Electronic As-sociation11:30 am Amateur-Built Aircraft Construction Erros, Zoe Keliher, NTSB Air Safety Investigator1 pm Airmen Certification Stan-dards Update, Susan Parson, FAA Flight Standards

PARADISE CITY FORUMSLight-Sport Aircraft, Sport Pilot and Ultralight forums are held in the Paradise City Briefing/Forum Tent.9 am Daily Devotional: MASA Tent10:30 am Rotax Two-Stroke Engines, Phil Lockwood12 pm Modern Aircraft FInish-ings, Andy Humphrey1 p.m Great Debate: Aviation Writers Debate the Future of Light Aviation1:30 LSA Operational Tips, John Calla

MUSEUM PROGRAMS9 am to 2 pm: Third Annual Ca-reer Fair Sponsored by JSfirm.com

FORUMS AT THE AOPA ACTIVITY TENT

A variety of forums will be held throughout the week at the Aircraft Owners and Pilots As-sociation (AOPA) Activity Tent.8:30 am Coffee & Donuts with AOPA President Mark Baker10 am Emergency! Getting It Right When Things Go Wrong, Mark Grady11 am ADS-B Panel Discus-sion: Understanding the Ben-

efits of ADS-B, Mike Collins12 pm Maximum Fun, Minimum Cost: How to Start a Flying Club, Jamie Beckett1 pm Going Higher: America’s Community Airports, AOPA President Mark Baker & Dawn Veatch2 pm 10 Things You Should Know About Flying with an iPad & ForeFlight, Dominik Ochman-ek3 pm Piston Engine Care for Enhanced Safety, Reliability, Durability & Efficiency, Bill Ross

AIRSHOWThe airshow launches at 2:30 pm and goes through about 6

pm (weather permitting). Slated to perform today are:Larry KingAeroShellLee LauderbackGolden KnightsGreg KoontzWarbirdsJacquie WardaJason NewbergJerry KerbyJim TobulJoe F. EdwardsLima Lima Flight Team

Matt Chapman

SCHEDULE | See Page 38


Scenes from SUN ’n FUN AIRSHOW

Scott YoakTigers

NIGHT AIRSHOW8 pm Performers are:AeroStarsBob CarltonDan BuchananJerry ‘Jive’ KerbyJulie ClarkGary RowerRedline AirshowsStallion 51

EVENING ENTERTAINMENT6 pm International Visitors Party, Aerospace Pavilion6 pm Country Spice Ban, Corn Roast7 pm Stargazing, Astronomy Workshop

EVENING MOVIESunset: Bridges at Toko-Ri

SCHEDULE | From Page 37

By DAN JOHNSON

On opening day of SUN ’n FUN in Paradise City, the Light Aircraft Manu-facturers Association (LAMA) launched the first of its series of “Great Debates.”

On stage were representatives from the four top brands of aircraft engines power-ing the light aircraft fleet, including Light-Sport Aircraft, light kit-built aircraft, and ultralight aircraft.

The debate featured representatives from Continental Motors, which now owns the ECi Titan engine line, UL Pow-er kit aircraft engines, LSA market leader Rotax Aircraft Engines, and Jabiru en-gines from a very rare company making both airframes and engines.

Kicking off a new activity anywhere but certainly at a major airshow can be challenging. The physical turnout was satisfactory at about 45 people, however, moderator Sebastien Heintz, president of Zenith Aircraft Co., noted, “The debate went well and once this venue and pro-gram becomes better known, it will be a great success.”

This first debate was videotaped and will be posted to YouTube. All debates will be recorded for later viewing.

To each of the panelists, Sebastien

asked a series of questions, using his com-pany’s experience at supporting a number of different engines for buyers of Zenith’s kit aircraft.

Continental’s John Heitland observed that company technicians will be doing full tear-down and reassembly of the Ti-tan 340 engine so visitors can see the en-tire process. While variances occur for the vast fleet of Continental engines around the world, the Titan line offers a 2,000-hour TBO. His company’s new work con-tinues on the diesel product.

UL Power’s Robert Helm, representing the newest of the four, observed his com-pany’s multiple engines all offer FADEC (Full Authority Digital Engine Control), making them very modern. UL Power engines can handle as much as 15% ethanol, but they prefer auto gas, which burns much cleaner. He also advised a top overhaul if 100LL is used. His company is planning to offer ASTM approval for some models, allowing them on LSA.

Marc Becker, a top manager for LSA powerhouse Rotax Aircraft Engines, made one of the wisest comments and all the others agreed. He said, “You cannot have too much maintenance, but you cer-tainly can have too little.”

The Austrian engine giant has more

than 50,000 of the 9-series engines fly-ing in aircraft and are accumulating more than 5 million hours a year. They do not offer experimental engines.

Pete Krotje said more than 7,000 Jabiru engines are flying, including more than 2,500 in the USA, sold by his company, based in Shelbyville, Tennessee.

Jabiru offers arguably the simplest en-gines that most homebuilders can main-tain. It offers a 2,000-hour TBO and owners can learn to do most of the work

themselves. He noted new 3310 and 2210 models should be available by Oshkosh 2016.

Future DebatesOn Wednesday popular aviation writers

will address the future of light aviation, featuring Robert Goyer of Plane & Pilot magazine, Paul Bertorelli of AVweb, Pia Bergqvist of Flying magazine, and Ben Sclair of General Aviation News and SUN ’n FUN Today.

Great Debates take off

Photo by Ryan Cleaveland Photo by Ken Strohm

Photo by Al Owen

Tim Verroi pilots his Butterfly gyrocopter during the last flight of the day at sunset Tuesday in ChopperTown.

(L-R) Sebastien Heintz from Zenith Aircraft was moderator of the debate, which featured John Heitland from Continental and Titan; Robert Helms from UL Pow-er; Marc Beck from Rotax Aircraft Engines; and Pete Krotje from Jabiru North America.

307.885.3151 AVIATAIRCRAFT.COM HUSKY ★ PITTS ★ EAGLEPost Office Box 1240 Afton, WY 83110

Photo: Bob Kaufman ©2016 Aviat Aircraft, Inc.

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snf today apr. 6, 2016

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