SNF Today Apr. 21

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

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

Table of ContentsBreitling Jet Team makes its U.S. debut ............................. 8Armless pilot to speak tonight ............................................. 10Career Fair returns to SUN ‘n FUN ......................................12Tune in to 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 ................................................................ 20Race to the Sun ........................................................................30

published by

FREEFREE

TODAY’S SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT

Now arriving...41st SUN ’n FUN gets rolling on a high note

Photo by Ken Strohm

Camp Duffy dedicated todayPage 4

Why I fly.“For complete freedom.”

Jimmy Graham, Pilot | Pro Athlete

*Risk-free refers only to 30-day trial, requires product purchase and does not include return shipping. Offers not to be combined with other offers or applied to previous purchases, and subject to change without notice. If headset is returned, gift must be returned for a full refund. If

initial headset is returned, subsequent headsets must be returned for a full refund. Delivery is subject to product availability. Purchases must be made from a Bose authorized dealer to qualify for offers. Offers valid in the U.S. and Canada only, and a U.S. or Canada shipping address is required.

©2015 Bose Corporation. CC016031

More noise reduction. Less distraction.With 30% greater noise reduction than conventional noise reducing aviation headsets, the A20 headset lets you hear more of what you need to hear. While proprietary cushions and minimal clamping force let you fl y comfortably for hours. TSO certifi ed. Made in the U.S.A.

Bose® A20®

Aviation Headset

More noise reduction. Less distraction.With 30% greater noise reduction than conventional noise reducing aviation headsets, the A20 headset lets you hear

and minimal clamping force let you fl y comfortably for hours.

Bose® A20Aviation Headset

Visit us at SUN ’n FUN 2015.Limited-time offer: Free gift with purchase. 10% off second and subsequent A20 headsets. Offer valid 4/12/15 – 5/2/15. Take them for a 30-day, risk-free* Test Flight.

Order: 1-888-757-9985Learn more: Bose.com/A20

facebook.com/BoseAviation instagram.com/BoseAviation twitter.com/BoseAviation

#WhyIFly #BoseA20

BOS80358A_T-15BSE0023_10x12.75.indd 1 3/27/15 10:18 AM

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

www.wipaire.com

South St. Paul, Minnesota651.451.1205

352.323.4809Leesburg, Florida

Bose A20 HeadsetVisit Us at Booth MD-003D to Enter!

ENTER TO WIN!

Seaplane or landplane, Husky or Twin Otter, Wipaire invites you to experience our world class service at our Leesburg service center on the Leesburg International Airport (KLEE).

SERVICES

Maintenance ∙ Avionics ∙ Modifications ∙ Wipline Floats

Convenient Location in Leesburg, Florida

by Wipaire

www.rmsteel.comemail: [email protected]

HANGARS!46 Years of Manufacturing Excellence

Buy Factory Direct !

R & M Steel Co.

QR code generated on http://qrcode.littleidiot.be

Hangar B Booth 73 & Hangar D Booth 96

April 21, 2015 Sun ’n Fun Today - www.sun-n-fun.org 3

By JANICE WOOD

As the gates open today for the 41st an-nual SUN ‘n FUN, officials are celebrat-ing the fact that the organization is offi-cially debt free.

When SUN ’n FUN President John “Lites” Leenhouts took the helm of the non-profit, he found it was not only $2.3 million in debut, but the organization was surviving on a line of credit.

“Once I did the due diligence and finan-cial review, I wondered ‘where does the money go?” he said.

After that, top officials began review-ing every single contract and all overhead costs and started cutting “non-essential things,” he said.

“We put a plan together to get out of debt,” he continued, noting the organiza-tion was making a $27,000 debt payment every month, which left little to keep operations going. That’s why the line of credit was needed.

Staff was reduced — the fly-in has only 16 staff members, relying on more than 3,000 volunteers to do much of the heavy lifting. Expenses were reduced, with Lites even managing to cut the electric bill.

Next step was to increase revenues. That meant hosting more events on the grounds, such as the annual When Pigs

Fly South BBQ competition and more. Of course the annual fly-in remains the orga-nization’s biggest money maker.

“We walked into last year’s show with a line of credit approaching three-quarters of a million dollars,” he noted. “We paid that off after the show and haven’t bor-rowed on it since.”

“We’ve been paying on the debt aggres-sively,” he continued, noting funds that

normally would have been spent on capi-tal improvements went towards the debt.

And while the organization was making progress, the debt stilled weighed heavy on Lites.

“In November, a wise and successful businessman saw what we were doing with the Aerospace Center for Excellence and asked ‘what keeps you up at night?” Lites recalled.

Lites immediately said the debt and the businessman, who wants to remain anon-ymous, asked “would $1 million help?”

“We got the money on Friday afternoon and paid off all our debt on Tuesday,” Lites said.

The final payoff was $850,000 and Lites offered to give the remaining balance back to the businessman, but he declined, telling Lites to put it to good use.

Those funds were used to bring on a new staff member, a volunteer who had been working on the SUN ’n FUN schol-arship program.

“We never stopped giving scholarships,” Lites said, noting the organization gives more than $430,000 annually to flight and maintenance training scholarships.

Now that the organization is debt free, it can really concentrate on its mis-sion, which is “Building a Better Future Through Aviation,” he said.

“We’re filling cockpits and hangars with young people,” Lites said. “Now I know I can’t convince every kid on the planet to get involved in aviation, but if you do get involved, what you learn are decision-making tools, accountability, sit-uational awareness and confidence — all of which build better citizens. All of these skills apply whether the person becomes a doctor, lawyer or a landscaper.”

SUN ’n FUN celebrates being debt free

Mike (top) and T.J. Burke present Lites with the rudder skin from his old 1946 SV4C Stampe. Lites flew the Stampe to his first SUN ’n FUN fly-in in 1981. Longtime friends, Lites sold the Stampe to Mike who has since sold it himself.

Phot

o by

Ben

Scl

air


PLEASE REMEMBER TO RECYCLE

ISSUe 1 — TUeSDAY AprIL 21, 2015

pUBLISherSJohn “Lites” Leenhouts

Ben Sclair

eDITorIAL STAFFMeg Godlewski

Janice Wood

proDUCTIoNRussell Kasselman

DISTrIBUTIoNArthur Ward

Paulette WardMurray 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 JACK NeUBACher

William D. “Duffy” Thompson was a SUN ’n FUN Volunteer Extraordinaire, so it is only fitting that the long-time chair-man of the Back Acres Campground was honored by having the campground re-named “Camp Duffy.”

When SUN ’n FUN officials moved the Back Acres Campgrounds to its new location, the project became his — he en-gineered and designed the entire project. He laid out the campsites, the electrical hook-ups and then, when done and ready for campers, he controlled admission to the facility with an iron hand.

You see this campground is reserved for long-term volunteers and if you didn’t fill that description, too bad, you just couldn’t talk or buy your way in.

Duffy organized everything throughout life and even after his death last Septem-ber. He left a detailed notebook of every-thing that needed to be done after he was gone. He only left off one thing — how to fill the void of him not being there.

Duffy was one of the six original found-ers of SUN ‘n FUN, serving as a director and officer for 40 years.

One of his favorite stories to tell was in the early years of SUN ‘n FUN, the found-ing fathers found out that Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) founder Paul Poberezny was going to attend a fly-in in Northern Florida, so the group de-cided to travel up to meet with him and pick his brain on how to make their event more successful. Paul’s answer to them was simple: “Practice” — and, if you do something and it works, keep it up. If it doesn’t work, don’t do it again.

Duffy was a long-time pilot, having flown and owned as many as seven air-planes, including his favorites, a Taylor-craft, a Cessna 170, and then a Cessna 150 that was converted to a taildragger. He was a proud member of the Ancient & Secret Order of Quiet Birdmen, or QB for short, a member of the Florida Air Mu-seum, Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 454, and a founder of the Vintage Aircraft Division of the EAA.

Beyond that Thompson was passionate and dedicated to everything in life. With his wife Joan, they enjoyed a Martini and a movie at home on Friday night, which he called their “date night.” Duffy’s im-mediate family included his son, William Thompson of Lakeland, and his daugh-ter, Susan Thompson of Flower Mound, Texas.

Born in Columbus, Ohio, Thompson at-tended Georgia Military College in Atlan-ta and obtained a bachelor’s degree from Ohio State University. He was an Army veteran of World War II and served in China and on occupation duty in Korea.

He came to Lakeland in 1966 to work for the Lakeland Area Chamber of Com-merce. A fundraising executive there for about 20 years, he also started Lakeland’s Retired Senior Volunteer Program. But the volunteer work he was most passion-

ate about took place at SUN ‘n FUN.Besides being the chairman of the

Back Acres campground, during the an-nual fly-in, Thompson would operate the ground control taxi advisory tower dubbed “Duffy’s Tower.” From there he guided taxiing aircraft by radio to various parking areas, such as homebuilt, vintage, seaplane, and other parking areas around the site. He only recently relinquished the job to others.

Thompson loved being a part of SUN ’n FUN and was proud of his many years of service, according to his long-time friend Bill McKee.

“He was dedicated to everything he at-tempted, and he did everything admira-bly,” McKee said.

He also took on assignments from all over the SUN ’n FUN site — from cutting grass to being a liaison between the city code authorities and SUN ’n FUN con-struction projects.

Duffy passed away Sept. 6 at the age of 87. He left the community a better place because he was here.

Bob Knight, chairman of the SUN ’n FUN board, said he was able to visit with Thompson several times in the days be-fore his death. He bestowed honors on the longtime volunteer on behalf of SUN ‘n FUN. “He wanted me to make him an emeritus member of the board before he died,” Knight said. “So we had a plaque made up for him.”

Although he was weak from the cancer that eventually took his life, Thompson was aware of the distinctions he was giv-en and smiled, Knight said.

“He was a great guy,” he continued. “He was really well-liked by everybody and will be sorely missed.”

Today Camp Duffy is truly a celebra-tion of Duffy Thompson’s life.

Camp Duffy will be officially dedicated at 5:30 p.m. today.

Camp Duffy dedicated today

Phot

o by

Ben

Scl

air

Phot

o co

urte

sy S

UN

’n

FUN

An ATV with Altitude!sm

I learned how to fly in and expected to buy a Cirrus. When I saw all my buddies flying Huskys I didn’t want to be left out of the fun. So, I bought a Husky and never looked back. I mentioned to a Cirrus pilot that I got my initial training in a Cirrus. He said, “Then you bought a Husky to really learn to fly?” I said, “Yes”. Once you fly a Husky you buy one, they speak for themselves. Dennis Hourany

Husky. America’s Favorite Taildragger.Log on to http://husky.aviataircraft.com. Check out the videos, get inspired and call to schedule your own Husky Experience!

307.885.3151 AVIATAIRCRAFT.COM HUSKY PITTS EAGLE

Post Office Box 1240 Afton, WY 83110

©2015 Aviat Aircraft, Inc.



Scenes from SUN ’n FUN

Did you shoot a great photo at SUN ’n FUN this morning or afternoon? Want to see it in tomorrow’s edition of SUN ’n FUN Today?

Bring your camera to the SUN ’n FUN Today trailer near the Cessna dis-play by 1 p.m. We can download your photo and then we’ll put the best ones in the next day’s paper.

Or, you can text photos from your phone to (253) 228-1634. Be sure to include your name, the names of any people in the picture and a few details about what’s happening in the shot.

Not every picture will make the pa-per, so bring us your best and get that instant gratification of seeing your name in the paper the next morning.

Calling all photographers

Phot

o by

Mik

e Zi

dziu

nas

paul gagnon flew this 1950 piper pA-20 10 hours from his home in ontario, Canada, to be at SUN ’n FUN this year. he has owned the plane for three years and has 160 hours on it.

Mike Zidziunas of the Lakeland Aero Club sent us this air-to-air shot of the club’s newly restored 1953 piper L-18C practicing formation flying over south Lakeland airport.

Phot

o by

Rus

sell

Kas

selm

an

Phot

o by

Rus

sell

Kas

selm

an

Photo by Russell Kasselman

www.foreflight.comQuestions? Email [email protected]

Features like luminous

terrain, night sky, hands-free

declutter, and a brilliant

obstacle awareness system

make ForeFlight Synthetic

Vision a visually stunning and

high-performance hazard

awareness tool.

See Synthetic Vision and

all that's new at ForeFlight

during Sun 'n Fun 2015!

HANGAR C � 092, 093

Check out our education

forums in Room 1 of the

Central Florida Aerospace

Academy building:

Tuesday 4/21 at 9:00 am

Thursday 4/23 at 11:00 am

Saturday 4/25 at 10:00 am

YOU DON’T HAVE TO SEE ITTO BELIEVE ITFLY WITH MORE CONFIDENCE INALL CONDITIONS AND TERRAIN


GREAT FOR: GREAT FOR:

Neck Pain Back PainShoulder Pain Sciatic NeurologyArthritis Knee PainCarpal Tunnel FibromyalgiaHeadaches Tennis ElbowTMJ Pain Foot Pain

For over 15 years, we have been the proud manufacturers of the RHYTHM TOUCH. Come visit us at the show for a FREE 15 minute treatment and FREE gift with purchase.

BOOTHN-406


By JANICe WooD

The Breitling Jet Team kicks off its first-ever North American tour today at SUN ’n FUN.

The team, which flies seven L-39C Al-batros jets that reach speeds of up to 565 mph and up to 8G acceleration, may be as excited about today’s performance as the SUN ’n FUN audience.

“SUN ’n FUN is one of the largest avia-tion shows in North America, with more than 200,000 attendees and over 500 ex-hibits, including aviation education pro-grams for youth, so we felt like it would be the ideal setting for our first flight,” said Breitling Jet Team Captain Jacques Bothelin. “It is also one of the first of the year, so we can get an early start for our cross-country tour.”

On top of that, it’s the first visit to the United States for some of the team, he added.

“The Breitling Jet Team has performed in over 38 countries, but never in North America,” he noted. “So after a very suc-cessful Asian tour last year, we are here for the first time. We are all very excited to share our flying with American and Canadian audiences, as there are so many aviation enthusiasts and incredible air-shows here.”

Formed in 2003, the Breitling Jet Team has developed a new routine especially for its U.S. tour, according to Bothelin.

“We will be doing an incredible rou-tine that we developed just for U.S. audi-ences, which will include vertical splits, barrel rolls, our famous 360° Blackbird Formation, and the Apache Roll,” he said. “Many of the maneuvers are highlighted by biodegradable smoke-trails to really highlight the maneuver for those on the ground.”

So what makes the Breitling Jet Team a “must-see” for those who love airplanes and airshows?

“Most of the team has trained together for nearly a decade, allowing them to per-form superior precision flying within a few feet of each other, unlike any other,” he said. “It really is a team effort — even

though the leader traces out the flight path in the sky and ensures safety relative to the ground, it is the team members who guarantee safety and symmetry between the planes, especially when they are fly-ing in such close proximity.

“What is also special about the perfor-mance is that the Breitling Jet Team uti-lize seven aircraft in their displays, while other U.S. teams have far less,” he con-tinued. “The planes are also really cool — the L-39C Albatros is a Czech-made twin-seater military training jet that Bre-itling has equipped with their livery to improve visibility and highlight their in-credible performance.”

Breitling officials say the team’s preci-sion and skill “personifies Breitling’s ties to aviation.” Breitling began develop-ing onboard chronographs for airplane cockpits, including World War II fighter planes. It launched its first pilot watch in 1952, the Navitimer wrist chronograph, which featured a circular slide rule that performed all navigation-related calcula-tions.

“A cult object for pilots and aviation enthusiasts, it has been continuously man-ufactured for almost 60 years — making it the world’s oldest mechanical chrono-graph still in production,” company offi-cials said.

Other watches introduced by the com-pany include the Aerospace watch, which was launched in 1985, and the Emergency timepiece with a built-in dual frequency locator beacon that was originally intro-duced in 1995 and was recently updated.

To commemorate the first-ever North American tour of the jet team, Breitling introduced a special edition watch (see separate story).

The jet team will fly today, Friday and Saturday during the airshows (scheduled subject to change).

Once they wrap up their SUN ’n FUN appearances, they will begin their tour of the continent, with 17 more stops scheduled, including the Cleveland Na-tional Air Show, AirVenture in Oshkosh, SeaFair in Seattle, and the Reno Air Rac-es in Reno.

Breitling Jet Team makes its U.S. debut

To celebrate the first tour of the Breitling Jet Team in North America, Breitling has unveiled the Breitling Jet Team American Tour Chronomat 44 Blacksteel timepiece.

In a limited edition of 500 pieces, the new watch has a blacksteel case, onyx black dial, and yellow accents, which mirrors the colors of the Breitling Jet Team’s fleet of L-39C Albatros Jets.

“The Breitling Jet Team American Tour Chronomat 44 Blacksteel is so special because it reflects what the Breitling Jet Team is about: Precision, speed and adrenaline,” said Breitling USA President Thierry Prissert. “The Chro-

nomat is one our most popular models, and the first one that housed Breitling’s in-house movement, so it was a natural

fit to do a Chronomat for the Jet Team, who embody Breitling’s

spirit of adventure and audac-ity, as well as our passion for aviation.”

The new watch features the Breitling Jet Team logo on the dial, while the case-

back features the American Tour logo with the limited

edition numbering.Each watch is accompanied by

a limited edition commemorative tour coin, which is only available

with watch purchase.Breitling.com

Breitling watch commemorates jet team’s American tour


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


Mission Aviation Fellowship’s newest aircraft — an amphibious KODIAK with Aerocet floats — will soon be serving small riverside villages in Kalimantan, Indonesia. You can see it on display in the Southeast Exhibit Area, Lot 1 (near the corner of Doolittle and SUN ’n FUN roads).

The aircraft will join the MAF fleet in Kalimantan (Borneo), Indonesia, where it will serve the people who live and work in isolated riverside villages. It will carry missionaries, medical teams, relief work-ers, Bible translators, and the sick or in-jured.

“With our fleet of 132 planes worldwide, MAF goes places that others cannot or will not,” said John Boyd, president and CEO of MAF. “We reach the most desperate people in the most isolated areas.”

The new airplane was purchased entire-ly with gifts from individuals, churches, and organizations.

It’s part of a long-term strategic ini-tiative to upgrade the aging MAF fleet. The floatplane it will replace — a small

Cessna 185 — is 53 years old. Like many MAF airplanes, the Cessna 185 burns avi-ation gasoline (avgas), which has become expensive and difficult to obtain in some of the countries where MAF works. The KODIAK burns jet fuel, which is much less costly and more readily available, MAF officials note.

“The people in Kalimantan’s riverside communities really rely on MAF,” said Boyd. “The other day I heard how our pi-lots performed a medical evacuation for a man from one of the villages who had suffered a stroke. If not for that flight, he likely would have died. He just wouldn’t have survived a multi-day trip through the

jungle to the hospital. It’s amazing how God uses the airplane to change lives and communities.”

Mission Aviation Fellowship was founded in 1945 by World War II pilots who had a vision for how aviation could be used to spread the Gospel. In 1946, pi-lot Betty Greene flew the first MAF plane on its inaugural flight, transporting two missionaries from Wycliffe Bible Transla-tors to a remote jungle location in Mexico. Since that time MAF has grown to a fam-ily of organizations working in 32 coun-tries. Through its aviation and technology services, MAF enables the work of some 1,500 Christian and relief agencies.

MAF’s recent work has included deliv-ering medical teams and supplies to fight an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Re-public of the Congo, transporting work teams in Haiti, and delivering new trans-lations of the Bible in Indonesia, Africa, and Ecuador. MAF’s U.S. headquarters is in Nampa, Idaho.

You can learn more at MAF’s exhibit on site or at MAF.org.

From SUN ’n FUN to Kalimantan

Armless pilot brings her motivational message to fly-inMaking her first trip to SUN ’n FUN

this year is Jessica Cox, motivational speaker, author, and Guinness World Re-cord Holder as the first armless person to earn a pilot certificate.

Cox, born without arms, learned to fly in a 1946 415C Ercoupe and gained her sport pilot certificate in 2008 with the help of Able Flight. She recently published her first book, “Disarm Your Limits,” which relates her story of living her life fully without choosing to use prosthetics, and to use her feet as others use their hands.

It outlines her “formula for flight:” Un-repentant regard and self-acceptance as a whole person.

“I am thrilled to be a part of my first SUN ‘n FUN!” said Cox. “Aviation has empowered me, and I look forward to an inspirational and high-flying weekend.”

Cox will share her story tonight at 6

p.m. at the Aerospace Pavilion. She also will present a motivational talk

at the Aerospace Discovery at the Florida Air Museum today at 11 a.m., followed by an appearance at Able Flight’s event at noon. She will speak again at the museum on Friday, April 24, at 1 p.m.

She’ll sign her new book on Wednesday from 11 a.m. to noon, at the Tempest ex-hibit, located in Hangar C, Booths 81-82.

“Tempest is honored to provide support to Jessica,” said John Herman, president of Tempest. “Her life’s story provides an extremely inspirational testimony of meeting life’s challenges head-on and not letting obstacles prevent you from fulfilling your life’s dreams. Our support is but a small contribution to ensure as many people as possible hear Jessica’s story of human will and the desire to per-severe.”

Phot

o co

urte

sy A

eroc

et

Phot

o co

urte

sy T

empe

st

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.

Introducing the new SXAR1 SiriusXM Aviation Receiver for iPad®.

For the fi rst time, pilots using the iPad® can access satellite delivered,

state-of-the-art SiriusXM Aviation in-fl ight weather data to monitor storm

fronts, track lightning strikes, TAFs, METARs, winds and more. You can also

enjoy SiriusXM Satellite Radio when you add it to your device. Whether you

fl y a Light Sport Aircraft at 1,500 feet, a Corporate Jet at FL480, or anything

in-between, SiriusXM Aviation lets you fl y with confi dence.

Visit us at Space N-036 for Special Show Offers & to enter Daily prize drawings!Visit siriusxm.com/SNF for more info

The Weather & Info YOU NEED.The Entertainment YOU WANT.

SiriusXM Aviation Services are also available on Garmin products.

Access the new SiriusXM Aviation service through the Garmin GXM 42

via aera 510/560/796 portable GPS units, the GDL 69SXM for compatible

Garmin certifi ed avionics and the G3X Touch/ GDU 465 for LSA/Experimental

Aircraft installations


Ther

e’s s

omet

hing

^in th

e a

ir!

affo

rda

ble

January 20-23, 2016Wednesday through Saturday

www.sportaviationexpo.com


SUN ’n FUN will host its second annu-al aviation Career Fair during this year’s fly-in, with help from aviation job website JSfirm.com.

The career fair is set for tomorrow, April 22, in the Aerospace Discovery at the Florida Air Museum.

“This year we have 15 companies at-tending,” said Abbey Hutter, marketing coordinator for JSfirm.com. “They will be searching for pilots, flight operations, avionics, engineers, maintenance person-nel, and more. We really wanted this to be an event that appealed to the masses within the aviation industry. After the ca-reer fair, job seekers can enjoy the day with the airshow, educational workshops, great food, entertainment and more.”

Companies recruiting at the job fair in-clude:

Southwest,• Jeppesen,• jetBlue,• Endeavor,• Frontier,• Silver Airways,• Envoy Air,• StandardAero,• Compass Airlines,• Avocet,• TransStates Airlines,• Mountain Air Cargo,• SkyWest Airlines,• Republic Airways, and• HAECO America.•

“This is going to be a great Career Fair that I would classify as a Do-Not-Miss event,” said Robb Williams, executive di-rector of the Aerospace Center for Excel-lence. “For the cost of an admission tick-et, you get to come to a fly-in and leave with a job.”

“SUN ’n FUN is way more than a fly-in,” added Hutter. “Their dedication to furthering our industry through educating our youth is unsurpassed. We share the

same passion for ‘creating aviation op-portunities.’ We are very excited to help with their Career Fair!”

JSFirm.com is a job website with re-sume database access that has exclusively

served the aviation industry for more than 15 years.

“It is a free service for job seekers and a place for aviation companies to post jobs and search resumes,” Hutter noted.

Career Fair returns to fly-in

JSFirm.com recently released its sixth annual Hiring Trends Survey.

“This year’s results show that our in-dustry is continuing to trend in the right direction,” said Jeff Richards, JSFirm.com manager. “There will be more hiring in 2015 than any of the past six years.”

The company surveyed 342 aviation companies across various sectors and found:

92% will hire in 2015;• 78% are projecting growth in 2015;•

72% did not cut jobs in 2014 (up • from 68% in 2013);55% experienced an attrition rate of • less than 5% (up from 48%);Skilled maintenance technicians • remain the most in-demand hiring need; andApril, May, and June will likely be • the busiest hiring months

Companies report that lack of experi-enced candidates is their biggest hiring challenge.

JSFirm.com

More hiring forecast in 2015

Phot

o by

Bill

Wal

ker

Discover a world of audio products from the experts at Sennheiser

SUN ‘N FUNSUN ‘N FUNSUN ‘N FUN

201520152015SHOW SPECIALS

The aviation headset Order now for sound as it was meant to be heard

Discover a world of audio products from the experts at Sennheiser

S1 PASSIVE S1 NOISEGARD S1 DIGITAL

For over 30 years, Sennheiser has been setting standards in aviation headsets with innovative, proven technology and uncompromising quality.

Purchase your new S1 Digital between April 21-26 and receive a $50.00 cash rebate.

Purchase any S1 Headset and receive a $100.00 off Scheyden Eyeware.

See us in Hangar B #84/85

www.sennheiser.com/aviation

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

Phot

o by

Meg

God

lew

ski

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

Phot

o by

Rya

n C

leav

elan

dPh

oto

cour

tesy

red

tail.

org

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

Phot

os c

ourt

esy

SU

N ’n

FUN

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.

Phot

os c

ourt

esy

U.S

. Ai

r Fo

rce

Phot

os c

ourt

esy

Bre

itlin

g Je

t Te

am


For more information visit www.iceshield.com or c al l 1-800-767-6899

Faster.48 hour delivery- Guaranteed

Better.Longer Lasting- Proven

Smarter.Better Value for your Money

Prop & Wing Boots for General Aviation Aircraft

See us in booths C-002, N-27or N-28A


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

Phot

os b

y M

att

Gen

uard

i

www.clevelandwheelsandbrakes.com 1-800-BRAKING (1-800-272-5464)

for toll-free technical support

Visit Parker Aerospace Cleveland Wheels & Brakes at Sun ’n Fun 2015Building C, exhibit C-032 & C-033

Tuesday, April 21 11:00 a.m.

Classroom 11

Please stop by and tell us about your airplane projects, old and new. Maintenance Presentation

& Forum


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.



the Hi-Fold Advantage™Experience

Call us at 800-443-6536 or go towww.hi-fold.com to �nd out more information.

Higher Clearance • Higher Quality

ProtectionProtect your investments with the HIGHEST QUALITY bi-fold and single-panel hydraulic doors.• Now manufacturing bi-fold and single-panel hydraulic doors

• Pre-assembled, tested and ready for installation

• Rugged, high quality components

• Maintenance-free operation in all climates

• Walk doors, windows and remote operation available

• 3-year comprehensive warranty


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

Phot

o co

urte

sy S

UN

’n

FUN

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

oto

by B

ill W

alke

r

Kit includes: • Carry bag • 3 Claw® anchors • Hammer • 30-ft rope. • Total weight 8 lbs.

THE HARDER THE PULL THE MORE IT GRIPS.

#1 AIRCRAFT TIE DOWN IN THE WORLD.• Ideal for all aircraft• Easy installation & removal• Kit holds 3600 lbs. of lifting force• Lifetime Warranty

HANGAR A BOOTH #94theclaw.com (601) 932-5832


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

Phot

o by

Har

vey

Ren

shaw


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

Phot

o by

Rus

sell

Kas

selm

an

Product RebateD2 Pilot Watch $25Aera 500/Aera 510 $50GDL 39 $50GDL 39 3D $50VIRB $50Aviator Action Pack(VIRB + D2)

$75

Aera 550 / Aera 560 $100GPSMAP 696 $100Aera 795/Aera 796 $100

Purchase a Bose® A20 Aviation headset/s & you will

receive FREE product.Please visit our website for more information.

4/12/15 - 5/2/15

The LT are designed with optimum electrodes

to provide thebest possible performance.

9 Instruments in1!Designed for light-sport,

ultralight and experimental aircraft.



By JANICe WooD

For many years, there has been a race to Oshkosh, known as the AirVenture Cup, and pilots involved with the Sport Air Racing League have long wanted to do a similar event to SUN ’n FUN. This year, that wish became reality.

The 21 pilots involved in the first-ever Race to the Sun arrived at SUN ’n FUN on opening day. They raced from the Anderson Regional Airport (KAND) in South Carolina, to Suwannee County Air-port (24J) in Florida for a fuel stop, then on to Winter Haven (KGIF) in Florida for the finish on April 20.

“All of us wanted to do this race for years, but it just never could be done for many reasons,” noted the Sport Air Rac-ing League’s Pat Purcell. “Enter Richard Kaczmarek, who lived in Ohio and did a race at the Mid-Eastern Regional Fly-In. His personal life changed and he moved to South Carolina and in the last year found he had the time and support to do more races. His location made it perfect for him to get a race to SUN ’n FUN fi-nally done.”

League officials make it clear that the Race to the Sun is not part of SUN ’n FUN, but the final awards will be held on the fly-in grounds April 22. Wingwalker Jana Leigh will present the trophies at the awards ceremony.

Several of the racers in the Race to the Sun also are participating in the Sun Sprint 40 Races, which will be held tomorrow.

Kaczmarek has the support of Wicks Aviation, UL Power Aero Engines and a host of EAA members as volunteers and other supporters who are providing vital components to the Race to the Sun, Pur-cell noted.

“The race is Sport League sanctioned, which means the league classes are used and rules and championship points are awarded,” she noted.

The Sport Air Racing League was founded in 2006 by a small group of Tex-

as pilots who wanted to race.“These were mainly builders of prized

experimental aircraft,” Purcell said.This evolved in 2007 into the Sport

Air Racing League with Mike Thompson of Pflugerville, Texas, taking on the role of chairman and forming an organiza-tion with a set of rules and classes. Any changes occur by a consensus of racers, she noted.

At the same time, 2007 was the final year of operation for the U.S. Air Race, of which Purcell was vice president. A self-described “flag waver for cross-country racing,” she offered to help Thompson in any way she could.

The result, she says, was that while the league started with an initial focus on ex-perimental aircraft, there is now a more comprehensive set of classes for factory aircraft.

The races are run with the classed timed format, she said. Aircraft race against the clock over a set cross-country course, competing in classes that are first divided into categories: Experimental, Factory and Heavy Metal. Any propeller driven fixed wing aircraft may compete. The categories are divided into classes based on engine horsepower and cubic inch displacement, normally aspirated, turbo/supercharged and turbine and gear con-figuration.

“Yes, there are a lot of classes — 59 at the present,” she said. “It is all about safety and flying is in strict adherence to all FARs. Races are launched in speed

order, fastest first to negate as much pass-ing as possible. The racers are flying a normal VFR cross country with the goal of covering the course in the fastest time possible.

“There is no prize money involved, but trophies and awards are given,” she added.

There is a year end championship that is awarded on a point system.

“When you race you earn points ac-cording to your placement in class,” she explained. “The champions are not nec-essarily the fastest — case in point, Race #55 is a Grumman Cheetah with 160 horsepower that has won more champion-ship trophies than any other.”

There also is a Sport League Hall of Fame. “It has no home and has only been in existence for four years,” she said, not-ing that when there is finally a home for the hall, “the history of league is already being preserved.”

The goal of the league is to provide a legitimate venue for competitive cross-country racing that gives the builder a real

test bed, she said.“The races give any pilot the opportu-

nity to test themselves and their aircraft,” she added. “The result is better pilots and better aircraft from all aspects.”

“These races have evolved into, in my opinion, the perfect event — it is all about camaraderie, fair play, and true sports-manship,” she continued. “I have never been involved with a group that is a happy and cohesive as the Sport League racers. It is like a family reunion at every event and newcomers are taken into the fold im-mediately.”

She noted that the “race experience” is what the pilot wishes it to be. “Many race their local events only and come for the joy of the experience without having a highly competitive model,” she said. “Many experimental builders have made amazing aircraft due to the availability of a race to test their work. Some racers will take a year and make as many events as possible — the true supporters of the sport and the league.”

SportAirRace.org

Race to the Sun debutsFast facts

Since 2007, the Sport Air Racing League has had:

113 sanctioned races;• 2,124 total flights;• Racers have flown 15,820 nm;• Used 237,300 gallons of fuel; and• Spent more than $1 million in lo-• cal economies.

Champion racer Jason rovey in his rV8 from Arizona

Multiple gold Factory Champion, “The elyminator,” a grumman Cheetah flown by Team ely of Texas.

Two Time heavy Metal Champion, Claude henrickson, and his p-51 Mustang, “Sara Jean.”

Phot

os b

y Jo

Hun

ter

Booth #A50-51

The SCc is the only AoA display with a pilot-selectable targetAoA reference to allow you to fl y precise long range cruise.

Long Range Cruise - Controlled

Headwind No Wind Tailwind

Long Range Cruise - Controlled

FINAL Cruise white panel.indd 1 4/10/15 6:50 PM


AIRPARTS INC.SUPPLYING YOU WITH THE FINEST PRODUCTS SINCE 1968

AIRCRAFT ALUMINUM

1-800-800-3229 • airpartsinc.com

Coil • Sheet • Tubing • Extrusions4130 Steel • Stainless Hardware

• Much More!!

FREE CATALOG!WE SHIP ANYWHERE!

Frank & Ethel Ferree, Airparts Founders

Stop in and see us at

Booth N-084

Winds Aloft Optimizer

AFD & Extended Runways

Stop by Booth C-022

Come see a preview of our next Version 2.0!

Show Special Prices • 1 Year VFR: $49• 1 Year VFR+IFR: $99

www.seattleavionics.com

Supports 19+ ADS- B Receivers


By BeN SCLAIr

Back for its third year, the Sprint 40 race will takeoff during the Wednesday, April 22, morning showcase.

“We have room for up to 30 racers,” noted Sprint 40 Chairman Craig Payne. “It’s a fun contest of speed and precise navigation over the 40-nm course.”

Racers will launch at timed intervals from fastest to slowest, which prevents the need for passing. Racers will com-plete the course with an overhead finish and circle-to-land. For the top contenders, speeds up to 260 knots are expected.

“Same setup, slightly different course as 2014,” continued Payne.

While not an official Sport Air Racing League race, the Sprint 40 borrows heav-ily from the group.

“The Sport Air Racing League’s motto is ‘Racing for the rest of us,’” says RV race pilot Jeff Barnes. “Every licensed pilot and student (with instructor) is wel-come. Most pilots are very happy to learn their airplanes run quite well at the upper end of the power curve spelled out in their POHs.”

The Sport Air Racing League hosted a Race to the Sun from Anderson, S.C., to Gilbert Field in Winter Haven, Fla., on Monday, April 20. (See story on page 30).

Payne hopes it will help attract a number of racers to the Sprint 40.

“I find racing gives you a reason to tin-ker with your airplane and make it the best that it can be,” says Midget II and Midget Mustang racer Les Burril. “If you want to spend a lot of money doing it, you can, or you can do what I do. Clean up drag, make the airplane fly right, optimize your rpm, manifold pressure, mixture, etc and see what you have.”

Racing for the rest of us? Really?“The Sport Air Racing League has

classes for nearly any prop plane made,” continued Barnes. “P-51s to Stearman, Bonanzas to Ercoupes, Turbine Legends and Lancair Legacys to VW Sonerais, we have a class for everybody. Even three classes just for RVs: Gold, Blue and Red based on engine displacement.”

Most league races are timed cross-coun-try flights over a 150-mile circuit. But a few, like Race to the Sun and AirVenture Cup, are straight line races, covering ap-proximately 400 nm.

“Getting to the races is half the fun,” said Barnes. “We race in Ephrata, Wash., Coeur d’Alene Idaho, South Carolina, Texas, Wisconsin, Ohio, Illinois, and be-yond. Racing is a great use of plane and time — I haven’t had a $100 hamburger in four years.”

SUN ’n FUN Sprint 40 back for third race

Phot

os c

ourt

esy

Les

Bur

ril

© 2015 David Clark Company Incorporated ® Green headset domes are a David Clark registered trademark.

W W W. D AV I D C L A R K . C O M Made In USA

how light?

The ultra-lightweight DC PRO-X headset with supra-aural, rest-on-ear design weighs just 7.5 ounces. That’s just a couple of ounces more than this newspaper you’re holding in your hands. One of the lightest, most comfortable, full-featured ANR headsets you can buy. But despite its light weight, we haven’t sacriÞcedÊdurabilityÊwithÊaÊrugged,Ê magnesium alloy suspension system.

And you’ll also get seamless Bluetooth® compatibility for your phone and electronic devices, and outstanding Hybrid Electronic Noise Cancellation. All for hundreds of dollars less than comparably equipped ANR headsets. Order online at GO-DCPRO.COM or call 800-298-6235.

Visit us at booth C8 & C9

Futura Med w/Bernard Fashion

230-31527 DC Ad-1 4875X1275SNF.indd 1 4/8/15 4:17 PM

April 21, 2015 33

IMC Radio’s “Plane Talk,” a live-stream-ing aviation internet radio talk show sponsored by the IMC Club Internation-al, will broadcast live this week from SUN ‘n FUN.

Produced by new Executive Producer Howie Marlin, the live broadcasts of “Plane Talk” will be from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. (EST) on the Spreaker radio platform. Lis-teners can listen to the show at the IMC Club website (IMCClubs.org), Spreaker.com or an iPhone/iPad or Android Spreaker interface, which is available for download on the iTunes store.

During the show listeners will be able to interact with the hosts, Derek Lagasse, a commercial pilot, and Jon Roberts, a private pilot, musician, entertainer, and one of the original founders of “Plane Talk” by commenting in the show’s live “online chats,” which will be opened while the show is broadcasting. They can

also stop by the SUN ’n FUN Radio stu-dio, which is on Clubhouse Row, near the Sunset Grill.

After starting its regular broadcasts in November 2011, IMC Radio became one of the most popular stations in the entertainment/talk category on the Speaker Web Radio. In 2011 the show was nominated for the Speaker Show of the Year Award.

Forced to stop its live programming due to an inability to broadcast from its studio location at the Norwood, Mass., airport, “Plane Talk” has been off the air in a search of the new location since the fall of last year. “Plane Talk’s” recorded content of previous shows since then has reached 70,000 plays and still main-tains over 23,000 followers.

Regular weekly live broadcast of “Plane Talk” will resume shortly after SUN ‘n FUN, according to the producers.

IMC Radio live

Stop by Stallion 51’s Corral on the War-bird flight line to enter a special drawing for an autographed copy of “The Gather-ing of Mustangs and Legends; The Final Round up” Book and DVD. The winner will be announced at the end of Lee Lau-derback’s solo Mustang air show perfor-mance on Wednesday afternoon, with another winner announced after his Satur-day afternoon performance.

If you are the winner, stop by the Stal-lion 51 Corral on the Warbird Ramp af-ter the airshow to pick up your book and DVD or you can visit Stallion 51’s flight ops at the Kissimmee Gateway Airport (KISM). Prizes will not be mailed out.

Stallion 51 offers pilots and non-pilots

the rare opportunity to experience the leg-endary P-51 Mustang and the historic T-6 Texan in flight. All hands-on orientation flights in the P-51 and T-6 include a pre-flight briefing that tailors the orientation flight to the individual’s experience, ex-pertise and expectations; preflight walk around and cockpit orientation; hands-on orientation flight that encourages the indi-vidual to do 95% of the flying; followed by a post-flight briefing reviewing the three-camera video that captures all of the action during the flight. Also included are a certificate of completion, autographed photo of the aircraft flown, in-flight video and log book entry, if applicable.

Stallion51.com

Stallion 51 give away

Phot

o co

urte

sy S

talli

on 5

1

Fly in for your medical exam!

Our trusted physician and Senior FAA Medical Examiner Dr. William Busch is prepared to handle any class of FAA physical.

FAA Flight Physicals

FAA Special Issuance

Ophthalmology

Aviation Medicine

Located at Stallion 51at the Kissimmee

Gateway Airport (KISM)

AVDOC

Same day exams available.To schedule call (407) 846-0854.

www.STALLION51.com

Aviation Medicine & Ophthalmology

*Coupon good for one Gathering Foundation hat per person redeemable at Stallion51 located at the Kissimmee Gateway Airport. Good while supplies last through 4/30/14.

STOP BY THE

STALLION CORRAL

on the Warbird Flight line to

sign up for the daily drawing


Scheme Designers is again hosting a Scavenger Hunt across the display grounds at this week’s show.

Entry forms can be picked up at the Scheme Designers exhibit in Hangar A, Booth 017. The forms must be returned to the booth no later than 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 25.

Players will be hunting for aircraft lo-cated in the display area sporting a Scheme Designers paint scheme and special logo sticker. One point will be awarded for each aircraft found with the Scheme De-signers livery and logo sticker. A lucky bonus sticker is hidden in the booth of a Scheme Designers’ partner (located in one of the four exhibit hangars), worth five extra points.

The entry form with the highest number of points wins a custom desktop model from Factory Direct Models (Hangar C, Booth 023), worth more than $500.

A tip: Players should check the Scheme Designers Facebook page regularly where several clues will be posted about the loca-tion of the stickers and the bonus sticker. “Like” and follow the Scheme Designers Facebook page to receive notifications as they happen.

The hunt is limited to aircraft “within the fence” or on formal display at SUN ’n FUN and the bonus sticker is in one of the

four exhibit hangars. “Players had a great time searching the

display grounds for the Scheme Design-ers logos and liveried aircraft,” said Craig Barnett, Scheme Designers president. “Finding contest aircraft in such a variety of locations on the grounds and on cre-ative locations on the aircraft gave play-ers, often family teams, yet another way to enjoy the show actively together.”

In the event of a tie, or if multiple en-tries correctly get the maximum number of points, all of those entries will be en-tered for a random drawing for award of the grand prize. One entry per person only. Entrants must be 18 years or older, or accompanied by an adult who will be the point of contact in the event of a win-ning entry.

Barnett will also be presenting a forum

“Designing the Perfect Paint Scheme/Vinyl Design for Your Aircraft” 9 a.m., Wednesday, April 22, in Forum Room 7, and at 9 a.m., Friday, April 24, in Forum Room 8.

Scavenger Hunt launches today

Scheme Designer’s Craig Barnett (above) and special sticker (right).

Phot

os c

ourt

esy

Sch

eme

Des

igne

rs

Participate all week with

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,

or check out the One Week Wonder built during AirVenture 2014

• Get a FREE aircraft insurance quote or learn about our aircraft fi nance program

• Attend daily EAA forums• Participate in member benefi t activities

Visit the EAA Tent to learn more.

April 21, 2015 35

Sporty’s expanded presence at SUN ’n FUN continues in 2015, with its exhibit space located in outdoor space N100 in the area north of the main exhibit han-gars.

Sporty’s tent provides a shopping at-mosphere with hundreds of products that can be touched and tried. This year, more product experts will be on hand to provide additional hands-on demonstrations.

Sporty’s on-site 1,200-square-foot display includes a headset demo station where customers can try on a wide range of headsets, side by side, with ease.

Also available will be a large assortment of cockpit video cameras, GPS, flight gear bags, RAM mounts, radios and more.

“Far from being a static display, Sporty’s tent is an interactive experience,” says

Sporty’s Pilot Shop Vice President John Zimmerman. “We’ll have product-specif-ic experts on hand to talk about dozens of products.”

Sporty’s SUN ’n FUN tent also will have experts available to guide new and experienced users of iPads in their fly-ing. New apps and the latest iPad acces-sories can be tested, including the Stratus ADS-B receiver.

Learn-to-fly products, Sporty’s Com-plete Courses and Sporty’s flight instruc-tors will be on hand to field any questions about flight training and discuss opportu-nities for flying at Sporty’s.

“Come by to see the show specials — we have great deals on products that you won’t get anywhere but at SUN ‘n FUN,” adds Zimmerman.

Sporty’s Big Tent promises big fun

Phot

o co

urte

sy S

port

y’s

Sporty’s Forums Whether you’ve been flying with

an iPad for years or just contem-plating the change, Sporty’s has a seminar for you. Zimmerman and Sporty’s Vice President Bret Koebbe will present three iPad flying forums during the week.

“Advanced iPad Flying” will be presented by Zimmerman on Tues-day, April 21 at 11 a.m., in the AOPA Tent and on Thursday, April 23, at 10 a.m. in Room #1 at the Central Flori-da Aerospace Academy.

Bret Koebbe will host a seminar on getting started with the iPad, on Thursday, at 9 a.m., in Room #1. An additional forum, “ADS-B Solutions in the Cockpit” is scheduled for 9 a.m. on Friday, April 24, presented by Zimmerman.

“With the winter we’ve had, ‘Spring Break for Pilots’ can’t come soon enough,” says Zimmerman. “We look forward to complaining about the heat and meeting and greet-ing our customers.”

Diamond Aircraft has selected Parker Aerospace’s Cleveland brand to provide caliper style wheels, brakes, and brake system hydraulics for the DA62 twin-engine, five-seat aircraft.

“The DA62 will be a wonderful air-craft program and Parker is proud to be onboard,” said Aircraft Wheel & Brake Division GM Mike Walasinski. “We look forward to continuing our long-term re-lationship with Diamond Aircraft and to working with the company as it begins production on its new model DA62.”

The wheels, brakes, and brake system hydraulics for the aircraft will be manu-factured and tested at the Parker Aero-space Aircraft Wheel & Brake Division facility in Avon, Ohio.

For more information about Parker’s line of wheel and brake conversion kits, visit the Parker booth in Hangar C, Booth 32, or at Parker.com, Diamond-Air.at.

Diamond DA62 to use Parker wheels, brakes

Low fuel prices. No facility fees. Friendly, efficient service. Just a few reasons why we have been named one of the top 20 FBOs in North America.

Closest towered field to the islands of Sanibel, Captiva & Fort Myers Beach. Hertz car rental on-site, so you can go from Zulu time to Island time - in no time!

Fly-in Fridays - FREE hot dog lunch from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Enjoy good company,historic WWII exhibits and aviation-themed shopping without leaving the FBO!historic WWII exhibits and aviation-themed shopping without leaving the FBO!

Fort Myers, Florida (KFMY) (800) 545-JETS www.baseoperationsFMY.com


What’s happening todaySUN ’n FUN 2015

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

rm# 9 am

1 Advanced Flying with ForeFlight, Eric Hake

2 engine care and maintenance, Frank Lukachinsky

3 panel Design and Cockpit Ergo-nomics, Chuck Rowbotham

4 Flying the Wing: Understanding Angle of Attack Mark Korin

5 rules and Regs of Homebuilding, Charlie Becker

6 Decrease Costs: How to minimize and avoid Bird Strikes, Gary Cook/Lt. Col. David Paulsgrove

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

8 Mastering Crosswinds, Taylor Albrecht

9 reviving General Aviation by Drag-ging Your Tail, Charles Lewis

rm# 10 am

1 Tablet Technology Awareness, Tom Letts

2 Lead Acid Aircraft Battery Airwor-thiness, Chris Holder

3 Day in the life of a NORAD fighter pilot, Lt. Col. Kevin Roethe/Lt. Col. Mike McMillin

5 Airpark Real Estate - Living the Dream, George Gratton

6 Drones and Insurance, Scott Sky Smith

7 Diverse careers in Aviation Mainte-nance, Robin Lamar

8 ADS-B, Peter Ring

9 Air-Camping Gear Essentials, Ramona Cox

10 Auto Engine Conversions, Pat Panzera

rm# 11 am

1 Don’t Stall the Thing: A fresh look at upset and spin recovery, Jim Alsip

2 Benefits of Painting with Water-borne, Dan Stewart

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

4 What is Carbon Monoxide and how does it affect the body? Ash Vij

5 Seaplanes 101, Steven McCa-ughey

6 The Magic Behind Your Glass Panel, Kirk Kleinholz

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

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

9 Comparing Portable ADS-B Receiv-ers for iPad and Android, Steve Podradchik

10 Auto Engine Conversions, Pat Panzera

rm# 12 pm

1 ipad Takes Flight! EFB Challenge Contest to Test Skills, Charles Schneider

3 The ABCs of Airspace: Bring your Sectional, Jack Vandeventer

4 proper care & maintenance for starters & alternators, Tommy Ussery

5 A Scholarship Awaits Aviation-Minded Students, CI Stevens/Larry Jenkins

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

7 LSA and Luscombes, John Hoff-man

8 Dynamic Propeller Balancing, Michael Fox

rm# 1 pm

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

2 Taming the Tailwheel, Jim Guldi

3 So you want to be a CFI? Jack Vandeventer

4 preparing for the Unexpected: Do the Right Thing, Doug Stewart

6 how to fly around South America, Thierry Pouille

7 The top 25 mistakes good pilots make, Gary Reeves

8 Cylinder Life, Bill Ross


9 getting started with Aircraft Wood-work and Glue, Vic Boyce

10 Wankel Rotary Engines in Experi-ential Aircraft, Paul Lamar

11 Light Sport Buying and Flying Tips, Louis Mancuso

FAA ForUMS

FAA Forums are held at the FAA Avia-tion Safety Center located in the middle of the exhibit area at the corner of Laird Drive and SUN ’n FUN Drive. The FAA Center opens daily at 8 am and the FAA Exhibits are open daily 9 am to 5 pm.

8:30 am Stabilized Approach and Land-ings, Diego Alfonso, FAA Inspector, DPE (Retired)10 am New Airman Certification Stan-dards, Janeen Kochan, Ph.D, FAA Desig-nated Pilot Examiner11:30 am Light Sport Aviation Mainte-nance, Dean Vogel, Lockwood Aviation

1 pm Pilot Deviations Expectation Bias, Rick Lovell, Daytona Beach Air Traffic Organization

pArADISe CITY ForUMS

Light-Sport Aircraft, Sport Pilot and Ultralight forums are held in the Paradise City Briefing/Forum Tent.10:30 a.m. Getting Started In Ultralight Flying, Timm Bogenhagen, EAA12 p.m. Sonex Overview: Sport Pilot Designs, John Monnett, Sonex Aircraft1:30 p.m. Vibration Analysis, Larry Le-hmann, Aces Systems3 p.m. Unleash The Power Of Your Tab-let, Levil Technology Corporation

MUSeUM progrAMS

8 am Florida Aviation Historical Society Breakfast9 am Florida Aviation Hall of Fame In-ductions, Class of 201410 am Florida Aviation Hall of Fame In-ductions, Class of 201511 am Think Outside the Show: Jessica Cox, first licensed armless pilot

12 pm The U-2 Story: A son’s perspec-tive, Gary Powers Jr.1 pm Florida: A new leader in a changing world, Dale Ketcham, Space Florida Chief

of Strategic Alliances

ForUMS AT The AopA ACTIVITY TeNT

A variety of forums will be held through-out the week at the Aircraft Owners and PIlots Association (AOPA) Activity Tent.10 a.m. Weather & Traffic On Your iPad: What You See & What You Don’t, Eric Rush11 a.m. Advanced iPad Flying, John Zimmerman12 p.m. NORAD: TFRs, Special Use Airspace & Intercepts, Kevin Roethe1 p.m. m. Jeppesen: Cleared For Takeoff, James Morgan2 p.m .Future-Proof Avionics: New Pan-els For Old Airplanes, Tom Haines

AIrShoW

TUeSDAY - WORLD AEROBATICSpatriot Jump Team Breitling Jet Team - U.S. Debut! 7-ship L-39 Jet Teamrob holland - MXSRHJacquie Warda - Extra 300L

Mike goulian - Extra 330SCBob Carlton - Sub Sonex Micro JetDavid Martin - Cap 232greg Koontz - Super DecathlonSkip Stewart - Prometheus (Highly Modified Pitts Special)Melissa pemberton - Edge 540Kevin Coleman - Extra 300 SHPBill Stein - Zivco Edge 540Matt Chapman - Mudry Cap 580

evening entertainment

6 pm at the Aerospace Pavilion Armless Pilot Jessica Cox: Disarm Your Limits6 p.m. in the Cornroast Area on the Sen-nheiser Stage Margo Rochelle and Rodeo Drive Band

eVeNINg MoVIe - Unbroken7 p.m. at the Central Florida Aerospace Academy

What’s happening today


Scenes from SUN ’n FUN

Phot

os b

y R

usse

ll K

asse

lman



Documents

SNF Today Apr. 21