SNF Today Apr. 22

Wednesday, April 22, 2015

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

Table of ContentsHall of Fame inductions ........................................................... 3Red Tail winners named .......................................................... 4What makes a great airshow .............................................. 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 ................................................................ 20Warbird Walkabout .................................................................30

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April 22, 2015 Sun ’n Fun Today - www.sun-n-fun.org 3

By JANICE WOOD

For the first time ever, the Florida Avia-tion Historical Society held an induction for the Florida Aviation Hall of Fame dur-ing SUN ’n FUN.

The induction, held first thing opening day, included the Class of 2014 and the Class of 2015.

“We’re looking to do this as an annual thing,” said Robb Williams, executive director of Aerospace Discovery at the Florida Air Museum, which the Hall of Fame resides.

The inductees, chosen by a selection committee from the historical society, join 31 aviators who have been inducted into the Hall of Fame since its founding in 2003.

The Class of 2014 includes: Betty Skel-ton Frankman Erde, an aerobatic champi-on and speed record holder; Capt. Henry Tyndal “Dick” Merrill, a pioneer aviator and a commercial record holder with East-ern Airlines; and Curtis Pitts, designer of the Pitts Special aerobatic biplane.

The Class of 2015 includes Billy Hen-derson, founder of SUN ’n FUN; Merian C. Cooper, founding member of the Pan America Airways board of directors; and Howard “Scrappy” Johnson, a fighter pi-lot who flew more than 7,000 hours in 15 fighter planes and set an altitude record of

91,243 feet in the F-104.“It’s very special to us that Billy Hen-

derson will be in the Hall of Fame,” Wil-liams noted.

According to Warren Brown, a retired flight surgeon and chairman of the se-lection committee, the historical society decided that nominees did not have to be citizens of Florida, but their achievements and activities contributing to the advance-

ment of aviation would be primary. “Their association with the state of Florida would be secondary since aviation has no barri-ers,” he noted.

“The Florida Aviation Hall of Fame will recognize and honor individuals who have made significant contributions and/or achievements in aviation, including space flights,” he noted.

Nicole Stott, a 2012 inductee of the Hall

of Fame, served as master of ceremonies for the Tuesday morning ceremony. An as-tronaut, she served as a flight engineer on ISS Expedition 20 and Expedition 21 and was a Mission Specialist on STS-128.

According to Brown, those interested in submitting a candidate for inclusion in the Hall of Fame should send a bio and photo, as well as permission from the candidate (if living) to the Florida Aviation Histori-cal Society, P.O. Box 127, Indian Rocks Beach, Fla., 33785.

You can see the Hall of Fame during this week’s show at the Florida Air Mu-seum.

SUN ’n FUN founder inducted into Hall of Fame

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Howard “Scrappy” Johnson (left) and Billy Henderson next to their portraits in the Florida Aviation Hall of Fame.

Florida governor proclaims April Aviation Appreciation Month

Just as SUN ’n FUN kicks off, it was announced that Florida Gov-ernor Rick Scott has declared April “Aviation Appreciation Month.”

In Florida, general aviation airports contribute more than $7.7 billion to the state’s economy annually.

A recent study found that SUN ’n FUN has an economic impact of about $64 million on the local area.


PLEASE REMEMBER TO RECYCLE

ISSue 2 — WedneSdAy AprIl 22, 2015

puBlISHerSJohn “Lites” Leenhouts

Ben Sclair

edITorIAl STAFFMeg Godlewski

Janice Wood

produCTIonRussell Kasselman

dISTrIBuTIonArthur Ward, Paulette Ward, Murray Kot, Samantha Kot,

Jason Kot, Paul Luckett

ConTrIBuTIng WrITerSTom Snow, Joni Fisher, Jack Neubacher, 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 ELIZABETH WALKER

Four students from the Central Florida Aerospace Academy (CFAA) have been named the first winners of the Red Tail Award. The award, given by the Red Tail Squadron of the Commemorative Air Force, will be presented Thursday to Vio-la Gould, Luke Liptak, Clayton McHugh and Lexi Wines.

Robb Williams, executive director of the Aerospace Center for Excellence, said the awards are given to outstanding CFAA students who demonstrate the in-spirational qualities of the celebrated Red Tail Squadron.

Seniors Gould and Wines are being honored for an award-winning documen-tary film they put together on Tuskegee Airman Lt. Col. Leo Gray. The film, titled “Fighting The War Within,” tells the story of Gray’s experience as a Tuskegee air-man.

Gould said, “Gray had not only to fight the people in other countries for America but fight for blacks in America. The most profound thing we got out of interviewing Lt. Col. Gray was how perseverance will get you anywhere. Being a black person myself and to meet one of the men who paved the way for African-Americans in aviation was a great experience. When I’m working on my private pilot’s license and people say it’s too hard or you can’t do it, I think back to his words about per-severance and I know I can do anything.”

Wines noted, “His story was important because he was in a big segregation era and he chose to fight for a military that he said didn’t treat him equally.”

Gould and Wines did the project for their history fair and organized the inter-view in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., with Gray. “We shot two hours of film and had to edit it to 10 minutes,” Gould said.

Wines said, “The last thing he said to us

— and it’s in our documentary — was ‘If you can satisfy the person you are look-ing at in the mirror, then you have already won.’”

“His work shed light on equality for everybody and, as a woman, the same op-portunities that men have in the military are now open to me,” she continued.

The film won as best documentary at the CFAA and also at the Polk County History Fair. The pair have advanced to the state level competition in Tallahassee.

Both students plan to join the mili-tary after graduation from CFAA. Wines has enlisted in the Air Force and will be trained in tactical aircraft maintenance. Gould has enlisted in the Navy. She is learning to fly. “I’m getting ready to solo and am studying for my private license,” she said.

Liptak, the youngest of the Red Tail award recipients, is an Eagle Scout candi-date who is interested in a career in flying. His exhibit on the forces of flight is now on display in the Florida Air Museum and will be presented to the public on Thurs-day, April 19 (look for a separate story on

his project in tomorrow’s edition). McHugh, a junior, is already a licensed

private pilot, and plans to attend Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

“I want to join the Air Force after that,” he said.

He is being honored because of his work at the Florida Air Museum. “He has volunteered more than 1,000 hours at the museum,” said Williams.

Williams added that the recipients all demonstrate the inspirational principles of the Red Tail squadron, namely, aim high, believe in yourself, use your brain, never quit, be ready to go, and expect to win.

The awards will be presented by Tuskegee Airmen Col. (Ret) Charles Mc-Gee and Lt. Col. (Ret) George Hardy on the flight line Thursday at 2:45 p.m.

SUN ’n FUN officials said CFAA bene-factor James Ray and veteran aviator Lon Cooper will also take part in the presenta-tion ceremony.

The students will receive Red Tail Squadron caps and a photo of the squad-ron’s P-51C signed by the aircraft’s five pilots and McGee and Hardy.

Red Tail Award winners named

It’s not often anyone gets an oppor-tunity to break bread with a legend. Yet that’s exactly what’ll happen at the second annual “Dinner With Legends” Banquet on Thursday at 7 pm in the Buehler Aerospace Skills Center.

Legends include: Breitling Jet Team Members, World War II Triple Ace Col-onel C.E. “Bud” Anderson, World War II Tuskegee Airmen Colonel Charles McGee and Lt. Colonel George Hardy, P-38 Lightning Pilot Colonel Doug Canning, Author, Cold War Historian

and Son of U2 Pilot Francis Gary Pow-ers, Armless Pilot Jessica Cox, Fighter Pilot, Vietnam POW, High Altitude Skydive Record Holder Joe Kitting-er, Airshow Pilot Patty Wagstaff and World War II WASPs Penny Halberg, Bee Haydu, Shirley Kruse and Kay Hilbrandt.

Cost to be seated with a legend starts at $650 for a single seat or $1,200 for a couple. Proceeds benefit Project: STRATOS and the Aerospace Center for Excellence.

Dinner with Legends set for Thursday

red Tail Award winners, left to right, luke liptak, Clayton McHugh, Viola gould and lexi Wines.

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This week at SUN ’n FUN, Lycoming Engines’ exhibit in Hangar D, Booths 39-42, will feature an interactive, self-guided tour of the factory that will allow visitors to experience Lycoming in a new way.

“Not everyone can come and visit our factory in Williamsport, Pa., to see first-hand how Lycoming manufactures en-gines. This unique interactive tour pro-vides us with the opportunity to bring the Lycoming experience to our customers at general aviation shows this year,” stated Kristen Samson, vice president of market-ing and product management.

The company has the iE2 Integrated Electronic Engine and the Thunderbolt 390 Series Engine on display this week.

Lycoming has partnered with Van’s Aircraft to provide special pricing on Ly-coming factory new experimental engines during this week’s show. Visit the Van’s display in the Northeast Display Area,

Booths 12-13 for more information.Aerobatic performers Mike Goulian and

Sean Tucker also will visit Lycoming’s booth to sign autographs. Goulian flies

an Extra 330SC, powered by a Lycoming Thunderbolt AEIO-580 engine. Tucker flies the Oracle Challenger III biplane, powered by a Lycoming AEIO-540.

Lycoming Engines features factory tour

9am Demo10am Purchase“I’ve owned Cubs, Turbine Maules, AirCams and Cessna Aircraft. I got into a Husky for the first time last week and I was instantly impressed how much confidence it gave me. The ailerons responded to my every move. When I got into some mountain turbulence, no big deal. The plane is so well balanced that it just molds itself to the pilot - all inputs are immediate. It was love at first flight.” Dave Hermel

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Scenes from SUN ’n FUN

International traveler ray Chaput of Toronto Canada restored his porsche 911 over a 4 year period but completed his glasair Sportsman 2 + 2 in only two weeks in the glasair two weeks to taxi program. C-gXXg has a lycoming 390 engine and is on Clamar 2500 amphibious floats.

The oX5 Aviation pioneers successfully ran the oX-5 engine outside their club-house. They plan to run the engine again on Saturday.

Photo by Ken Strohm

Photo by Matt Genuardi

Photo by Ken Strohm

Photo by Ken Strohm

Photo by Grant Smith

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Three people with no aviation experi-ence are being put through six days of intensive training this week at SUN ’n FUN, , preparing them to be ready to con-duct a supervised solo flight at the end of one week.

That’s the goal of “One Week Ready to Solo.”

The program, launched at SUN ’n FUN, is a collaborative effort of Redbird Flight Simulations, the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), Jeppesen, Sporty’s, Garmin, LightSpeed, and SUN ’n FUN.

“Millions share the dream of learning to fly, but most never make it to a flight school — in large part because they be-lieve it’s too hard, too time consuming, or too expensive,” said Charlie Gregoire, vice president of sales and marketing at Redbird Flight Simulations. “We want to show people that learning to fly is within their reach —and it’s much more attain-able than most imagine.”

The three student pilots, who do not know one another and have no prior avia-tion training, will each experience nine

flights in a RedHawk Cessna 172, nine training sessions in a Redbird simulator, two flights with an instructor, and five ground school sessions.

As part of the program, the students will receive the majority of their training from flight instructors selected from AOPA Flight Training Excellence recognized schools. The instructors include Dan Far-rell from Cirrus Aviation in Sarasota, Fla., Doris Gatewood from Aviation Adven-tures in Warrenton, Va., and Jeff Wolf from Paragon Flight in Fort Myers, Fla.

They will also have the opportunity to learn from renowned instructors, includ-ing Michael Goulian; Dave Monroe, a Team Aerostars performer; Sean D. Tuck-er; Patty Wagstaff; Pia Bergqvist of Fly-ing magazine; Dave Hirschman of AOPA Pilot magazine; Roger Sharp of Redbird; Craig Thighe of Jeppesen; and John and Martha King.

The solo candidates are Nik Oekerman, a former Navy corpsman and now an as-piring actor; Chris Graves, a motorcycle designer; and Sherry Rosenkranz, a global advertising manager for General Motors.

Redbird Flight Simulations is providing the aircraft, simulators, curricula, fuel, and other logistical support for the week. AOPA will film the entire experience, in-cluding briefings, simulator and flight ses-sions, and the supervised solo at the end

of the week. The video will be edited into “webisodes” that will show how, in one week, a person can go from zero aviation experience to solo flight.

Find out more at the Redbird exhibit in the Manufacturers Display Area, #28.

Zero to solo in one week

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Searey amphibian owners are known as a close-knit group, having gathered for a fly-in lunch on the Sunday before SUN ’n FUN for over 15 years. This year the Searey factory in Tavares, Florida, took over responsibility for the annual gather-ing, which attracted around 30 of the fly-ing boats and more than 100 people.

Birds of a feather

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


By JACK E. NEUBACHER

If you are concerned about the future of aviation with so many current enthusi-ast aging out, you need to look no further than the Youth Camping Area located be-tween the Vintage and Homebuilt camp-ing area here at SUN ’n FUN. In that area you will find a group of campers all under the age of 25.

Central within that area is the Lakeland Aero Club and it director, Mike Zidzi-unas. Mike Z, as he is known, is passion-ate about what is happening with youth in aviation in the Lakeland area.

“There will be a dozen or so camping here and about 15 helping with the Ford Tri-Motor,” he said.

The Ford Tri-Motor project is a fund-raising effort to help pay for club mem-bers ‘trips to Oshkosh again this year.

“We had seven go last year; this year we are looking at sending 10 to 12,” he said. “We have seven planes scheduled to make the trip and we barnstorm our way up, stopping and camping at airports along the way.”

There are 50 active members of the club, most from the Lakeland area. There maybe 15 working on the club’s airplane projects on any given day under the watchful eyes of four adult advisers. Mike himself is an A&P/IA.

“We meet every day after school to work on their project planes,” he explained. “The club members just finished restoring their Cub on April 2 and it has 11 hours on it today. The Cub will be flying Thurs-day in the showcase. The biggest story is that every bit of the work on that project plane has been done by the members of the club.”

The next project — or should we say projects — for the members will be two pre-war Taylorcraft airplanes. By actually having two identical planes, all the kids can have a hand at working on the project every day.

All the members have put their names on the planes somewhere, Mike Z noted. “When we had four students here every day, one project was enough, but now we have up to 15 here every day. This time

they are going to team build on parallel projects. The object isn’t to see how fast they can do it, but who can do the better job.”

A student crew chief is assigned for each project airplane. The crew chief leads the project set up the schedule.

“If their schedule is wrong, as it hap-pens sometimes, and it needs to be re-done, that’s part of the lesson,” he said.

“The difference between our program and other programs is that it’s not them holding the flashlight for the graybeards — it’s me holding the flashlight for them,” he continued.

To become a member, students must be in flight training or in the A&P program. If they are 14 and in glider training they qualify.

Students range from freshmen in high school and maximum age is 25. Members who age out then become mentors to the club. Cost of membership in the club is

$20 a year.In the three years of this program, the

club has soloed 55 members and 28 eight

have acquired pilot certificates, including six who have commercial certificates and three CFIs.

Lakeland Aero Club flying high

Mike Zidziunas and his mother, pat, relax under the wing of a dC-3 the day before the show starts.

Members of the lakeland Aero Club at the campground.

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

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By MEG GODLEWSKI

It’s no secret that the main draw of many airshows are the aerial perfor-mances. That’s how you get big numbers at the gate, that’s how you draw in the non-pilots, that’s how you inspire the next generation. Airshow performances range from military demonstration teams, to en-ergy management acts like glider aerobat-ics, to high-energy tumbling displays.

Most people consider SUN ’n FUN as the beginning of the airshow season and because of this, it can set the tone for a performer’s year.

Greg Gibson, director of operations for SUN ’n FUN, is the man in charge of making this week’s airshow happen. He spends months putting together the event, taking into account crowd favorites, any new talent on the scene and the availabil-ity of the performers —- and don’t forget the budget!

“It’s a challenge,” says Gibson. “We

take into account, obviously, crowd appeal and unique-ness, but logistics, availability, and expenses play a factor as well. A record of impec-cable safety is par-amount, and most performers adhere to very strict policies on that. Getting the right mix of entertainment to appeal to a week-long crowd is also a huge factor. We are very fortunate to have a few more days than most shows to showcase a wide array of talent.”

“We do have some favorites that our crowd expects and revels in each year,” Gibson continues. “The AeroShell Aero-batic Team, Gene Soucy, Michael Goulian, Patty Wagstaff, The AeroStars, EAA War-birds of America, and many others are regulars to our event. We keep a close

watch on our social media feedback for ideas and requests from our patrons. As interesting or unique acts are mentioned, we always investigate and, of course, when there is considerable volume on a certain performer, we take that into con-sideration as well.”

The airshow wouldn’t happen, says Gibson, if it were not for the 3,500 vol-unteers who do everything from policing the show line to making sure the aerobat-ics box is clear. The volunteers also make sure the performers have what they need to make their performances happen. That could be as simple as giving them a ride to the show line in a golf cart or arranging for their aircraft to be refueled.

“Managing the performers’ schedules, the needs of the sponsors, and respecting the business needs of over 500 exhibitors is a huge task,” says Gibson. “Getting everyone working in the same direction requires incredible coordination. Again, hats off to our wonderful volunteers!”

Creating a great airshow

greg gibson

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

By JANICE WOOD

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

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

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

“We will have a live morning show

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

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

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

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

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

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

Finally, if you have a story you think

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

Tune in to SUN ’n FUN Radio

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Fly-In Facts

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Education for students of all ages offered this week

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

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


By MEG GODLEWSKI

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Judging airplanes at SUN ’n FUN

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Two jet teams roar into Lakeland

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Get hands-on at this week’s Workshops

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

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

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

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

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

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

representative extols its virtues over the PA system.

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

Students featured in Showcase Fly-Bys

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

International Visitors Center welcomes the world

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



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

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

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

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

They aren’t the only students who are winners.

The Commemorative Air Force (CAF)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Education milestones recognized

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The Piedmont Aerospace Experience is near CFAA.

See us at SUN ’n FUN 2013 - Booth D061


By JAMIE BECKETT

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

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

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

General aviation comes alive here in central Florida this week.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Each one of those descriptions of why

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

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

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

The secret is out — finally

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

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


By MEG GODLEWSKI

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

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

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

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

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

Make sure gust locks are installed cor-rectly.

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

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

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

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

Supervise the refueling of your air-craft.

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

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

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

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

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

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

To get to the heart of the matter, Signa-

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

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

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

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

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

Protect your plane

Signature Flight Support sponsors Pilot Services Center


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Be aware that tickets for the Kid Zone are required.

Ticket prices start at 26 tickets for $20,

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

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

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

Kids activities abundant during the fly-in

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

SUN ’n FUN officials report the Lake

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

Additionally, both the dock and ramp

at Fantasy of Flight are essentially unus-able.

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

SUN ’n FUN officials noted that Fan-

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

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

Seaplane Splash-In cancelledPh

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By BEN SCLAIR

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Items at the Parts Exchange are sold on

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Volunteer Parade set for Sunday

Shop ’til you drop at the Parts Exchange

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

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

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

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

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

Veterans Plaza returns


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Stay safe

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Balloons launch Saturday morning

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By TOM SNOW

Want to get up close and personal with a classic jet warbird and its owner and pi-lot while you’re at SUN ’n FUN?

At 11 a.m. each day of this week’s show, the Classic Jet Aircraft Association is of-fering an informal “walkabout seminar” on the Warbird ramp. It’s a rare opportu-nity to learn about the warbirds directly from the private owner who’s paying the bills.

Mark Peterson, president of the 300-member association of jet warbird own-ers, is on a crusade to spread the word about how accessible the planes are to the average civilian pilot who can afford the ownership costs.

“We’d like to see more people flying these jets,” he says.

With more than 1,000 of the high per-formance former military jets on the U.S. registry, there are plenty of options for the aspiring owner, from trainers to fighters. Among the most popular is the Czecho-slovakian-made Aero L-39 Alabatros jet trainer, with 242 imported to the U.S. so far.

Although many private jet warbird owners were trained in the military, that’s not a requirement.

“Most of these jets are surprisingly easy to fly,” says Peterson. “Any private pilot with 1,000 hours and an instrument rating can get trained and rated. An Experimen-tal Authorization is required, which is like a type rating, and a check ride is required each year to haul passengers.”

Doug Matthews and his F86F Sabre were featured Tuesday on the walkabout and he will fly in the airshow this after-noon.

Although more than 10,000 of the Ko-rean War-era swept-wing fighters were manufactured, only nine are flying now. Matthews’ “F” model was manufactured in 1952 and retained in USAF inventory until 1959, when it went to Argentina’s air force. It has been in private hands since 1991.

Matthews brought five warbirds to SUN ’n FUN from West Palm Beach, Florida, including a P-51, a T-33, an S-211, and an A4. Asked by a member of the audience

which plane he likes to fly the most, he answered “my favorite is the one I’m in at the time, but the Sabre is probably at the top of the list.”

At a fuel burn of 230-300 gallons per hour at a typical 450 knot cruise speed, “fuel costs are not for the faint of heart,” he added with a grin.

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As of the start of this week’s SUN ’n FUN, more than 21,000 letters to Con-gress in support of the Pilot’s Bill of Rights 2 have been sent from EAA’s Rally Congress network by EAA members and other aviators. That legislation includes the aeromedical reform language that is easily the No. 1 regulatory issue for pi-lots.

EAA and the Aircraft Owners and Pi-lots Association (AOPA) continue to lead the push for this legislation that, in addi-tion to medical reform, contains many im-portant legal and enforcement safeguards

for aviators.“All of those 21,000 letters are a ter-

rific start. Those help our advocacy teams as we urge more lawmakers to become co-sponsors and commit support for this bipartisan bill,” said Sean Elliott, EAA’s vice president of advocacy and safety. “There’s an important step that each of you can take if you care about aviation, however. That’s making that personal contact with your federal lawmakers, whether through a phone call, personal letter, or conversation with the legislator or their staff. Those individual constitu-

ent contacts carry more weight than thou-sands of email messages.”

You can find contact information for your representative and senators through EAA’s Rally Congress website (govt.eaa.org), or stop by the EAA tent on Laird Road, across from the Sunset Grill, to find out who your congressional repre-sentatives are. If your local lawmakers have already signed on as co-sponsors of the bill, be sure to thank them. If they haven’t signed on yet, ask them to sup-port their constituents who fly by backing H.R. 1062 (in the House) or S. 571 (in the

Senate).Your D.C. lawmakers will be in their

home areas during the upcoming summer recesses. Many of them are at public ven-ues, connecting with voters and constitu-ents. Take advantage of those opportuni-ties to make your voice heard.

“The Pilot’s Bill of Rights 2 is a mea-sure you have been demanding as an avia-tion community,” Elliott said. “However, it will take the help of every EAA member to get it passed. Don’t let the opportunity to connect with your local lawmaker pass you by.”

Keep pushing for medical reform

Want to enhance your SUN ’n FUN vis-it with food, shade and a front row seat? You should check out the 9/27 Club on the Northwest Corner of the Warbird Ramp.

Back for the third time, TPi has the chops to make a world-class impression.

“We work with the National Basket-ball Association, AirVenture, NASCAR, Embraer and others,” said TPi President Wendy Stallings. “Our 22 people will serve 8,000 meals this week.”

Each morning, the 9/27 Club opens up with breakfast. Lunch is available mid-

day and offers a nice time to get some shade and a cool drink. On Wednesday and Saturday nights, the 9/27 Club will stay open late for dinner ahead of the night airshows. Lockers are available to securely store valuables. Private bath-rooms are also included. Cost is $135 per day. It bumps up to $155 on Wednesday and $175 on Saturday.

“We’ve already sold out of weekly passes,” Stallings said. “Come on by and enjoy some good food, great views and some wonderful hospitality.”

An oasis of comfort

Katie Stewart (left-Vp of Sales & Marketing), Ben Wheat (executive Chef) and Wendy Stallings (president) in Tpi’s kitchen on wheels.

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By BEN SCLAIR

If you are on the SUN ’n FUN grounds after nightfall you’ve no doubt seen a plane circling overhead with a continuous stream of advertising in lights. For those unfamiliar, think the Goodyear Blimp meets airplane.

That’s Lakeland, Fla.-based Skyspot Advertising’s Roger Caram-Andruet in his Cessna 172. This year, Roger will fly April 20-25 for one to two hours each night.

“This is my eighth year over SUN ’n FUN,” notes Caram-Andruet. “We start the night before the show opens by wel-coming attendees and run through Satur-

day night to thank the volunteers.”Oh, and he’ll also run 10-15 paid ads

each night for a host of companies in ad-dition to the complimentary messages for SUN ’n FUN.

Skyspot Advertising took off – literally – in 2006 and primarily serves the state of Florida. But Caram-Andruet said he’ll go where the customer wants him.

“We flew above the NBA’s Dallas Mav-ericks home opener once,” he continued. “With the lighting structure, the plane cruises about 60 mph, so the out-and-back to Dallas from Lakeland took about 30 hours.”

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In the night air

April 22, 2015 33

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By BEN SCLAIR

A transformer: It can serve as either a picnic table or a picnic bench.

“I found the design on Facebook,” said SUN ’n FUN Radio chairman David Shallbetter. “Materials cost $75. So I put a note on Facebook asking for sponsors. I hoped to build six for this year’s fly-in and figured we’d come close. Well, I had enough funds in two hours to build 15.”

PilotMall ponied up for six (three for the radio station and three for PilotMall), Sennheiser bought two, Jeppesen donated one. Private donations made up the rest.

Where did the benable name come from?

“Ralph Tarver. He’s a SUN ’n FUN Ear-ly Bird volunteer and was the lead carpen-ter on the project,” continued Shallbetter. “He and his crew did a great job.”

Care to see one? Stop by the PilotMall store south of building B or SUN ’n FUN Radio on clubhouse row.

What’s a benable?

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By MEG GODLEWSKI

You’ve probably heard the lament that aviation is aging rapidly, and that more younger people need to be brought into the fold. The same thing can be said for the judges at SUN ’n FUN, says Dale Still, who at the age of 60 represents one of the younger members of the judging staff. This year Still holds the title of Chief Aircraft Judge, having recently taken the reins from Leonard Kress.

Having people of “great experience” and a “certain vintage” is a double-edged sword, notes Still. Every year the number of senior members in the aviation commu-nity are reduced as they retire for health reasons or pass away.

“The judges have a great deal of expe-

rience and knowledge, but if they don’t pass on that knowledge, it’s lost when they go,” Still explains. “We need young-er people to come in and apprentice with us, because taking that knowledge with you when you go is a huge waste!”

Wanna-be judges will be paired up with experienced judges to learn the craft so they can determine what differentiates a “pretty airplane” from an award-winner.

“The judges work in their area of inter-est and expertise,” says Still. “For exam-ple, we have judges who have restored a vintage airplane so they work in vintage. Others, like me have built an experimen-tal aircraft, so that’s where they work.”

If you’d like to enter the training pool, stop by the Judges building near Vintage Aircraft parking.

Judges seek new trainees

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new head judge dale Still invites new trainee judges to apply within.

SkyVector is offering a sneak peek of its flight plan filing feature (currently in beta) at Signature Flight Support’s SUN ’n FUN Pilot Services Center near Home-built registration along the flightline view-ing area.

“The addition of filing will be just one of the many features associated with the

advanced flight planning suite available to users of SkyVector,” said SkyVector Founder David Graves.

Initially, filing flight plans via SkyVec-tor will be available domestically within the continental US, and at no cost to us-ers.

Users will be able to launch a logged,

legal weather briefing in a separate win-dow, define their aircraft’s performance in climb, cruise, and descent, plus; with fore-cast winds and temperature data available some 180 hours before a flight, accurate computations of times and fuel burn will be automatically calculated. Preferred and recently-filed routes will also be available

and suggested to users prior to filing.“Strategically, the ability to file flight

plans via SkyVector is a feature we’ve been planning for some time,” continued Graves. “We are confident users will be regularly filing flight plans via SkyVector by AirVenture later this summer.”

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April 22, 2015 35

Tempest Plus Marketing Group and Electroair are jointly supporting Julie Clark Air Shows for her performances at this week’s SUN ’n FUN.

Julie Clark’s performance features her restored and polished T-34 in a patriotic tribute to our veterans and current troops. Her serenade in “Red, White and Blue” is choreographed to Lee Greenwood’s fa-mous song “God Bless the USA”. Clark will perform during the Warbird Show Wednesday.

“I’m really excited about our partner-ship with Tempest and Electroair,” said Clark. “After more than 35 years of flying my original Beechcraft T-34 in airshows, I’m real excited about this new adven-ture, and flying with the state-of-the-art modern electronic ignition by Electroair coupled with Tempest high- energy spark plugs. I think this will definitely add spark to my airshow performance.”

“Julie is an icon in the aerobatic com-

munity and loved by fans all over the world,” said John Herman, president of Tempest. “The grace and beauty of her performance is surpassed only by Julie’s dedication to perfection. Tempest is ex-tremely proud that Julie has chosen Tem-pest as her official brand of spark plugs and oil filter.”

“Electroair is proud to be a sponsor of Julie Clark and Julie Clark Air Shows,” said Michael Kobylik of Electroair. “It’s a great match, because, like Julie’s fantastic showmanship, our electric ignition sys-tems provide top-quality performance.”

Electroair produces electronic ignition systems for single and multiengine piston aircraft. Its ignition systems lead to a 10% to 15% fuel savings, smoother engine operation, longer spark plug life, and re-duced maintenance costs, he noted.

Find out more at Electroair’s exhibit in Hangar B, Booth 72, or Tempest’s exhibit in Hangar C, Booths 81-82.

Companies team to sponsor Julie Clark

AvMap, an Italian manufacturer of avion-ics instruments since 1994, is introducing at SUN ’n FUN EngiBOX, an engine monitor for Rotax aircraft engines.

Fitting in a standard 3-1/8 ” panel hole, Engi-BOX is an Engine Moni-toring System (EMS) displaying the engine pa-rameters with an update rate of five times per second and recording 160 hours of data in the in-ternal memory.

EngiBOX displays exhaust gas temper-ature, revolutions per minute, manifold pressure, oil pressure, oil/air temperature, and the cylinder head temperature/coolant temperature.

Additionally, the EngiBOX provides

real time communication with the engine service center, according to com-pany officials.

Developed in collabo-ration with Luciano Sor-lini, an authorized dis-tributor of Rotax aircraft Engines, EngiBOX is a direct link between your engine and your Rotax

service center.Owners can transfer the

stored engine performance parameters through the EngiBOX mobile App to get instant support service, according to com-pany officials.

EngiBOX is available, starting in May, for $899.

See it for yourself at AvMap’s exhibit in Hangar A, Booth 29.

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What’s happening todaySUN ’n FUN 2015

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

Rm# 9am

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

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

3 Bolt-on Performance and ef-ficiency for your aircraft, Darren Tillman

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

5 How to land on the shortest air-strips in the world, Capt. John Hook

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

7 Designing the perfect paint scheme/vinyl design for your air-craft, Craig Barnett

8 Aviation Spark Plug Design & Maintenance, Brian Cox

9 The ABCs of Airspace: Bring your sectional, Jack Vandeventer

10 Auto Engine Conversions, Pat Panzera

11 Building and flying Thatcher Light Sport Aircraft, Dr. Glen Bradley

Rm# 10 am

1 Flying to Alaska, Joe Kuberka

2 A Scholarship Awaits Aviation-Minded Students, CI Stevens/Lar-ry Jenkins

3 Care and feeding of the Cessna Cardinal (and what’s new!), Keith Peterson/Paul Millner

4 ACF-50

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

6 Flying for Business: Tax Consid-erations as you Make Your Aircraft Work for You, Jonathan Levy/Su-zanne Meiners-Levy

7 Interior Renovation in Produc-tion Aircraft, Dennis Wolter

8 Real Estate with Runways: Live the Dream, Kathie Beaty/Carol Vandervliet

9 So you want to be a CFI? Jack Vandeventer

10 Auto Engine Conversions, Pat Panzera

11 Zenith CH 650 low-wing all-met-al kit aircraft, Sebastian Heintz

Rm# 11 am

1 10 ways using your iPad can cause an FAA violation/accident, Gary Reeves

2 Aviation Oil Specs: What are they and what you need to know, Steven Strollo

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

4 IAC

5 Skychick’s Back-Country Fly-ing Adventures, Ramona Cox

6 Care and feeding of the Cessna 170, Harley Picket

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

8 Keeping Flying Affordable, Scott “Sky” Smith

9 Flying Safe in and Around Flor-ida, Steven McCaughey

10 Developing an Alternate Fuel Engine for Kit Aircraft, Dale Smith

11 Photo Tour of the USA by LSA and Motor Home, Dr. Robert Jones

Rm# 12 pm

1 Tablet Technology Awareness, Tom Letts


2 Owning and maintaining a Tay-lorcraft, John Hoffman

3 Aircraft Preflight Inspection for Pilots and Mechanics, Cathy Gagne

4 IAC

5 Debrief with CloudAhoy: Prac-tical use cases, Chuck Shavit

6 Care and feeding of the Cessna 170, Harley Pickett

8 Aviation Insurance Myths: What they can cost you, Mike Ad-ams

9 Classic Piper wing repair, Paul Babcock

10 AeroVee Engines and Aero-Injector: Sport Pilot Power, John Monnett

11 The New Generation Gyroplane, Robert Snyder

Rm# 1 pm

1 iPads in the Cockpit, Steve Podradchik

2 Piper Cub info and answers, John Hoffman

3 Get started in Homebuilding, Charlie Becker

4 The Impossible Turn: He was a good pilot. How could that hap-pen? Jim Alsip

5 Cool places to fly your airplane, Thierry Pouille

6 Tailwheel Tips and Tricks, Doug Stewart

7 Basic Vibration Analysis, Larry Lehmann

8 Getting started with Aircraft Woodwork and Glue, Vic Boyce

9 Continental Motors Engine Care, Bill Ross

10 Multi Strike Capacitor Discharge Ignitions for high rpm Wankel ro-tary engines, Paul Lamar

11 Light Sport Buying and Flying Tips, Louis Mancuso

FAA FORUMSFAA Forums are held at the FAA Aviation Safety Center located in the middle of the exhibit area at the corner of Laird Drive and SUN ’n FUN Drive.8:30 am Aircraft Preflight Inspection, Cathy Gagne, NTSB Aviation Analyst10 am How Pilots Run Out of Fuel? Mike Adams VP Avemco Insurance Co.11:30 am FAA Safety Stand Down, Pre-flight & Student Loss of Control, Bob Jex,

Mark Laughridge Orlando FAASTeam1 pm Unmanned Aerial Systems, Mike Wilson, FAA Inspector, UAS Program Manager

PARADISE CITY FORUMSLight-Sport Aircraft, Sport Pilot and Ul-tralight forums are held in the Paradise City Briefing/Forum Tent.10:30 a.m. Rotax 912 Engine Tips, Phil Lockwood, Lockwood Aviation12 p.m. Aircraft Finishes Of The Future Today, Dan Stewart, Stewart Systems1:30 p.m. Registration & Certification Of Homebuilt Aircraft, Timm Bogenhagen, EAA3 p.m. Discover Powered Paragliding, Paul Czarnecki, Planet PPG

AOPA ACTIVITY TENT FORUMS9 a.m. Coffee & Donuts, With Mark Bak-er, AOPA Pilot Town Hall11 a.m. Garmin: Using The iPad To Plan, File, & Fly, Jan Mackenzie12 p.m. Lockheed: Not The Flight Ser-vice Station You Once Knew, Joe Daniels1 p.m. Rod Machado (filling in for John & Martha King) 2 p.m. The Art Of Aerial Photography, Chris Rose

AIRSHOWWEDNESDAY - WARBIRD DAYPatriot Jump TeamAeroshell Aerobatic Team - AT-6 Texan Formation TeamLee Lauderback - P-51 Mustang “Crazy Horse”Doug Matthews - F86 Sabre JetTX Flying Legends - B25, F4U Corsair, P-40, F6F Hellcat, A6M ZeroWarbirds - EAA Warbirds of America, VariousJulie Clark - T34 MentorTrojan Horsemen - T-28 TrojansTuskegee Airman Redtail - P-51 Mus-tangGreg Colyer - T-33 Shooting Star

NIGHT AIRSHOWAerostars -Yak 52 TW Formation TeamBuck Roetman - Pitts SpecialGene Soucy - Show CatSteve Oliver - Super ChipmunkJerry “Jive” Kerby - RV-8 Wild BlueGary Rower - Super StearmanRedline Airshows - RV-8 Formation Team


Scenes from SUN ’n FUN

Photo by Josh Verdonck NTM Aviation

Photo by Jo Upton

John upton’s 1959 piper Comanche peeking out from our hangar at The executive T’s at lakeland linder wondering what all the fuss is about Photo by Ken Strohm

Photo by Ken Strohm

Photo by Ryan Cleaveland

Photo by Ryan Cleaveland



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SNF Today Apr. 22