Sun n Fun 2018

[Danb]

I was flying upside down, I can’t figure the picture out.

[Marauder]

Picture looks good to me. We flew close to the same route you did.



FL250, 250 KTAS on 30 GPH on the way back. I think I can get used to pressurization and the smell of Jet-A. Absolutely not fatigued.


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[Cruiser]

2 hours ago, Danb said:

I was flying upside down, I can’t figure the picture out.

The file size is too large. Reduce the file to a few hundred Kbs and it will load right side up.

one way to reduce file size is right click the picture and send to ----> mail recipient ................. I think you can figure out the rest. i.e. attach the file to the email then copy it back to the folder. It will be reduced size.

[lamont337]

4 hours ago, Danb said:

Lowly Mooney over Richmond

“Because I was inverted.”

[Yooper Rocketman]

I attended on Wednesday and Friday this week, with my wife and another couple on Wednesday, and on a guys run today from Spruce Creek (4 of us).   Some random thoughts on my two visits.  

Traffiic for drivers REALLY SUCKS.  Oshkosh beats this hands down!!!  Clearly not Sun & Fun’s fault, but an obvious negative to Air Adventure.

Air Show Static plane viewing;  probably my most frustrating aspect of the event.  We arrived at the static viewing “gate” and were turned away on Wednesday at 10:50 AM because the of the 3 PM Air show?  REALLY?  Arrived earlier on Friday and got about 45 minutes in the viewing area and were booted out by 11:00 AM.   This does not happen at Oshkosh!

General Attendance of viewing planes was very disappointing, but on par with what I’ve seen in my prior 3 visits over the last 20 years.   Guess I’ve been spoiled by Oshkosh?   A ton more planes and no crazy restrictions on viewing times of show planes.  With the area being closed off for so much of the event time, I guess the lack of owners making the appearance commitment should not be a surprise.

Food and vendor displays pretty good   Much more like the Oshkosh experience in this regard.   Parking crew and efficiency on par with Oshkosh as well!  

Air show quality:  actually not a big fan of this aspect of either event but Sun & Fun does an admirable job here.  I enjoyed both days of events and think for the resources and event size, they do a bang up job!!!

Summary;  although this is a “Regional” event, my opinion is there will need to be a commitment to the “Show” aspect of the event to draw more aircraft owners to display if they want to enhance the event experience for me and many I’ve talked with.  The “whole picture” and “draw” aspects of the show are clearly comprised by the stagnant attitude and lack of changes over the last 20 years to the static show plane display area (and related restrictions),  This will likely be my last trip to Lakeland absence a change, despite wintering a short distance away st Spruce Creek.

Tom

 

[Bravoman]

 I totally Disagree with the member from Michigan above. If you are an aviator and love airplanes, you will always love and feel at home at a place like Sun N fun or anything like it.

Edited April 14, 2018 by Bravoman

[Alan Fox]

Went to the Mooney booth and got free grub yesterday..hung out with Ron and Mike a while ,  then went out to Vintage and gave Alex and Cody a hard time...

 

[Danb]

I went with Bob and don’t have the negatives as mentioned by Tom although I don’t go for the static shows and feel most don’t. The vendor sections are on par with Osh, I always drive in to both events time in traffic is drastically less at SNF, so I don’t think the traffic SUCKED, signage is poor but if you know where your going no problem.

I thought the food was worse at SNF but I’m a little finicky.

 

I thought parking and distance in the lots was less obviously a much smaller event.

Airshows were good.

I didn’t notice a poor attitude amongst them.

The appeal to me is getting out of the winter cold, being around aviators and the excitement of the avaition crowd.

I felt less the density of fewer people was great, moving around and finding things and people were vastly easier than at O.

Its a totally different atmosphere kinda laid back IMO not O, didn’t expect it to be but enjoyed it immensely.

Not living among other aviators plus our airport is in desperate need of hanger flyers makes the environment exciting.

I enjoyed it as much.

Just another opinion

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Jim Peace]

This was today,

I was told that two Acclaims have been sold at the show at 900k apiece.

Also that the whole operation is in Texas now...no more Chino....I did not know that

[Bravoman]

I was there a couple of days ago. Hung out with the owners of Premier who were very nice folks and did their best to sell me a new Acclaim and enjoyed several glasses off of the keg that they were kind enough to have!

[BKlott]

I’ve attended Sun-n-fun since the mid 1980s and have witnessed a lot of change over the years. I was there today and was concerned going in that the windy and rainy weather at the beginning of the week along with the forecast of bad weather moving in on Sunday would impact the number of planes on display in the Vintage area. My concerns proved valid as the Vintage area was sparsely populated and a fair number of those still there, were packing up and leaving. It was disappointing but not unexpected.

There did also seem to be fewer vendors and aircraft on display than in years past. The homebuilt field, once heavily populated with dozens of rows of airplanes, was mostly empty. A mere shadow of what it once was.

It’s hard to quantify why this has occurred. A number of factors may be impacting the show. Weather certainly plays a role. Attendance may well be cyclical. When the show was held earlier in the Spring, perhaps there was more attendance from those wishing to escape the Winter up North. When the Vintage airplanes were featured on the main Flightline, more vintage aircraft were in attendance. The move towards featuring the homebuilts impacted their attendance.

The year they burned the grass in the Vintage parking area led to many showplanes being covered with black soot every day, repeatedly, didn’t help. I overheard a guy with a beautiful Piper Pacer, a past Champion no less, state that he would never return. He was tired of cleaning off his airplane all day long. They haven’t burned the grass since.

I’ve heard others complain about the cost of admission. They can fly to a number of smaller fly-ins with less hassle, good food and have a good time at a lower cost. Maybe that is what folks are doing these days. Or maybe we’re witnessing the effects of a declining pilot population as the greatest generation of American pilots has largely left us and the succeeding generations are smaller still.

Or maybe the fact that in 1966 you could purchase a brand new Piper Cherokee 140 for about three times the cost of a new car but in 2018 a brand new Cessna Skyhawk will cost you about ten times the cost of a new car and don’t even ask about the other airplanes.

I do not know the answer. I am glad that I went. I enjoyed seeing the airplanes that I saw but I was disappointed. Coupled with the fact that I spent most of my time there thinking about and missing my Dad. We used to look forward to Sun-n-Fun every year and attended most years we lived here. It was not the same. I did not enjoy myself...to be honest...but I will return next year.

Edited April 15, 2018 by BKlott

[Jim Peace]

14 minutes ago, BKlott said:

I’ve heard others complain about the cost of admission.

It is way too high....we bought three tickets today, I think 35 dollars each minus some small pilot discount,  and the show was just okay....40 dollars for lunch on top of tickets. 10 dollars for parking.

Could have had all my same vendor questions answered by telephone/email.  Could have skipped the 2 hour drive from DAB, been to OSH and LAL several times now and more than likely will not be back for a while.......

Oh and did I say FCUK Garmin yet.......

[Bob_Belville]

9 hours ago, Jim Peace said:

It is way too high....we bought three tickets today, I think 35 dollars each minus some small pilot discount,  and the show was just okay....40 dollars for lunch on top of tickets. 10 dollars for parking.

Could have had all my same vendor questions answered by telephone/email.  Could have skipped the 2 hour drive from DAB, been to OSH and LAL several times now and more than likely will not be back for a while.......

Oh and did I say FCUK Garmin yet.......

My lunch in the main food cafeteria was $20 with a bottle of water ($3). Food was mediocre. To make it worse, we then discovered that Mooney International had (free) pizza and drinks and plenty of seating. (The Mooney set up was first class and they'll have the same display at AirVenture.)

[Bob_Belville]

I might add that for non campers KOSH has it over KLAL as to rooms and ground transportation.

[kpaul]

Bob, are you to revisit camping at OSH again this year

[Jerry 5TJ]

We flew in to Bartow where we were treated very well.  Spent all day Thursday at SnF.  Enjoyed the displays, meeting old friends and talking to exhibitors and other attendees.  Aptly named Sun n Fun; it was both. Nice flight home Friday. 

Major cost:  We spent $1000 round-trip for fuel this year.  Two years ago in the Ovation we burned $1000 of 100LL.  Will I quibble over a $37 admission fee?  Or $10 for a good Cubano sandwich?  Nope.  

Garmin had a large display area in Hangar D. It was packed full of people looking at their many product lines.   It was hard to get close enough to play with the goodies.  

Mooney had a fine outside display, one the nicest of all the airframe vendors. Two-level van, nice seating with flight line views, free food. I did enjoy looking over the Mooney Mite in their display.   I took my time as the display area was empty — no customers and no sales people.   

 

 

[Raptor05121]

I had a blast. Came in Wednesday and did 2 days of volunteering (read: free wristband and camping). The rest of the weekend was filled with lots of walking and alcohol.

 

[Bob_Belville]

5 hours ago, kpaul said:

Bob, are you to revisit camping at OSH again this year

KP, Nancy has already reserved a room in the University dorms. I guess I'll room with her. 

[1964-M20E]

Well I had a good time.  I left Sunday Morning had to stop at 40J for about 2 hours for the weather to pass.  Still only doing 112KTS GS on the trek home from 40J. Darn headwinds.

Yes food prices are high compared to quality but still edible.  The best burgers and lowest cost for water and drinks is over by the museum.  I do like camping there it gives you a longer time on the flight line with the planes.  Yes a hotel would be better but camping is not that bad.

Saturday many vendors were packing up much of their stuff I guess expecting Sunday to be a wash with the weather.

[mike_elliott]

On 4/11/2018 at 3:59 PM, Marauder said:

BTW - the Aspen hat is a bit more comfortable.


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But its resolution is so bad, and they are so archaic...Why would you wear something so out of date and useless

 

[mike_elliott]

3 hours ago, 1964-M20E said:

The best burgers and lowest cost for water and drinks is over by the museum.

John, here is a tip for you next year...Join the Silverwings fraternity. $5 lunches (burger/hotdog/slaw/potato salad/chips, cookies and drink). Nice indoor restroom,  Air conditioned cabin, use of the golf cart to get to and fro, coffee and donuts in the AM. All for $30 USD, and it goes to aviation scholarships for "utes"

 

[mike_elliott]

21 hours ago, Bob_Belville said:

KP, Nancy has already reserved a room in the University dorms. I guess I'll room with her. 

I am hoping to be in the caravan this year, Bob. Might need some quick formation flight work. Bucko, got your ears on??

 

[MIm20c]

3 hours ago, 1964-M20E said:

Well I had a good time.  I left Sunday Morning had to stop at 40J for about 2 hours for the weather to pass.  Still only doing 112KTS GS on the trek home from 40J. Darn headwinds.

Yes food prices are high compared to quality but still edible.  The best burgers and lowest cost for water and drinks is over by the museum.  I do like camping there it gives you a longer time on the flight line with the planes.  Yes a hotel would be better but camping is not that bad.

Saturday many vendors were packing up much of their stuff I guess expecting Sunday to be a wash with the weather.

On the flip side we left Sunday morning and had 205-230 kts all the way home.  Winds are great on the backward tail side. 

I did find water stations to be lacking at the show. 

[Bob_Belville]

1 hour ago, mike_elliott said:

I am hoping to be in the caravan this year, Bob. Might need some quick formation flight work. Bucko, got your ears on??

 

Mike, can you make it to the MAG clinic:

http://www.mooneycaravan.com/training

2018 MAG Formation Clinic – Danville, VA (KDAN) – June 22-24, 2018 

[1964-M20E]

9 hours ago, MIm20c said:

On the flip side we left Sunday morning and had 205-230 kts all the way home.  Winds are great on the backward tail side. 

I did find water stations to be lacking at the show. 

yeah the flight up to 40J was quick but going west to New Orleans it slowed down