Sun-n-Fun Apr. 4, 2014

Friday, April 4, 2014

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

Table of ContentsSUN ’n FUN Radio turns 20................................................... 15Blue Angels headline airshow ............................................ 16F-22 Raptor roars into Lakeland .......................................... 17Youth Activities ........................................................................ 18International Visitors Center ................................................ 19FAQ: What you need to know .............................................. 20Map of the grounds ................................................................ 22Protect your plane .................................................................. 27Is your plane an award winner? ..........................................29

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Eagle’s Nest students build RV-12 Page 4

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April 4, 2014 Sun ’n Fun Today - www.sun-n-fun.org 3

By MEG GODLEWSKI

Being Blue Angel pilot, zipping around the sky in a F-18 Hornet, sounds like a dream job to most pilots, and it comes pret-ty darn close, says Lt. Commander David Tickle, who flies #5.

Tickle, who hails from Birmingham, Ala., is in his fourth and last season with the team. Flying since 2002, he is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy.

“My favorite part of the job is connecting with the American public,” he said. “After the show we go up to the show line and greet the crowd. It’s great to meet them, es-pecially the kids.”

According to Tickle, a tour with the team, although more high profile than other jobs in the Navy, is a normal tour of duty for the Navy and Marine personnel who make up the team. When their tour with the Blue Angels is completed, they return to active duty.

“Right now my job is to connect with the American public,” he said. “When the tour is finished, my job will be to protect the American public.”

His favorite maneuver in the show, he said, is the Sneak Pass where he sweeps in from stage left at high speed. “It stirs up the crowd,” he said.

The team makes the maneuvers look easy, but it isn’t, he noted It takes a great deal of discipline and practice to make it look so effortless.

According to Tickle, someone who as-pires to be a Blue Angel should have a good command of math and science. Spatial skills are also important, he noted, pointing to the marks on the side of the airplane that are used as site points for the other pilots to line up on while in flight.

“We fly upside down at 200 feet. That

kind of flying is normally frowned upon,” he said.

It takes a team to keep the pilots in the air. One of the members of that team is Willis Munger, an aviation structural mechanic, from Berlin Heights, Ohio. He has been in the Navy for 14 years.

“My job is to stand behind the jet before

takeoff to make sure that nothing is leaking from it, nothing is falling off of it.”

Like Tickle, he’s proud to be part of something that is bigger than himself. “Team work is key,” he said.

The Blue Angels will perform in today’s air show, as well as Saturday’s and Sun-day’s.

Dream job: Blue Angels pilot

Blue Angel pilot #5 Lt Commander David Tickle

Aviation Mechanic Willis Munger

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4 SUN ’n FUN Today - www.sun-n-fun.org April 4, 2014

PLEASE REMEMBER TO RECYCLE

ISSuE 4 — FrIDAy APrIL 4, 2014

PuBLIShErSJohn “Lites” Leenhouts

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EDITOrIAL STAFFMeg Godlewski

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DISTrIBuTIONArthur Ward

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CONTrIBuTING WrITErSJamie Beckett, Joni Fisher, Jack

Neubacher, Drew Steketee,William Walker, Elizabeth Walker, Emili Woodhouse

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.

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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.

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By BILL WALKEr

Veteran aviation mechanic Scott Mal-comb had an idea about students build-ing an airplane at the school his two sons attended. But he wasn’t sure if he could get the okay from the leadership at Circle Christian School in Orlando and the needed support from parents.

Happily for Malcomb the response was overwhelmingly positive in both areas and in August he and 17 students began work on an RV-12 kit provided through Eagle’s Nest Projects. They were supported by a team of mentors.

“Jim and Linda Warner, who founded Circle Christian School, said yes to the project,” Malcomb said. “When we had a meeting to assess support, 250 people turned out, including about 50 aviation pro-fessionals who said they would be mentors. I was blown away by the response.”

Many of the people were friends Mal-comb had made during 15 years at Delta Airlines and the last nine at JetBlue, where he is an aircraft maintenance instructor.

The RV-12 kit was delivered to the school in August thanks to full funding from Ea-gle’s Nest Projects, a publicly funded, avia-tion-based education program of Friends of the RV-1, a 501(c)(3) public charity.

“This is an $85,000 airplane kit,” Mal-comb said. “But it’s worth far more when completed. I should add that Lowe’s do-nated a compressor and a lot of the tools.”

A list of 50 student applicants from the Circle school was narrowed to a team of 17 — eight girls, nine boys — using interviews and observation of student skills at building projects during SUN ’n FUN 2013.

The building workshop was the approxi-mately 25- by 30-foot enclosed loading dock area and a classroom at the rear of the church school building.

“The kids unpacked the boxes,” Mal-comb said. “There were more than 11,000 separate items. The first part we made was a small rudder stop. The first big thing was the vertical stabilizer, then the horizontal stabilizer and the tail cone. From there we went on to the wings, then the fuselage.”

Students worked Monday afternoon from 5 until 7:30 and Thursdays from 3:45 until 6:15. “They received academic credit for the work and study,” he said. “This includ-ed one high school honors credit for ex-perimental science. And they received three college credits for studying the principles of aeronautical science through Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Aviation mentors worked with the students so there was usu-ally one mentor for every four or five stu-dents working on a part of the project.”

A little less than seven months after start-ing the project the team began the firewall forward building process, mounting the 100-hp 912 Rotax engine. That took only a couple of weeks. The advanced avionics panel includes ADS-B, a two-axis autopi-lot and Dynon Sky View synthetic vision. All work was completed March 20 and the plane was moved to the Sanford, Fla., air-port (KSFB). “Aerosim donated a hangar

for us to keep the plane at the airport,” Mal-comb said.

The RV-12 passed inspection and was granted an airworthiness certificate on March 24. Malcomb flew it that day for the first time. “It flew great. We had no squawks.”

He flew the aircraft to SUN ’n FUN a few days ago in a flight of three student-built Eagle’s Nest RV-12s. The planes are on dis-play behind the Florida Air Museum Pavil-ion. The other two RV-12s are from Clear Springs (Texas) High School near Houston and Jennings High School at North Vernon, Ind. The Texas RV-12 was built under the guidance of Ernie Butcher, the chief execu-tive officer of Eagle’s Nest, and the Indiana airplane was built under the leadership of Bob Kelly, the founder of Eagle’s Nest.

“The students built this airplane,” Mal-comb said, “and I would like to name them all: Jenna Finlay, Kaylee Goldbarth, Lori-anne Shultz, Janna Wozniak, Ashley Lang, Johanna Brown, Carrie Green, Heather London, Brehnden Daly, Andrew McCrary, Matthew Malcomb, Parker Quinlan, Jeff Henry, Tyler Ferree, Ezra Williams, Tyler Felsted and Austin Spidell.”

“And I have to name our mentors:

Bob Kosar of EAA, Delta mechanic Stan Weincek, retired paramedic and RV build-er Jeff Wilde, parents Craig Finlay, Jason Spidell and Rich Pace, a JetBlue technician with 40 years of experience.”

Construction of the aircraft is only the first step in aviation for the students accord-ing to Malcomb.

“I think about a dozen of them are now learning to fly,” he noted. “We have four or five CFIs willing to donate their time to teach the kids. And we will begin flight training in our own plane in May. Lorianne Shultz has already soloed in a glider. And Jeff Henry soloed in a powered aircraft about two weeks ago.”

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$2.95 • March 20, 2014

66th Year. No. 6

Training that’s just your type P. 22

Pleading the Fifth P.39

Tips to barter and trade P. 12

When the obvious isn’t obvious P. 11

The Luscombe List

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$2.95 • February 20, 2014

66th year. No. 4

What’s your favorite airshow? P. 23

Mooney back in business P. 4

Tips to shop smarter P. 12

The Cinderella hangar P. 24

The evolution of

the airshow



Pioneer Duffy Thompson helped from Day OneBy DrEW STEKETEE

“SUN ’n FUN was all-volunteer, from Day One,” Duffy Thompson emphasizes. “Those people ‘own’ SUN ’n FUN.”

And beyond the sweat equity, Duffy is almost literally correct — at least regarding the early pioneers.

SUN ’n FUN organizers needed $18,000 front money to stage the first fly-in. Thomp-son, then a local Chamber of Commerce of-ficial, approached the president of Barnett Bank, who had been a World War II bomber pilot. “Come out to the airport,” Thompson suggested, “and the volunteers will sign personal $150 promissory notes totaling $18,000.”

They did! Yet Duffy foresaw a greater pay-off than just closing a bank note: “Buy-ing in” meant that the volunteers’ financial pledges “gave those people ownership.”

And that first volunteer-backed loan was repaid in just three months.

Thompson was also key man in selling SUN ’n FUN to city and other officials. He

had left his sales manager job in Ohio for a position with the Lakeland Chamber of Commerce. Retiring at 60, he then became head of special projects for the Lakeland city manager. He knew the city. He knew the right people.

Owner of a KLAL-based Taylorcraft and active in the Florida Sport Aviation An-tique and Classic Association (FSAACA), he participated in staging numerous small fly-ins.

In 1972, Duffy and another volunteer met with Experimental Aircraft Association founder Paul Poberezny at the St. Augus-tine air show, which aviation true-believ-ers thought was “turning into a carnival.” Pitching his vision, Duffy asked Paul how to succeed with a large fly-in. “Practice” was Paul’s one-word answer. They had been, Thompson’s replied. “Let’s try a big one,” he resolved to himself.

After two SUN ’n FUNs on Drane Field’s north side, the city leased out the current southside location, site of a World War II airbase.

“It was a dismal swamp, scruffy,” Thomp-son recalls.

Later, city official Peggy Brown would spearhead many positive contributions to SUN ’n FUN infrastructure, beginning with the Longcoy Creek bridge and SUN ’n FUN

Drive from car parking to the exhibit area.SUN ’n FUN’s initial lease of the grounds

was a 20-year arrangement at 1.5% over loan coast with city costs underwritten by cigarette tax bonds.

“The people in town were behind us,” Thompson affirms.

City government also helped trim lease costs by re-designating industrial-zoned airport acreage into less-valuable “aviation recreational” land. Later, the big blue ex-hibit hangars would be built with similarly innovative financing and leases. Such coop-eration helped create an infrastructure for a SUN ’n FUN fly-in of national scope, sec-

ond only to Oshkosh. Lakeland has reaped the benefits since.

Then there’s “Duffy’s Tower,” the ramp tower that guides taxiing aircraft by radio to various show-specific parking areas — antique and classic, homebuilts, Warbirds, aircraft camping, and more.

At first, Duffy’s Tower was just a roofer’s truck with some canvas on 2x4s for shade. Duffy got students from the air traffic con-troller school in Bartow, Florida, to staff it.

Now, after supervising the ramp tower and its volunteers for decades, he’s handed off the top job at age 87. This year, he’ll probably just stop by to say “Hi.” That’s because he’s scheduled to help at the Media Center this year.

Duffy Thompson played a key role in the creation and growth of SUN ’n FUN. His contribution? Finance, infrastructure and government relations were his thing — not to mention the orderly flow of arriving planes from runway to parking! But he’s modest.

“No way all this would have happened without the volunteer folks. It’s these peo-ple’s fly-in, not mine,” said the SUN ’n FUN pioneer.

No doubt many other volunteers would also credit their colleagues, not their own work. It’s just that kind of place.

In the beginning...

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Join, renew or sign up for AutoPilot at the EAA Welcome Center and get a free gift. (While supplies last.)

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© 2014 Experimental Aircraft Assoc., Inc.

Friday, April 4EAA forumsTips for Low-Cost Flying9 a.m. | Pilot Briefi ng Tent

Rules and Regs of Homebuilding10 a.m. | Room 3

Are You and Your Airplane Insurable?10 a.m. | Room 9

Emergency Bailout Procedures and Survival Equipment for Pilots11 a.m. | Room 4

10 Years of the Sport Pilot Rule12 p.m. | Pilot Briefi ng Tent

The Five Tools in the Tail Wheel Pilot’s Toolbox12 p.m. | Room 4

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By JOhN MCKENNA

You’ve probably heard of us by now...but maybe not the company we keep.

Ten years young now, the Recreational Aviation Foundation has transitioned from a Western U.S.-oriented organization to one that’s truly national in scope and involve-ment. We’re probably working on several projects to open and protect recreational airstrips in your region right now, no matter where in the USA you live.

What may be less evident are the many partnerships we have built on this journey. There’s no way we could be doing this alone.

Our partners include public land man-agers, whom you might know by titles like District Manager or Ranger. They are among our most important partners. Rather than an adversarial approach, the RAF has sought long-term partnerships with land managers because the protection we seek for airstrips is long-term. And if a land manager needs us to assume maintenance responsibility for a recreational airstrip to keep it open, we’ve been willing to provide the sweat equity and funding necessary.

East of the Mississippi, most public lands are managed by states rather than the fed-eral government and these state land man-agers have become instrumental partners as the RAF has expanded.

As one example, working in coopera-tion with the Blackwater River State For-est District Manager in Florida, the public now has access to one of the most inviting recreational airstrips in the East: Blackwa-ter Airfield (8FD3). It’s a great stop to or from SU (see picture) or any other time of the year. You’ll find a full Blackwater brief right on TheRAF.org.

Aviation organizations have been some of our most important supporters. Private

groups like the Air-craft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) Founda-tion and Lightspeed Foundation, as well as other private groups, state pilot associations and state aeronautics boards have provid-ed funding support and also public recogni-tion of our efforts.

Wildlife scientists have pitched in, too. Public access to recreation areas can be claimed as harmful to wildlife despite an absence of any scientific evidence. We seek both public access AND a healthy natural environment, so we have commissioned leading science research on aviation’s im-pact in remote natural settings which begins this summer.

And the key ingredient,, of course is you. We’re closing in on 6,000 members na-tionwide and virtually all of our efforts are member led and dependent on member in-

volvement. We’re a “hands on” group who knows how to work up a sweat, as well as celebrate an accomplishment.

How about keeping company with us while at SUN ’n FUN?

The RAF Fire Hub, located near the Corn Roast where the campground begins, is our permanent presence at SUN ’n FUN. We’ll welcome visitors there throughout this year’s show, with free coffee and donuts each morning, with a camp fire each eve-ning, and lots of hospitality in between.

And consider placing your own personal, permanent presence at SUN ’n FUN by en-graving a Fire Hub brick with your name and aircraft registration number. But regardless, please drop in to say hello and get acquaint-ed. After all, we’re all in this together.

Is there room for more RAF team mem-bers? You bet! If you think protecting air-strips in interesting recreational settings — and opening new ones — is an important contribution to aviation, then please join Team RAF and help us expand recreational destinations nationwide. We’re only a click away at TheRAF.org.

By ChArLES SPENCE

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The FAA is moving ahead with the rulemaking process to possibly expand the number of pilots eligible to fly without the need for a third-class medical certificate.

This is in response to a petition from the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) and the Experimental Aircraft As-sociation (EAA). The two groups filed a pe-tition with the FAA some two years ago.

The FAA is calling the rulemaking ef-fort the “Private Pilot Privileges Without a Medical Certificate” project. It will consider whether to allow pilots fly without a third-class medical in certain circumstances, using a driver’s license instead. The FAA announced no other details of the planned action.

As part of the announcement, FAA said it will consider whether it can “safely provide any relief to the medical requirement before the rulemaking process is complete.”

More than 16,000 comments about the no-medical proposal were received by the FAA, most of which were positive, accord-ing to FAA officials.

EAA and AOPA were quick to express their pleasure at the FAA’s announcement.

EAA officials called this move to formal rulemaking “a good initial step” and said it supports any initiatives to modernize the aviation medical certification system for recreational flying.

For decades EAA has made numerous petitions and requests to the FAA to extend medical self-certification to more of the pi-lot population.

AOPA President Mark Baker called the

rulemaking announcement “the next im-portant step along a path that we sincerely hope will allow more pilots to fly without the expense and frustration of the medical certification process.”

He added he made pursuing the medical exemption a top priority when he took over as president of AOPA.

The General Aviation Manufacturers As-sociation also quickly commended the FAA for the move. Pete Bunce, president and CEO of the association, said he wants “to applaud the FAA for undertaking the rule-making effort.”

He also added appreciation to members of Congress for pushing the issue to the forefront.

Legislation in Congress has been gaining support from many legislators in both the House and Senate.

Partners key to RAF success

FAA pursues rulemaking on medicals

John McKenna is president of the Recreational Aviation Foundation.

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A new diesel twin-engine DA42-VI — known as the Dash-6 — is making its 2014 show debut at the Diamond display during this week’s SUN ’n FUN.

“Since its introduction last year, everyone has been asking when the Dash-6 would be available to see,” said Jeff Owner, vice president of Premier Aircraft Sales in Fort Lauderdale, Diamond’s southeastern dis-tributor. “The answer is at SUN ’n FUN.

The Dash-6 introduces a host upgrades including:

New-generation Austro AE300 turbo • diesel engines;Aerodynamically-improved cowling/na-• celle design;

Aerodynamic wing fairings;• Flush-headed screws;• New MT composite three-blade propel-• lers;New rudder design for reduced VMC;• Upgraded interior finish.•

The Diamond display also features the new-generation Diamond DA40 XLT. The highlight of this four-place aircraft is an up-graded interior configuration, he said.

Rounding out the Diamond booth is a two-place Diamond DA20-C1 Eclipse trainer.

See all three for yourself at the Diamond exhibit in the Manufacturer’s Display Area, #023B.

Diamond diesel twin makes show debut

Air Fare America, a new food and travel television series in development by Inter-face Media Group and Armchair Aviatrix, has landed at SUN ’n FUN, asking pilots “Where do you fly for food and fun?”

Creator Andrea Vernot and co-executive producer Joel Westbrook said they are on the grounds to introduce the new travel en-tertainment series to the aviation communi-ty and survey pilots on their favorite fly-in destinations.

SUN ’n FUN attendees can go in front of the Sunset Grill and place a flag with the name and call letters of their favorite fly-in restaurant on the oversized map.

They can also watch a five-minute reel and enter a daily drawing for an official Air Fare America baseball cap and souvenir die-cast plane emblazoned with the show’s logo.

The production team will offer program briefings, as well as scout prospective places, people and planes to feature on Air Fare America, which is expected to debut in 2015.

McCauley showcases Blackmac Carbon Series

McCauley Propeller Systems is showcas-ing the Blackmac Carbon Series constant speed composite propeller at this year’s show.

The clean sheet scalable design is expect-ed to receive FAA certification in the first half of 2014. The composite materials and patented high-strength, low-weight con-tinuous carbon loop blade retention system, reduces weight and improves product life.

The scimitar propeller blades are made of seamless carbon fiber and fiberglass mate-rial and feature electro-formed nickel lead-ing edges.

The Blackmac Carbon Series is certified for unlimited life and an overhaul interval of 2,400 hours or 72 months and retains McCauley’s standard industry leading parts and labor warranty of three years or first overhaul.

Find out more at McCauley’s exhibit in the SNF Exhibit 1A-4A.

Where do you fly for food and fun?

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Stratus has received three enhance-ments from partners Appareo, ForeFlight and Sporty’s. A split screen attitude view, animated radar and the iPad battery-saving Stratus Replay feature are all available as a free update for Stratus 2 owners, Sporty’s officials reported at SUN ’n FUN.

Stratus Replay nearly doubles the ef-fective battery life of an iPad by allowing pilots to turn off the screen between uses. When the screen is turned on again, Stratus automatically sends ForeFlight Mobile any ADS-B weather that was missed, including radar, METARs and PIREPs.

This is particularly helpful for long flight segments and it also allows pilots to switch to other apps without missing weather data. There’s nothing for the pilot to do — it’s completely automatic.

Animated radar adds a safety feature for pilots flying in convective weather, allow-ing them to monitor the trend in NEXRAD radar images. By tapping the play button on ForeFlight’s map page, pilots can loop the previous 30 minutes of both regional and national radar and help determine a cell’s direction and energy. Combined with Stra-tus Replay, animated radar offers a power-ful decision-making tool.

The Stratus built-in Attitude Heading Reference System (AHRS) is a popular feature with pilots, delivering backup at-

titude information to the iPad, complete with pitch, bank, groundspeed, track and altitude, company officials said. Now this data can be displayed right in ForeFlight, with a glass cockpit-style split screen view. The attitude indicator updates multiple times per second so it moves smoothly, and it can be used in either portrait or landscape mode. Now pilots can view ADS-B weath-er, traffic, moving map and attitude all on the same screen.

To access these new features, pilots should first download ForeFlight version 6.0, available soon in the App Store. This includes new Stratus firmware, which pilots can update directly from ForeFlight. There is no charge for the upgrade.

Stratus 2 is available for $899.Find out more at Sporty’s exhibit in the

North Exhibit area #100-101.Sportys.com

Stratus enhanced

By JONI M. FIShEr

Having trouble with your Internet con-nection? Drop in to the bright blue and yel-low Visitor Information Center building on the corner of Laird Drive and Tom Mack Road next to the Sunset Grill. It has a free Internet cafe with four laptops connected to landlines. The Internet cafe is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The Visitor Information Center is manned by folks from the Visit Central Florida or-ganization. It offers terrific goodies such as

maps and discounted tickets to: Legoland, Bok Tower Gardens, Disney World, Sea World, and other central Florida attractions.

On Saturday and Sunday Legoland char-acters will be at the SUN ’n FUN Visitor Information building from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. according to Joni Allen of Visit Central Florida.

You can also sample fresh squeezed or-ange juice, and buy and ship Valencia or-anges, honey tangerines and grapefruit from Ridge Island Groves.

VisitCentralFlorida.com

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Visitor Information Center offers many amenities

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Zenith Aircraft introduced a CH 750 powered by a new Rotax 912iS engine at this week’s SUN ’n FUN.

The airframe was constructed by Skytek Aircraft Services in Vernon, British Colum-bia, and was flown by their pilot to the Ze-nith factory in Mexico, Missouri, after an extensive flight testing program.

Equipped with dual electronic fuel injec-tion systems and dual electronic ignition, the new Rotax 912iS is a four-cylinder, four-stroke engine that is cooled by water and air. Pilots are able to operate the engine without a mixture control, carburetor heat or primers, said company officials, noting

those functions are built into the engine and controlled by computer. The engine and ac-cessories are monitored constantly, alerting pilots immediately to any abnormalities on the ground or in the air, officials noted.

A dry sump provides lubrication from a separate .8 gallon oil tank. Hydraulic valve tappets provide automatic adjustment. There is an engine management system, electric starter, an integrated reduction gear and a 2,000-hour TBO.

“This is the same engine that Rotax has donated to our One Week Wonder project at AirVenture this summer,” said Sebastien Heintz, president of Zenith Aircraft. “It is representative of the freedom and creativity that is possible in the Experimental Ama-teur-Built field. That’s why homebuilding leads the general aviation community in new ideas, technology and products.”

Zenith Aircraft is working with the Ex-perimental Aircraft Association on the One Week Wonder program designed to build and taxi a complete aircraft with volunteer help during the seven days of AirVenture. They will be installing a Rotax 912iS in the aircraft.

Find out more at the Zenith exhibit in the Manufacturer’s Display Area, #26B.

ZenithAir.com

Zenith introduces CH-750 with Rotax 912iS

SPOT debuts SPOT Trace

SPOT has launched the new SPOT Trace, an anti-theft asset tracking device. SPOT Trace ensures airplanes, cars, motorcycles, boats, ATVs, snowmobiles and other valu-able assets are where they need to be, noti-fying owners via email or text when move-ment is detected.

SPOT’s family of products uses 100% satellite technology to provide location-based messaging and emergency notifica-tion for on or off the grid communications.

SPOT Trace users can view their airplane, boat, motorcycle or other asset’s GPS coor-dinates online 24 hours a day in near real-time through Google Maps. With multiple mounting options, SPOT Trace is small enough to be placed practically anywhere, according to company officials.

SPOT Trace also features customizable tracking, which allows users to track GPS coordinates at different intervals.

Find out more in Hangar D, #63.

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Calling backcountry pilotsGeneral Aviation News is looking for

backcountry pilots to tell us their sto-ries for two special issues coming up in July.

If interested, come to the SUN ’n FUN Today trailer next to the Cessna exhibit and ask for Bill Walker or email [email protected].

April 1-6 , 2014 Sun ’n Fun Today - www.sun-n-fun.org 15

By MEG GODLEWSKI

SUN ’n FUN Radio celebrates its 20th an-niversary this year.

What began as a means to broadcast the afternoon airshow has evolved into an in-formational and entertaining endeavor for not only fly-in visitors, but also the volun-teers at the radio station.

Located at 1510 on the AM dial, SUN ’n FUN Radio broadcasts a steady stream of interviews with performers, sponsors and

exhibitors, as well as special guests, in-cluding the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP).

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

According to Dave Shallbetter, station chairman, SUN ’n FUN Radio began in 1994 when he worked at the SUN ’n FUN media center as the liaison with WLKS, the local AM radio station, which was broad-casting the airshow with a live remote.

“They told me they were going to have a radio station at SUN ’n FUN and asked would I like to help?” he recalled. “They put me at a desk and said ‘start talking.’ I said ‘I can do that!’”

The original intent of SUN ’n FUN Radio was to broadcast the daily airshow and have a tape loop with information about parking and admission. It quickly grew to include in-terviews with not just the airshow perform-ers, but exhibitors and others at the show.

In 2007 the radio station teamed with Uncontrolled Airspace, a general aviation podcast, and Live ATC, an audio stream-ing site, which gave the station worldwide exposure.

“That started our foray into the social media world,” said Shallbetter. “We also

started a Twitter account. Social media has hugely increased the exposure of SUN ’n FUN Radio. We have listeners in Brazil, Germany, and Okinawa, Japan. By 2008 the audio stream had 44,000 hits.”

To celebrate SUN ’n FUN Radio’s 20th

anniversary, the volunteers, with the help of sponsors, have created a birthday gift pro-gram, where the gift goes to the visitors.

This year each gift donor will receive

multiple mentions on the day of their spon-sorship and a week-long association with the station’s celebration.

Additionally, some lucky listeners will win tickets to the SUN ’n FUN Radio birth-day party slated for Thursday evening.

The station, which has a cadre of 30 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.

SUN ’n FUN Radio celebrates 20 years

There’s TV tooThe Florida Aviation Network (FAN)

has been named the official SUN ’n FUN TV Network.

It will be broadcasting throughout the week and providing live webcasts during the airshows.

Visit the Airshow Announcers stand and get the chance to be one of the “man on the street” interviews. You could be on a Jumbotron by the Sunset Grill and also uploaded to FAN’s website.

FAN will be all over the grounds filming at significant events and the footage will be uploaded daily.

FloridaAviationNetwork.com

16 SUN ’n FUN Today - www.sun-n-fun.org April 1-6 , 2014

The United States Navy’s Flight Demon-stration Squadron, The Blue Angels, will be the featured performers this weekend.

“After a year of sequestration and no military participation at airshows, SUN ’n FUN is honored to host the first appear-ance of the Blue Angels in the southeast in 2014,” said SUN ’n FUN President and CEO John R. “Lites” Leenhouts. “It is ex-citing for us to offer our guests the stellar precision that represents the piloting skills of all Naval aviators.”

The Blue Angels’ mission is to enhance Navy and Marine Corps recruiting efforts and to represent the Naval service not only in the United States, but around the world.

The Blue Angels’ C-130, affectionately known as “Fat Albert,” begins each dem-onstration by exhibiting its maximum per-formance capabilities during a 10-minute performance.

Next you will see the graceful aerobatic maneuvers of the four-jet Diamond Forma-tion, in concert with the fast-paced, high-performance maneuvers of its two solo pilots. Finally, the team illustrates the pin-nacle of precision flying, performing ma-neuvers locked as a unit in the renowned, six-jet “Delta Formation.”

The Blue Angels will perform Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 4:30 p.m.

Blue Angels headline airshow

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The F-22 Raptor is flying at SUN ’n FUN Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

The Air Combat Command F-22 Dem-onstration Team from Langley Air Force Base in Virginia performs precision aerial maneuvers to demonstrate the unique capa-bilities of the world’s only operational fifth-generation fighter aircraft.

The F-22 will also team up with the Air Force Heritage flight during this week’s show.

The F-22 Raptor is the Air Force’s new-est fighter aircraft. Its combination of

stealth, supercruise, maneuverability, and integrated avionics, coupled with improved supportability, represents an exponential leap in warfighting capabilities, according to Air Force officials.

The F-22, a critical component of the Global Strike Task Force, “cannot be matched by any known or projected fighter aircraft,” Air Force officials noted.

F-22 Raptor roars into SUN ’n FUN

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Come see MAF’s new KODIAK during Sun ‘N Fun at the SE Exhibit Area, Lot 1 And join us there for a ceremony to dedicate this KODIAK on Saturday, April 5th at 10:30 a.m.


SUN ’n FUN has made a commitment to the future, with its mission to “Build 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 be-gin at 9 a.m. at the Piedmont Hangar Work-shops (just past the Florida Air Museum). Activities, which will run until 2 p.m., are age specific.

Children in Grades K-6 will be introduced to the creative side of science, with en-couragement and supplies to explore kites, windsocks, parachutes, foam airplanes 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 demonstra-

tions, antique aircraft, forums, rotorcraft, ultralight and light-sport airplanes, histor-ic warbird airplanes, a museum 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 scheduled for comple-tion this year.

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

Building a brighter future

After its success at last year’s show, the Veterans Plaza is once again in the South-east Exhibit Area.

Organizations participating in the plaza this year include the Vietnam Veterans He-licopter Pilots Association, the USO, the Military Officers Association of America, Honor Flight, World War II re-enactors, the VA Medical Unit, the Mid Florida World War II Museum, and the Polk County Vet-erans Council.

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

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

Veterans Plaza returns


More than 8,000 international guests ar-rived at SUN ’n FUN last year from coun-tries spanning the globe.

According to SUN ’n FUN officials, the largest number of visitors came from Bra-zil, Canada, England and Germany, but many other countries were represented in the International Visitors Tent, which is in the Southeast Exhibit area. The tent fea-tures a large map where visitors can stick a pin representing their home country.

A number of volunteers are available who speak a variety of languages to help visitors with everything from locating an exhibitor on the grounds to finding local lodgings.

Staff from Visit Central Florida and the Lakeland Chamber of Commerce will aug-ment the SUN ’n FUN crew by connecting guests to local area amenities, shopping and dining. Discount tickets for area theme parks are also available at the tent.

Tickets will also be distributed at the tent for special events planned for international visitors.

New this year is a party for future avia-tors called Dance Around the World.

Teens 13-18 will gather on Thursday eve-ning at 7 p.m. in front of the International Visitors Tent, where they will find music, foods, photos and more. Hosted by State Farm Agent Barbara Grier Bennett, Pure Funk DJ Leslie, and Will Brown Photogra-

phy, the party will feature food from some of Lakeland’s finest restaurants, including Harry’s Seafood Restaurant, Palace Pizza, China Wok, Sweet Creationz, Britt’s Café,

Café Roti, West Caribbean Cuban Restau-rant and Il Forno Italian Restaurant.

The International Visitors Party will be held Friday, beginning at 5:30 p.m., in the

Pavilion next to the Florida Air Museum. This party is hosted by the Islands of the Bahamas and the Lakeland Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Welcoming the world

SHOW SPECIALGeneral Aviation News isn’t exhibiting

at SUN ’n FUN this year. We’re busy producing SUN ’n FUN Today...

But our regular 2-for-1 Show Special is still good.

Go to http://bit.ly/OS9yvU or call 800-426-8538to renew or start a subscription...

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$2.95 • March 20, 2014

66th Year. No. 6

Training that’s just your type P. 22

Pleading the Fifth P.39



The Luscombe List


Pleading the Fifth



$2.95 • February 20, 2014

66th year. No. 4

What’s your favorite airshow? P. 23

Mooney back in business P. 4

Tips to shop smarter P. 12

The Cinderella hangar P. 24

The evolution of

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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 dai-ly with a large selection of aviation-related items, as well sunglasses, cameras and 40th anniversary commemorative T-shirts and other memorabilia. The main retail shop is the PilotMall store near the Exhibit Han-gars. 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 The Florida Air Museum.

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 Center 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 Lind-bergh Lot.

There are two Internet Cafes on the grounds this year: At the Visitor Informa-tion Center and 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.

The FedEx 727, donated last year, will be open every day for walk-through tours. The 727 is near the Central Florida Aero-space Academy.

Smoking is not permitted around any air-craft, on the flightline, in the buildings, or near any displayed aircraft. See the conven-tion map (page 22) for designated smoking areas around the campus.

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

Handicapped Services, located on the west side of the Admissions building in the Main Admissions area, has information on all accessibility concerns.

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 Admissions and east of the Buehler Restoration Skills Center on Doolittle Road.

Trams run from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. with stops throughout the campus.

The Pilot Briefing Center has informa-

tion on everything from taxi procedures, field opening and closing schedules, avail-ability of tie-downs, demonstration ride staging, and radio frequencies. It is next to the showers by Vintage Headquarters.

Several self-briefing weather stations provided by XM WX Satellite Weather are available for pilots. Check the map on page 22 for exact locations.

Need a slight break from all the activity? The Nature Trail behind Hangar E has 16 stations located along the boardwalk detail-ing the Florida flora and fauna.

Having so much fun you’d like to return next year as a volunteer? Volunteer oppor-tunities are available at the Volunteer Cen-ter, which is located next to the Buehler Restoration Center.

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The Recreational Aviation Foundation will host a variety of activities all week at the Fire Hub in the SUN ’n FUN Camp-ground, including:

Tent Rodeo: How fast can you put up a • tent?Ice Cream Toss: Make ice cream in the • backcountry.Potato Bake: Thursday, April 3, for new • and renewing RAF members.Fly fishing demos.• Plane-packing demos.• Coffee and Donuts (6:30-8 a.m.) each • morning.

The Recreational Aviation Foundation Fire Hub is on the corner of Poberezny Road and Charlie Road in the campground.

RAF: Time for some fun

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Hone skills at SUN ’n FUN Workshops

SUN ’n FUN Workshops can help you learn all the skills neces-sary to build your own plane or work on any other project that uses the same tools and techniques.

Experienced instructors guide you through the techniques for each skill and answer your questions about specific projects.

Many of the workshops are approved by the FAA for credit to-wards the annual requirements for IA renewal and the A&P Awards Program. To get credit for attending, pick up a time sheet at the information booth and have the Workshop Instructor sign it.

Workshops are ongoing from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Workshops area, which is near the Buehler Restoration Center and the Florida Air Museum.

Workshops are held on everything from Engines, Aircraft Wood-work, Avionics/Electrical, Basic Sheet Metal, Cable Swaging, Com-posites, Computer Workshop (flight planning to GPS navigation to computer-aided design), Fabric Covering, Metal Shaping, Propeller Carving, and Welding.

Come to Kissimmee Gateway Airport for the ultimate in aviation history thrills. Check out our warbird museum, then take off in a P-51 Mustang or T-6 Texan for a real, live adventure flight. If you’d like to see the sights, climb into our open cockpit biplane for spectacular views of Orlando.

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The annual Splash-In will be held Thurs-day, April 3, at Fantasy of Flight, just up Interstate 4 in Polk City.

Lake Agnes will be the scene for this “fly-in within a fly-in.”

If the spectacle of water takeoffs and landings were not enough, you’ll be treat-ed to competition flying, including water-bombing and spot landings.

The Splash-In site will be operational Wednesday through Friday.

Camping is available at the site, with SUN ’n FUN officials noting that camping permits are valid at both Fantasy of Flight and SUN ’n FUN, allowing you to travel between the two facilities during the week.

If you are driving to the Splash-In, park-ing is $5 per vehicle for SUN ’n FUN guests with credentials.

A better way to get there on the day of the Splash-In may be the shuttles. Shuttle pickup and drop off is located at the Sea-bird’s tent located in the seaplane parking area at SUN ’n FUN on the airfield. The shuttle schedule will be based on demand. Fare is $3 each way.

On Thursday morning, the seaplanes will do a fly-by of the SUN ’n FUN grounds around 10:30 a.m. For those pilots who would like to participate in the fly-by, a mandatory briefing is slated for 9 a.m. at Lake Agnes (FOF).

The Splash-In Competition will begin af-ter the fly-by. Again, those pilots who would like to participate must attend all briefings.

The day will wrap up with the Seabird Banquet, which kicks off at 6 p.m. with a so-cial hour, followed by dinner at 7 p.m. The dinner will be held at Fantasy of Flight.

Safety notesNo landings are permitted on Fantasy of • Flight’s grass strip;Use of a radio is required to operate at • the Splash-In;No fuel is available at Lake Agnes;• Seaplane base coordinates: N28 10.144 • W81 48.804;Lake Agnes seaplane base and harbor-• master frequency is 119.125;Use left pattern landing to the north, use • right pattern landing to the south. Pattern altitude is 700 msl;Please land and takeoff at least 500 feet • off shore and away from shoreline ac-tivities;After landing slow taxi back to the beach • on the eastside of Lake Agnes;You may taxi out of the water and park • on the beach;Upon arrival, go to the registration/hos-• pitality tent for registration and pilot briefing.All schedules are subject to change.•

Who needs a runway?

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The annual Balloon Launch is slated for Saturday, April 5, but if you want to see it, you’ll have to get up early.

Starting at 6:30 a.m., a number of hot air balloons will be inflated and then launched 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 the other bal-loons are allowed to take off. The balloons that follow are the “hounds,” and the win-ning balloon is the one who lands closest to the “hare.”

All of this is weather dependent, but even if the balloons can’t launch, they still inflate — a site to behold in and of itself.

Pilots participating in the balloon launch are part of a unique group of seasoned air-show veterans from around the world. Hot air balloon pilots carry an FAA-issued pi-lot’s license in the “Lighter than Air” Cat-egory. In addition to passing the traditional written tests, they are trained in balloon me-chanics, safety, procedures, and the unique flight characteristics of balloons.

Other balloon events this week include limited daily demonstration flights from Paradise City by commercial firms, usu-ally at 7 a.m. Balloons also will inflate for a “Balloon Glow” during the night airshow on Saturday.

Balloons to grace skies over Lakeland

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This week the Experimental Aircraft As-sociation’s 1929 Ford Tri-Motor will be at SUN ’n FUN to celebrate the Golden Age of Aviation. Visitors will get a chance to experience flight aboard the world’s first mass-produced commercial airliner — and every passenger gets a window seat.

Also known as the “Tin Goose,” the Ford Tri-Motor was built by the Ford Motor Co. in the late 1920s.

This living legacy of modern air travel has an intriguing history linked to South Florida, according to SUN ’n FUN offi-cials. It was purchased by Pitcairn Airways, which flew it up and down the east coast of the United States in the late 1920s and early 1930s. Eastern Airways, the forerunner of Eastern Airlines, subsequently purchased

Pitcairn Airways. In the mid-1930s, the air-plane was sold to a Cuban airline, Compa-ñía Nacional Cubana de Aviación.

In the 1940s, the airplane was flown in Idaho and Montana, transporting smoke jumpers who fought forest fires. At that time, the large 450-horsepower engines were installed. In the 1960s, the airplane was part of an operation that flew around the country, offering rides to the public.

In 1973, the airplane was at a tour stop at Burlington, Wis., when a thunderstorm squall line moved through the area. Either a tornado or a very large thunderstorm lift-ed the airplane 30 feet in the air and then dropped it to the ground, according to EAA officials. The airplane, which broke into three pieces, was considered a total loss.

EAA purchased the Tri-Motor from an insurance company shortly afterward and began the long process of restoring it. The 12-year restoration was completed in 1985. For the next six years, the Tri-Motor was on display at the EAA AirVenture Museum in Oshkosh, and was only flown occasionally. In 1991, the airplane began regular passen-ger flights once more, based from the mu-seum’s Pioneer Airport.

While at SUN ’n FUN, students from the Central Florida Aerospace Academy and the Breezer Flight School will be the work-ing crew for the Ford Tri-Motor.

Rides will be offered from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday; 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday; 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and

5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday; and from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday.

Ticket prices are $75 for adults and $50 for children 17 and under.

The Parts Exchange, located in Hangar E, is a popular destination for everyone from homebuilders and restorers to the owners of

certified aircraft. Each year during SUN ’n FUN, thousands of items are consigned by their owners to sell in the Parts Exchange,

from avionics, props, wings, and a host of other parts and components.

If you’re looking to sell items during the

show, you can purchase tags for 50 cents each. The tag must be secured to the item.

Tires and batteries cannot be accepted for sale due to Florida law, according to Parts Exchange volunteers. Tires mounted on air-craft wheel assemblies will be accepted if described as such on the tag.

Volunteers also note that cash is the pre-ferred method of payment as no credit cards or checks are accepted. ATM machines are located on the grounds, they add.

The Parts Exchange will be open daily during the show from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., ex-cept Sunday, when all sales stop at noon.

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 donations to SUN ’n FUN, volunteers add.

Experience the Golden Age of Aviation

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By MEG GODLEWSKI

The crowds on the flightline are expected to be bigger this year due to the appearance of the Blue Angels. While this means more people will see your pride and joy, it also can put your airplane at greater risk for in-advertent 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 insert-ed 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 single 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 vari-eties.

Make sure gust locks are installed cor-rectly.

Do not leave anything near your airplane that can be thrown, such as a football 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 propel-ler. In camping areas experienced campers recommended that you turn the propeller so the blades are vertical. Someone 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 aircraft can be replaced. You can’t.

Supervise the refueling of your aircraft.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 avia-tion novices and may walk with their backs to the aircraft or on taxiways instead of on footpaths, and could step into the line of a wing.

Protect your plane

Net proceeds of approximately $1 million a year from SUN ’n FUN events and facil-ity rentals, benefactors, sponsors, exhibi-tors, advertisers and attendees are returned by SUN ’n FUN to the community through education programs.

SUN ’n FUN benefactors built the Cen-tral Florida Aerospace Academy (CFAA). Open since 2008, the school currently maintains a 100% graduation rate.

Polk State College offers dual enrollment at CFAA and students earning an A&P cer-tificate can be recruited by Florida theme parks because they have achieved the high-est level of mechanical skills.

All students in Polk County maintain-ing a 2.75 GPA are eligible for a 75% cash scholarship towards the cost of flight les-sons from the James C. Ray Foundation. If the student is unable to cover the remaining 25% of the flight lesson costs, he or she can contribute volunteer hours on the SUN ’n FUN complex in exchange for that amount. An additional scholarship providing fund-ing towards four years of college for stu-dents in Polk County from the James C. Ray Foundation is also available.

Lakeland AeroClub students, ranging in age from 16-19, piloted planes inde-pendently from Lakeland to Oshkosh in 2013 and performed in the air showcase at EAA AirVenture, the largest airshow in the world.

Students at CFAA are restoring a 1952 Piper J-3 Cub and will fly it in this year’s event.

SUN ’n FUN hosts summer camps where students between the ages of 11 and 18 fly a plane on the fourth day of a week-long aviation experience. Younger students are introduced to age-specific activities in preparation for the flight in their future.

Aerospace Educator Workshops are available throughout the year for in-service and professional development. One will be held Saturday of this year’s event.

The Florida Air Museum is being trans-formed into a Discovery Center with inter-active exhibits, including an F/A-18 sim.

SUN ’n FUNfast facts


By JANICE WOOD

You are justifiably proud of your aircraft, but is it an award winner?

You can find out this week.“It is quite an honor to be recognized

at SUN ’n FUN,” said John “Lites” Leen-houts, SUN ’n FUN president.

He notes the SUN ’n FUN judges are highly experienced and professional, fol-lowing standards set by the Experimental Aircraft Association. “Our judging program is identical to theirs,” he added.

It’s easy to enter your aircraft. When you registered at arrival, you may have been given a Judging Registration Form. The sticker on the registration alerts the judges to include your aircraft in the process.

There is no charge to register for judging, according to Leonard Kress, chief judge at SUN ’n FUN.

Didn’t register when you arrived? No worries. You can register up until noon on Friday.

Kress recommends that you put your cell phone number on the registration form, as well as any special requests, including whether you want to be present when the judges look at your plane.

“The judges will call you and make ev-ery effort to coordinate a time to meet at

your airplane,” Kress said. “We love to give awards to deserving airplanes. Make us happy. Register your pride and joy to be judged.”

But what are the judges looking for?“Our judges are judging the aircraft based

on their experience as aircraft builders, re-storers and aircraft maintenance technicians as to what constitutes quality, authenticity and safety,” Kress said. “Rest assured that all the judges are veterans in their respec-tive areas.”

Awards are handed out in a variety of

categories, ranging from ultralight to an-tique, classic, light-sport aircraft, seaplane, and more. New in the last few years are the People’s Choice Awards.

Convinced and ready to find out if your plane is a winner?

Kress offers these tips to help you in-crease your chances of becoming an award winner: “Be there when it is judged. Be pre-pared to explain questionable areas. Make sure that it is clean. Have the aircraft opened up so the judges can see all the aircraft’s qualities. Have presentation documenta-

tion, such as pictures, aircraft paperwork, etc. Have proof of authenticity, if it ap-plies. Old airplanes may have many mods. In many cases, we are looking for aircraft as they came out of the factory when they were built. Authenticity is King.”

And for those owners who plan to fly their aircraft to AirVenture this summer and enter it for judging there, Leenhouts gives them this advice: “Come here first and put it through the judging process,” he said. “You may discover areas that need to be fixed be-fore you head to AirVenture.”

Is your plane an award winner?

This 1929 Stearman owned by Sarah Wilson won last year’s Grand Champion Antique.

Phot

o by

Meg

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exploreyourlimits

luca bertossio

world aerobatics champion

and peak performer

enthusiast

performance is my challenge Every spot I see in the clouds reminds me of my mad own story, when my

passion for gliding through the air began. At the age of eleven, I decided to become an aviator, because my biggest wish was to spend more time

with my dad, who had to do a lot of business travelling – a lot of it by plane. I learned and practised to get the glider licence. From those days on, I was

hooked and inspired to try out ever-more exceptional and daring manoeuvres.

Today – at the age of 24 – I am very lucky to be the current World Aerobatic Gliding Champion and can live out my dreams as I hover in the sky.

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The complete background story and videos of Luca with the S10: http://lucabertossio.stemme.aero

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Ole Sindberg of Lake in the Hills, Illi-nois, arrived Wednesday at SUN ’n FUN in the world’s only flying Prescott Pusher. The 1980s kitplane — once marketed by ex-Beech president Linden Blue, cruises at 200 mph. Sindberg’s Pusher, an 11-year project, boasts a Lycoming O-540 and several modifications, including structural strengthening. The original was an under-powered “two-seater with half fuel,” Sind-berg laments. The price for a bigger engine? “There’s 49 pounds of lead ballast in the nose,” he admits.

One of a kind lands at SNF


By BILL WALKER

Coming to an airshow near you: Robert Pinksten.

Everyone who knows Pinksten, a 17-year-old private pilot about to become a commer-cial pilot and flight instructor, is convinced the paragraph above will soon apply to the young aviator from Nashua, N.H.

Pinksten made news last year as the youngest ever fixed wing and rotorcraft pi-lot when he earned his private pilot’s license and helicopter license on his 17th birthday. After gaining his licenses he also got en-dorsements for complex, high performance and tailwheel aircraft. This year he has been pursuing his instrument, commercial and certificated flight instructor ratings.

Pinksten, who is attending SUN ’n FUN this week, will graduate from North Nashua High later this year and plans to teach aero-batics for a couple of years before begin-ning his college education.

At SUN ’n FUN he is also working as a journalist, writing articles and filing posts to his own website, RobCanFly.com.

Back home, he is building a 165-hp Ro-torway helicopter and hopes to finish it be-fore his 18th birthday.

“I’m also trying to organize a New Eng-land Young Pilots Association,” he added.

Pinksten, the only licensed pilot in his family, credits his mother Beth’s work as an aviation insurance broker with provid-ing one of his earliest links to aviation. Through her he got to meet noted airshow pilot Rob Holland, also of Nashua.

He began his training when he was 15. “I got to job shadow in my economics class in school and went to a helicopter flight school,” he said. “The instructor did all sorts of stuff. After the flight I was nauseous but I was hooked. It was awesome.”

He began with helicopters. Because of the high cost of training he sought ways to fund his instruction.

“I found the website GoFundMe.com and started my own website. I started getting donations,” he said. “I also worked at the airport cafe washing dishes for about eight months.”

Eventually he raised more than $7,000 in donations and supplemented that with the financial support of his parents, his grand-mother Susan and his own earnings. Alto-gether the training cost about $13,000.

“On my 16th birthday, July 2, 2012, I so-loed the Robinson R22 with 20.1 hours,” he reported. “I had about a year until I could get my license so I took about a four or five month break before I started flying fixed wing. I think I soled at about eight hours

in a Cessna 152 Aerobat. On my first fixed wing flight I told my instructor I liked aero-batics and we did some light aerobatics,” he continued. “Since then I have become ob-sessed with airshows and aerobatics.”

He successfully sought funding assis-tance again with his website and completed his fixed wing training in 41.2 hours.

He earned both his private pilot’s license and his helicopter license with successful checkrides on July 2, 2013.

Pinksten has already begun competition aerobatics.

“I’m flying several competitions around New England in the coming months,” he said. “My goal is to be one of the young-est airshow pilots. I want to buy myself an airplane and hopefully work as a CFI doing aerobatic instruction.”

He encourages those who want to fly to pursue their dreams. “I paid for a lot of my training, but not as much as most other people would,” he said. “I found sponsors and made contacts who helped me. It would also be cool if kids could be introduced to aviation at an early age.”

Young pilot maps out aerobatic future

Phot

o co

urte

sy R

ober

t Pi

nkst

en

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While SUN ’n FUN officials didn’t plan on having an app for the fly-in this year, they were surprised when a local software development firm, reUrgency.com, stepped up on very short notice and created the SUN ’n FUN Find It! app in just three weeks.

The app will help visitors find exhibitors, food, workshops and many other points of interest.

The app includes a custom map of the entire SUN ’n FUN grounds, a daily event schedule, a quick way to find exhibitors and vendors and much more.

“I am passionate about aviation and the tradition of SUN ’n FUN and wanted visi-

tors to have an app to help them navi-gate this great event — especially for the 40th anniversary of SUN ’n FUN,” said Jeff Boothe, CEO of reUrgency. “It fills the gap this year while we focus on a full-featured app for next year.”

So grab the app from Apple App Store and the Google Play Store and enjoy SUN ’n FUN!

Fly-in app released

Thursday at SUN ’n FUN, OpenAirplane unveiled a new service that helps aircraft owners join the “sharing economy.”

With “Collaborative Aircraft Rental” owners can rent their airplanes to pilots who have passed the OpenAirplane univer-sal checkout.

“Someplace between sole ownership, and leasing the airplane back is a happy place where you can occasionally rent your airplane to well qualified pilots,” said Rod Rakic, co-founder of OpenAirplane, “Put-ting your airplane to work when you’re not flying it makes sense for many owners.”

Along with supporting OpenAirplane pilots with personal and CFI non-owned insurance products (available for single, multi-engine and piston rotorcraft), Starr Aviation created a new kind of insurance policy that offers coverage for aircraft own-ers who want to make their aircraft available exclusively to pilots using OpenAirplane.

“OpenAirplane is shaking up the way people think about aircraft rental in a good way. By establishing a sensible universal checkout and annual training requirements, we are pleased to support the OpenAir-plane initiative to broaden the rental base while maintaining a high level of safety,”

explained Jim Anderson, Senior Vice Presi-dent at Starr Aviation.

Owners can inquire about getting their aircraft insured for rental by OpenAirplane pilots through their aviation insurance spe-cialist, or they can contact Starr Aviation to find a broker. Find out more at Owners.OpenAirplane.com.

The OpenAirplane network has grown to 52 locations across the U.S., offering over 180 aircraft for rent. More than 6,000 pilots have signed up to fly with OpenAirplane since the service launched in June of 2013.

The OpenAirplane Universal Pilot Checkout allows FBOs around the country to verify a pilot’s qualifications and training in each make and model aircraft. Pilots gain access to planes around the U.S. without the usual hassle and expense of performing local checkouts before they rent airplanes, company officials explain.

Recognized by the insurance industry, pilots who participate in the OpenAirplane standardization/evaluation program often earn discounts on their renter’s insurance premiums.

It is free for pilots and aircraft owners to sign up for OpenAirplane.

OpenAirplane.com

OpenAirplane expands to private aircraft

ELITE Simulation Solutions, in coopera-tion with Daedalus Technologies and Lami-nar Research, introduced the TH22 piston helicopter primary flight training device at this week’s show.

From startup to shut down, TH22 models the form, function and performance of the Robinson R22 piston helicopter, according to Wayne Keyes, ELITE Director of Busi-ness Development.

“Our turbine helicopters have been very successful, but we’ve had a lot of requests for a piston helicopter,” he said. “Since Robinson is the largest manufacturer of civ-il helicopters in the world, it was a logical choice that this would be our first. The ori-

entation and size of the visual display gives the correct spatial orientation for hover training, confined area landings, pinnacles, auto rotations and deceleration maneuvers. We also incorporated a dynamic audio tac-tile feedback system that totally immerses the pilot into helicopter seat-of-the-pants flying.”

Since 1987, ELITE has been a provider of IFR training software, simulator hard-ware and aviation training devices. ELITE’s portfolio includes FNPT, BITD, STD, BATD, and AATD simulation solutions for both fixed wing and rotary wing.

Find out more at ELITE’s exhibit on the grounds in Hangar D, #24-25.

Helicopter trainer debuts



Classifieds

1996 GlaStar. 1280-TTAE, Lycoming O-320, Hartzell CS Prop., Electronic Ignition, S-TEC A/P, day/night VFR, 130-kt cruise. $55,000. 760-702-6564, [email protected].

Call (800) 426-8538 now to place your classified ad in tomorrow’s paper.

Deadline 2 p.m. EST.

Bellanca - 1650

1971 BELLANCA SUPER VIKING, excellent condition, hangared, Cont 520K, AF&eng 2300 hours, no damage, $38,000, 727-457-3971, [email protected]

Cessna 150 - 1904

150M, RESTORATION begun,stopped at interior. 9900-TT, 180FWF, 9+/out, 3-/in, VFR, $45K spent so far. $30K or offer. 813-929-0092. no brokers.

Cessna 172 - 1907

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SEE DOUBLE ALTERNATOR for your plane, race car, truck, etc. Safety and reliability built into one. www.double-alt.com See at Booth N99. Real Estate/Airport Property - 9650

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COME SEE US AT BOOTH N99. 3300’ turf. 10 miles to Myrtle Beach. 1, 5,10,acre lots Low taxes/insurance,. 843-602-8220. www.hardeeairpark.com. Video of airpark, take a look: www.vimeo.com/62664772

We’d love your help to showcase all the great airplanes and events happen-ing at SUN ’n FUN this year.

Text photos from your smart phone to (253) 228-1634 or bring your camera to the SUN ’n FUN Today trailer near the Cessna display. We will download your photos from your camera and then we’ll put the best photos in the next day’s paper.

Not every picture will make the paper, so bring us your best and get that instant gratification of seeing your name and your great photo in the next day’s paper.

Calling all photographers

Photo by Tom Miller

Photo by Steve Rowland


Photo by Jo Hunter | futurshox.net

Photo by Matt Genuardi | wildblueyonderphoto.com

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Pilot Center


By JAMIE BECKETT

With all the razzamatazz, hoopla, and hullabaloo going on in the sky and on ev-ery available inch of ramp space Lakeland Linder Regional Airport has to offer, you might think you’ve seen all there is to see. But you’d be wrong.

There are treasures hidden in every building, every shack, and every tent on the grounds. One outstanding example of a great show that’s out of the way and unseen by many visitors to SUN ’n FUN is the live daily broadcasts from the Florida Aviation Network.

“I’ve been working with production for about 20 years,” says Obie Young, the un-disputed ringmaster of this traveling show. “We promote aviation and aviation safety.”

Considering the mission they’ve carved out for themselves, it’s little wonder the Florida Aviation Network broadcasts an-nually from the biggest and most densely populated aviation event in the southeast-ern United States each year. Based out of the Florida Air Museum, Obie and his crew conduct interviews with performers, em-ployers, educators, pilots, mechanics, and pretty much anyone else who has a story to tell that will help viewers find enjoyment and safety in aviation.

Many of the crew are retired FAA, as is the case with Obie Young. Walt Schammel was on camera Wednesday morning, bring-ing his decades of experience running an FBO, working for the FAA, and as a des-ignated pilot examiner to bear on behalf the network’s viewers. This is Walt’s first year on the air for FAN. He joins fellow broad-

casters like Diego Alfanso who have been with the outfit for some time now.

Of course being older, grayer, and highly experienced aren’t requirements of working with the Florida Aviation Network. Youth and vibrancy are valued as well. Katelyn Hull, 13, got her feet wet this year prepping guests for their shot at video stardom. Kate-lyn has plans to attend Central Florida Aero-space Academy next year when she enters high school, but on Wednesday morning she was as green and prone to nerves as the guests she was working with. “This is my first day,” Katelyn admitted with a smile.

Katelyn had the great advantage of work-ing alongside some patient and caring vol-unteers, including a lively woman with a

quick sense of humor and a talent for calm-ing nervous guests. Lori Hull is Katelyn’s mother. The two worked side-by-side as volunteers, even going so far as fitting this intrepid reporter with a microphone and routing the cable in such a way that viewers wouldn’t be distracted by an errant wire.

You can find the museum just across the street from the main entrance to SUN ’n FUN. It’s open daily and has all sorts of surprises tucked away in a large space filled with air-conditioned splendor. Be sure to visit while you’re on site. You never can tell, you just might be discovered as the next great on-air talent. Stranger things have happened, I’m sure.

FloridaAviationNetwork.com

Electroair has received Design Approval and FAA-PMA for the EIS-61000 series electronic ignition system for Lycoming O/IO-540 series of engines. Electroair recent-ly announced receiving an STC for Conti-nental 470 and 520 series engines.

The Electroair kit uses a Crank Shaft Trigger Wheel for locating engine position and determining RPM of the engine. The trigger wheel kit offers a highly accurate way of determining engine information with the long-term benefit of needing only

a sensor change at the next engine overhaul, according to company officials.

Officials note, however, that to use this system, a minimum of 0.650 inches of clearance is needed between the crankcase and propeller studs.

Electroair has developed and is work-ing through the certification program for a 6 cylinder Mag Timing Housing (MTH), which removes any limitation that might be experienced with a Crank Shaft Trigger Wheel.

Learn more at Electroair’s booth in Han-gar B, #72 or at Electroair.net

From the grandstands at SUN ’n FUN, the Lightspeed Aviation Foundation an-nounced the names of 15 charities, selected from hundreds of nominees, that will ben-efit from grants to be awarded through the Pilot’s Choice Awards Program.

Finalists are: Academy of Model Aero-nautics, Agape Flights, Angel Flight West, the Civil Air Patrol, the Flying Doctors, Mission Aviation Fellowship, Missionary Flights International, New Tribes Mission, The Ninety-Nines, Patient AirLift Services,

Pilots N Paws, SUN ’n FUN, Think Global Flight, Tomorrow’s Aeronautical Museum, and Whirly Girls International.

You can vote for your favorite (or favor-ites) online at LightspeedAviationFounda-tion.org.

Finalists will receive awards, depending on their final vote ranking, up to $10,000. The final award announcement will be in November.

The foundation is launching its fifth year of partnering with the pilot community to

support worthy aviation causes.“The Pilot’s Choice Awards promotes

engagement and awareness for our final-ists to pilots and their constituents affected by general aviation,” says Allan Schrader, Lightspeed Aviation president. “By encour-aging outreach by our finalists, we have witnessed hundreds of thousands of lives touched through aviation.”

You can find out more at Lightspeed Avi-ation’s booth in Hangar D, #51-53.

LightSpeedAviation.com

Hidden treasures

Another approval for Electroair

Lightspeed reveals finalists for awards

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What’s happening todaySUN ’n FUN 2014

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

9 amRoom #1 ADS-B Receivers and the iPad,

Zimmerman/Koebbe2 Flight Services on Steroids, Mike

Glasgow3 Staying Alive in Your Airplane, Ja-

son Miller4 Building Sheetmetal Airplanes,

Marc Bourget5 Practical Home Built Project,

Scott Sky Smith6 Afraid of Losing Your Medical?

Time to Get Active, John Parks Trow-bridge M.D.

7 Building and Flying the Midget Mustang and Mustang II, Chris Tie-man

8 Designing the Perfect Paint Scheme, Craig Barnett

9 Ignition System Maintenance, Bill Ross

10 VW Engine Assembly Tips, Steve Bennett

11 Building & Flying CX5 LSA, Dr. Glen Bradley/David Thatcher

10 amRoom #1 Handling In-Flight Emergencies

Part One, Joe Kuberka2 How to Get Top Aircraft Radio Per-

formance, Jeffery A. Boccaccio3 Rules and Regs of Homebuilding,

Charlie Becker4 The Polar Pumpkin Cessna 185 to

the Poles, Art Mortvedt5 Weather Challenges, Kristine

Hartzell6 FAR Refresher for Pilots, John

Yodice7 LSA and Luscombes, D. Combs/R.

Ollerton8 ADS-B, Peter Ring9 Are You and Your Aircraft Insur-

able? Bob Mackey

10 Installing Mazda Rotary and Oth-er Alternative Engines, Tracy Crook

11 Light Sport Maintenance. Your Questions Answered, Brian Carpen-ter/Carol Carpenter

11amRoom #

1 Handling In-Flight Emergencies Part Two, Joe Kuberka

2 Modernizing the Bonanza, Scott Erickson

3 AeroVee Engine and AeroInjector, John Monnett/Mark Schaible

4 Emergency Bailout Procedures and Survival Equipment for Pilots, Allen Silver

5 Aeronca Maintenance, Al Nase6 A&P/IA Licensing Process and

FAR Review, Thomas Black7 Luscombe Restoration, Mainte-

nance and Operations, D. Combs/R. Ollerton

8 Questions and Answers About Flying Your Van’s RV, Jan Bussell

9 Airparks The Selection Process and Landing on Grass, Ron Heidebrink

10 Revmaster 85hp R2300 Air-Cooled Direct-Drive, Pat Panzera

11 Learning to Fly the Modern Gyro-plane, Bob Snyder

12 NoonRoom #1 iPad Takes Flight. EFB Challenge

Contest to Test Skills, Charles Sch-neider

2 Fit to Fly? Keeping your Medical, Charlie Mora

3 Side Kick Right-Seat Flying for the Non-Pilot, Donna Wilt/Virginie Rol-lin

4 The Five Tools in the Tailwheel Pi-lot’s Toolbox, Greg Koontz

5 Buy, Build & Fly an Affordable Certified Ride, Connie Stevens

6 Easy Care & Maintenance of Cleveland Wheels & Brakes, Vern Rodgers

7 Video Cameras in the Cockpit, Zimmerman/Koebbe

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Enjoy many years of maintenance free service and a 3-year warranty

Buying a sports car is so cliché. Climb into the cockpit and take control of the legendary P-51 Mustang. Log flight time with a highly skilled instructor pilot and experience the outstanding maneuverability and performance of this incredible fighter aircraft. Regardless of your flight experience, the first-class team at Stallion 51 makes flying a Mustang the adventure of a lifetime!

Our world-class Mustang facility is located at the Kissimmee Gateway Airport, Kissimmee, Florida – just minutes from Disney World Resort.

ORIENTATION FLIGHTS. CHECKOUT TRAINING.GIFT CERTIFICATES AVAILABLE!

Stal l ion 51 Corporat ion • 3951 Mer l in Dr. • K iss immee, FL 34741 Phone 407-846-4400 • Fax 407-846-0414 • www.sta l l ion51 .com

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MID-LIFE CRISIS AVERTED!

VISIT US ON

THE WARBIRD RAMP

to receive a coupon for a

FREE hat from our gift shop!*

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


8 Secrets Only Pilots Know About Airports, Tom Slater

9 Aircraft Inspection Techniques for Homebuilders, Bill Evans

10 Corvair Flight Engines, William Wynne

11 Building Your Own All-Metal Air-craft, Matt Heintz

1 pmRoom #1 What You Need to Know About

ADS-B, Tom Harper2 Secrets of Shooting Amazing Air-

borne Video, David Tenenbaum3 Lead is Dead. GAMI’s G100UL

Unleaded Avgas is the Future of GA, Timothy C. Roehl

4 iPad Trends and Flying with Fore-Flight Mobile, Jason Miller

5 US Airline Pilot Job Market Fore-cast, Kit Darby

6 Real Estate with RunwaysLive the Dream, Kathie Beaty/Carol Vanderv-liet

7 Are You Fit to Fly? Larry Diamond

8 Flight Planning for the 21st Cen-tury, Tom Slater

9 Aircraft Inspection Techniques for Homebuilders, Bill Evans

10 Handling Tail Rotor Failures for Helicopter Pilots, Spencer Morgan

11 The Sonex, Waiex, Xenos and Onex. Sport Pilot Design, John Mon-nett/Mark Schaible

FAA FORUMSAt the FAA Southern Region Safety Cen-ter8:30 a.m. Airmen Medicals, Dr. James R Fraser, FAA10 a.m.- 12:30p.m.-Wright Brothers Mas-ter Pilot and Charles Taylor Master Mechan-ic Awards, Douglas R. Murphy, FAA1 p.m.- Meet the FAA, Douglas R. Murphy, FAA Regional Administrator

PARADISE CITY FORUMSAt the briefing tent in Paradise City9-10 a.m. Tips on Low Cost Flying, Dan Grunloh10-11:30 p.m. Rotax 912 Engine, Phil Lockwood12-1:30 p.m. 10 Years of the Sport Pilot

Rule, Ron Wagner2-3:45 p.m. Sport Aviation The next 10 years, Roy Beiswanger

MUSEUM PROGRAMS9 a.m. Beyond Power-off Glide Distance Flying Over the Open Waters in Light Sin-gles and Twins and the Decision Making Process James P. Creamer10 a.m. SR-71 The Cold War Years, Col. Blair Bozek1 p.m. The Museum’s Innovations in Pro-pulsion Exhibit, Frank Klatt2 p.m. Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) Oral history panel featuring the“Fly Girls” of World War II

AIRSHOW 1-5:30 p.m.Special Operations Command Para-• CommandosAerostars• Geico Skytypers• Matt Chapman• Michael Goulian• David Martin• Manfred Radius• Warbirds• F-22 & Heritage• Lee Lauderback•

US Navy Blue Angels• Neil Darnell• Jet Truck•

EVENING ENTERTAINMENT SERIES7 p.m. PavilionSouthern Rock’s Finest Band- Featuring Ellie LeePhill Stokes of Pure Prairie LeagueCharlie Hargrett of Blackfoot & others

EVENING MOVIECFAA Building 1st Floor Common Room.7 p.m. “Red Tails” A crew of African American pilots in the Tuskegee training program, having faced segregation while kept mostly on the ground during World War II, are called into duty under the guidance of Col. A.J. Bullard. Starring Cuba Gooding Jr., Gerald McRaney, David Oyelowo.

*All schedules subject to change.

What’s happening today


The Heaven’s Landing fly-in communi-ty is offering a 20% discount to one winner selected each day during SUN ’n FUN. To have a chance to win, register at the Heav-en’s Landing exhibit in Hangar D, #83-84. Winners will be selected and announced daily on SUN ’n FUN Radio 15 minutes pri-or to the start of the airshow. All registered entries, whether selected as a daily winner or not, will be given a one-time 20% fuel discount for touring the Heaven’s Landing facilities in Clayton, Georgia.

At the GEICO booth in the Manufac-turer’s Display Area, #11B, you can meet the Gecko, enter to win a $500 gas card and take home a little prize with the company’s gaming experience.

Westgate River Ranch, a 1,700-acre authentic dude ranch, is offering all SUN ’n FUN attendees a discount of 20% off its best rate at the resort through 2015.

The ranch also will be asking attendees to help them create “the best hangar homes possible” by filling out an emailed survey.Find out more at the company’s booth in the North Exhibit area, #041.

iFly GPS will give away six annual sub-scriptions to the new iFly GPS App for iPad

or Android during the show. Pilots will need to register for the iFly GPS Newsletter at the company’s booth in Hangar D, #9. The company also is offering a number of show specials, including $50 off Dual XGPS170 ADS-B Receivers, $200 off the Vision-Pro ADS-B models, and a free external battery with any iFly GPS Purchase over $500.

GRT Avionics is giving attendees a chance to win a ride with Team AeroDy-namix Saturday morning. Register to win in person at the GRT Avionics Booth in Hangar D, #5-6, or on the GRT Avionics Facebook page. Double your chances of winning by entering both in person and on Facebook (Facebook.com/GRTavionics).

Two-way radio manufacturer Icom America is offering mail-in rebates on se-lect products purchased during the show. Rebate values range from $10 to $100, de-pending on the radio purchased. The com-pany’s exhibit is in Hangar D, #46-47.

Meet the AeroShell Aerobatic Team at the Concorde Battery booth today. The team will be signing posters for SUN ’n FUN attendees from 3 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. The Concorde Battery booth is in Hangar B, #50-51.

Show Specials

SponSored By

SUN ’n FUN Facts Quiz

1. What is the big blue jet fighter on water skis displayed at SUN ’n FUN?

A. XF-92 Dart B. F7U Cutlass C. F2Y Sea Dart D. F2H Banshee

2. Where did SUN n FUN get it?A. The Pacific Museum of Flight B. ConvairC. The Supersonic Transport Museum D. The San Diego Aerospace Museum

3. When SUN ’n FUN volunteers first went to pick it up, what did they find?A. It was in good shape, but needing paintB. The wings and tail were offC. The Navy had placed a claim on itD. It had been stolen

Answers based on Unfreeze Your Bird – The History of SUN ’n FUN by Karl ‘Bud’ Davidson and available at PILOT MALL. Ties decided by random drawing.

Mail my $50 PILOT MALL Gift Certificate to:

Name: ______________________________________________________________

Address: ____________________________________________________________

City/State/Zip: ______________________________________________________

Email Address: _______________________________________________________

Tear out and drop off your Quiz entry at the PILOT MALL Aviation Superstore behind Hangar B. Winner’s name will be posted there tomorrow.

1. (b) British Air Cadets 2. (c) Longcoy Creek3. (c) 1993 Longcoy Creek is named after Olin

“Pappy” Longcoy, long-serving chap-

lain of the Florida Sport Aviation An-tique and Classic Association (FSAA-CA), whose members were among those who staged the first SUN ’n FUN in January, 1975.

Yesterday’s Quiz Answers




Photo by James Hancock - RAF Air Cadets Photo by Russell Kasselman

Photo by James Hancock - RAF Air Cadets Photo by Steve Rowland

Photo by John SzalayPhoto by Jackie Grasley

Photo by Ryan Cleaveland

Photo by Ryan Cleaveland

Challengingthe Status Quo

Avidyne is challenging the status quo with

our all-new panel-mounted avionics stack.

Our new IFD540 and IFD440 FMS/GPS/

NAV/COMs feature our award-winning FMS

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Plus, they’re designed as slide-in replacements

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The AMX240 is a state-of-the-art Audio

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Out, and is a slide-in replacement for the

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Add in our innovative DFC90 Series

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You no longer have to settle for the status quo.

Now you have a choice.

And the choice is easy. Avidyne.

Flying Made Simple™www.avidyne.com

Visit us in Booth C71/72

Sun-n-Fun Apr. 4, 2014

Documents

Transcript of Sun-n-Fun Apr. 4, 2014