The annual Sun 'n Fun International Fly In and Expo is celebrating its 40th birthday this week April 1 - 6! Held every year at Florida's Lakeland Linder Regional Airport (LAL). It is one of the largest airshows in the world. If you plan on flying in, don't worry about the airport being full, they have never had to turn airplanes away.
The theme for this year is "A Fair in the Air to Remember". Some of the highlights include:
- Airshow performers everyday this week
- A performance by the Blue Angels - Fri., Sat. & Sun. - April 4-6 (4pm-6pm)
- Historic and current aircraft static displays
- Take a flight in the world's first mass produced airliner the 1929 Ford Tri-motor ($75)
- Attend the 1st annual Dinner with Legends Banquet
- Visit 100s of exhibitors including, AOPA, EAA, Pilatus, Beechcraft, Soloy Aviation, Cessna, Piaggio, ForeFlight, Garmin, Flying Magazine, Quest Aircraft, SiriusXM just to name a few.
- See one the few Night Airshows in the world. Includes a fireworks show - Sat. April 5 7pm-9pm
- Attend the job fair. Recruiters from major, regional and corporate flight departments will be there.
- Fly in a B-17 Flying Fortress. 1 of only 11 still flying! ($475)
- Hot Air Balloon launch - Sat. April 5 (rides available)
General admission ticket prices are: Adults - $37, Youth (11-17) - $15, 10yrs and under - Free. Preferred seating is an additional $20. Well worth it I think. It gives you seating on the flightline, bag storage, a shade tent, access to bathrooms and free water all day. You can purchase your tickets online here.
If you're flying there and have an extra seat or two or if you need a seat, Sun 'n Fun has a page/forum to help you out. Here is the link.
Unfortunately I will not be able to make it out there this year. But I hope some of you can!
The Blue Angels have just announced their 2014 airshow schedule! They will be flying from March through November. I'm going to try and make the San Francisco CA or Houston TX show. Hopefully I'll see you there!
If you're anywhere near Florida April 9-14 , try and make it out to the 39th Annual Sun 'n Fun International Fly In and Expo in Lakeland Florida! It's the second biggest "fly in" in the country. If I'm not flying skydivers that weekend I will be there!
Here is a photo of the Harmon Rocket airplane that I spoke of in the prior post. This is obviously from my view inside the airplane before I dropped the skydiver with the huge American flag! We were in a holding pattern together south of the airshow waiting for our call to fly over the airshow when this photo was taken. You can see that we're in a slight right bank. I was flying a C182 ... with dirty windows ... lol
I
dropped this skydiver over the Golden West Airshow in Marysville CA in June 2010. That flag is 20 feet tall, 40 feet long and weighs 50 pounds! A Harmon Rocket airplane spiraled around him with smoke trailing while they played the Star Spangled Banner over loud speakers for the huge crowd. I love flying Demo Jumps! It was more fun than you can imagine. They pay me to do this stuff? Life is good!
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