The 2022 SUN ‘n FUN Aerospace Expo was a hit before it even began.
On opening day, April 5, the show already had a record $1.33 million in advance ticket sales, according to President John “Lites” Leenhouts.
“We’ve never seen that before,” he said, noting that in 2018 advance ticket sales were $650,000.
He estimates the advance sales accounted for 25% to 30% of the total attendance at the year’s show. Final attendance figures for the show were not available at press time.
The 48th annual expo was a fundraiser for the Aerospace Center for Excellence, which includes a high school, the Central Florida Aerospace Academy, a flying club, the Lakeland Aero Club, and the new Ramus Skylab Innovation Center, an 8,000-square-foot addition to the Florida Air Museum that just opened this year.
Because of the funds raised during the annual fly-in, SUN ‘n FUN is able to offer educational and flight training opportunities to local students for free, Leenhouts noted.
Students not only from the high school on campus, but from throughout the region, were at the week-long fly-in, along with hundreds of thousands of others from around the world.
SUN and FUN
The weather certainly cooperated this year. The opening days of the show boasted typical Florida weather, with high humidity and 90° temperatures. A thunderstorm that shut down most operations on Thursday was almost a welcome event, as it cleared the way for a weekend of “Chamber of Commerce” weather with blue skies, sun shine, and temperatures comfortably in the 70°s.
Gusty winds throughout the week hampered some flying, such as the traditional Balloon flying on Saturday morning, but it didn’t stop the airshows.
Headlining the week’s airshows were the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, who debuted a new routine at the show.
While Leenhouts noted the airshows also featured “a whole host of performers” who had never been seen at SUN ’n FUN before, it was the fan favorites — like the Aeroshell Aerobatic Team, Michael Goulian, and Patty Wagstaff — who garnered a lot of the attention, as well as the A-10 Warthog and Yak 110, which stopped crowds when they performed.
Also popular with spectators were the two evening airshows on Wednesday and Saturday.
More than 500 exhibitors were on the grounds selling their wares, from Daher with its new TBM 960 to companies showing off their latest gyrocopters in Paradise City, the Light-Sport Aircraft and ultralight area of the show.
Flying was almost continuous in Paradise City, with a nightly STOL demonstration that attracted big crowds.
The Warbird Ramp was packed with a variety of aircraft ranging from the B-1 to the C-17 and more. Victory’s Arsenal Theater featured presentations on a number of warbirds, from the Cavanaugh Flight Museum’s Wildcat to Thom Richard’s P-40 Warhawk and the B-25 “Panchito.”
Also packed was the Lakeland Aero Club, which was the site of many events during the week, including a panel discussion on unleaded avgas and the annual Women in Aviation luncheon.
During these events, students continued work on building two engines for airplane projects for two local flying clubs geared to high schoolers: The Infinity Aero Club at Tampa Executive Airport and the Aspiring Aviators Aero Club at Winter Haven Regional Airport.
The End of an Era
Closing day of the 2022 show was also the last day on duty for Leenhouts, who retired after leading SUN ’n FUN for the past 11 years.
Under his leadership, the organization changed its focus from Spring Break for Pilots to making the annual fly-in a fundraiser for the organization’s educational efforts under the umbrella of the Aerospace Center for Excellence.
Those efforts will continue under the new president Gene Conrad, former airport director at Lakeland Linder International Airport, which is home to SUN ’n FUN.
Conrad, who started at SUN ’n FUN a few weeks before the fly-in, was by Leenhouts’ side during much of the fly-in.
Next year he’ll be front and center when the show takes off March 28 and runs through April 2, 2023.
