The SUN ‘n FUN Aerospace Expo has named Dennis Dunbar Director of Air Shows and Attractions.
Dunbar brings more than 20 years of air show management experience to SUN ‘n FUN, officials said, noting he he has been involved in organizing hundreds of air shows and other aerial events, ranging from fleet weeks to Super Bowls.
He just wrapped up another record-setting year at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2022, where he had been responsible for the air show at the annual convention of the Experimental Aircraft Association for the last 10 years.
“Our goal isn’t to create an Oshkosh in Florida, but to create a culture that focuses on people first and encourages everyone to play a role in becoming the best SUN ‘n FUN we can be,” Dunbar said. “As the Director of Air Shows and Attractions, I have an awesome opportunity to empower and support our volunteers so we can foster a low stress, safe, and entertaining event where our aviation friends and family can come together to be inspired and enjoy the camaraderie of flight.”
Dunbar began his aviation adventure in high school by pumping gas at the airport to help pay for his flight training before enrolling at Indiana State University, where he graduated with a degree in Professional Pilot Technology. After graduation, he stayed at the airport in Terre Haute, Indiana, where he worked as the Chief Flight Instructor, FBO manager, and ultimately the airport director. It was here he was able to realize his childhood goal, and produced his first air show at the age of 25. He then spread his wings and began to produce air shows and other aviation events nationwide, SUN ‘n FUN officials said.
Amen Chris. Well stated. Like you I have been going to SUn-N-Fun for over 30 years. It feels like it losing its general aviation roots.
I fly an RV-7A and have really been feeling like an outsider the last few years. I loved the homebuilt day parking right in the front.
Chris,
As the new President and CEO of the SUN ‘n FUN Aerospace Expo we are listening and your comments and sentiments are on point. Thank you!
If my comment here serves as constructive criticism then something good will come of it.
I have been going to SnF for the last 24 years and really enjoy it. But in the last few years, culminating on this year, I noticed changes that make it not so pleasant for those flying their own airplanes there. The homebuilt day parking area is gone (sigh) so if you fly your homebuilt for a day (happens a lot since we have so many of them in Florida) you have to park very far and in mud riddled parking areas. The fun of being there in the exhibitor area and going to check out cool homebuilts is pretty much gone. The homebuilt camping area also looked sad. Not many people and pretty much flooded after a couple of very common Florida afternoon rains.
Many flyers, and vendors, were disappointed at the change in focus of the SnF event, going from a fly-in to caring more about attracting general population to come and see the Thunderbirds or something like that. I heard that a good number of aviation good’s vendors were not going to come next year and concentrate on Oshkosh instead.
Take a hint on the still very successful vintage area. Close to the exhibitors, nice, great facilities and very appealing. It is actually the area I enjoy now (I used to own an old Mooney that I parked there and it was great). In contrast, the homebuilt area is now far and sad. And let’s not talk about the light aviation side of things. It used to be the most active and greatest part of the show with lines of airplanes waiting to takeoff in the mornings. Now, if you see a couple of trikes or STOL airplanes flying, you are lucky.
This year I had a week pass and ended up going only two days. I drove and didn’t fly. Not worth it if you had to park in the mud so far away. another observation is that in the past few years I tried to go there on Saturday but at that time most people and vendors were packing and leaving. In the old days, the show started on a weekend (maybe unofficially but it was the greatest part of the show) which made it incredibly interesting to fly-in since people were actually there on that weekend. BTW, I do think SnF attracts a lot of one day fliers since Florida is relatively small with a high concentration of GA.
With that said, I love SnF. It’s close to me and just walking around is fun. But I am seeing a decline. I believe the SnF organizers need to look back at it’s EAA Fly-In roots and strike a good balance which I think makes Oshkosh a success. Oshkosh is first and foremost an aviator’s event. Don’t loose sight of that or SnF will become another show, and not a fly-in, full of cooking pots, sunglasses, step ladders, generators, real estate and yellow absorbent rag vendors.
Apologies about the harsh critique but I am not alone. And maybe by speaking aloud we can help them become aware of this and return SnF to the “Oshkosh of the South” it used to be.
Chris