At SUN ‘n FUN or SnF adjacent

Spring is upon us, more or less. In the northern reaches of the country the snows are melting, the mud is mudding, and the furnace kicks on a little less frequently than it did a month ago. In the south, the rainy season approaches.

In Florida, it’s not here yet. We’re in that beautiful grace period between the temperate nature of winter and the humidity festival of summer, which thankfully only lasts about nine months of the year.

This is when aero-nuts across the land start looking to central Florida for their first big outing of the year. It’s all about SUN ‘n FUN for the next couple of weeks. Getting there, reveling in the wonder of it all, and getting home again. It’s a process — one that requires a bit of planning and patience and perhaps a touch of persistence.

Now that’s some adorable alliteration, don’t you think?

The official name of this festival of flight is the SUN ‘n FUN Aerospace Expo. This year’s theme is “Capture the Magic of Aviation.”

I can totally buy into that as a slogan.

The big question for many of us — the first question I suspect — is how will we get ourselves from home to SUN ‘n FUN and back again. It’s a valid concern. Whether the distance is great or small, the arrival of thousands of non-residents suddenly showing up at a specific location tends to create some issues. If I had to put a single word on the problem I’d say it is this: Traffic.

For folks who arrive by car, or motorcycle, or motorhome, that can mean long waits in a line of vehicles that doesn’t seem to be moving much at all. The longer the wait, the greater the aggravation. Frustration mounts. It’s not an ideal situation.

The solution is simple. Arrive early. That’s it. Whether you’re driving into the area for the full week-long event or stopping in on a day trip, arrive early. You’ll have fewer delays, better parking options, a shorter walk to the turnstiles, and a more enjoyable experience overall.

When leaving for the day the opposite is true. Leave late.

Each day when the air show ends, a sea of people heads for the exits. They march down the trails all happy, still buzzing from the aerial display they’ve just witnessed. They jump in their cars, fire up the air conditioning, and wait. Sometimes they wait for quite some time just to get out of their parking space. Then another wait to get to the end of the lane, then more waiting as they creep one car length at a time toward the exit.

My advice is this: Don’t do that. Don’t wait. Instead, leave late. Linger. Hang behind and enjoy the relative quiet of the less populated event site. Sure, the displays are closing up, but the people who manned them are still there. And so are thousands upon thousands of other folks who are less interested in getting off-site than they are to experience the show without the crush of humanity that clogs the walkways and surrounds the parked aircraft during prime time.

If you’re flying into Lakeland Linder International Airport (KLAL), do it early. And by early, I mean before the NOTAM goes into effect. That’s what I do. Traditionally I fly in at least one day before the NOTAM is active. And I know the area well. I live here. But, by flying in ahead of the crowd I find my flight to be far more enjoyable. Also known as less stressful.

This year I’m flying in even earlier. A whole week. It’s a great time to schedule maintenance for the airplane. When the maintenance is done, all I have to do is taxi from one end of the field to the other. No muss, no fuss, no issues at all.

Of course, KLAL isn’t your only option for alighting on a ramp in central Florida. There are literally hundreds of airports here. Three I would recommend considering in the area are Plant City, Bartow, and my home base of Winter Haven. They’re all close by and well prepared for the influx of traffic.

Plant City Airport (KPCM) sits 7.7 nm almost due west from Lakeland. Its single runway of 3,950 feet by 75 feet is managed by the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority, the same folks that manage Tampa International. Atlas Aviation is the FBO on the field. This is its second location, the first being at Peter O. Knight Airport in Tampa.

KPCM is a non-towered airport in Class G airspace. The CTAF will be operating during the week of SUN ‘n FUN, but there will be a temporary tower up and running too. Be sure to make note of that frequency during your preflight briefing.

Bartow Airport (KBOW) is a former military training facility that sports Runways 5/23, 9L/27R, and 9R/27L. The first two are 5,000 feet while 9R/27L clocks in at 4,400. The single runway is 100 feet wide while the parallels are 150 feet. Operated by the City of Bartow’s Airport Development Authority, this is a fantastic destination in its own right. Some guys named Ed White and Buzz Aldrin learned to fly there a while back. So, there’s that.

Alphabetically last, but certainly not least, is my home field. Winter Haven Regional Airport (KGIF) is operated by the city. Runway 5/23 is 5,005 by 100 feet while Runway 11/29 is 4,001 by 60. The legendary Jack Brown’s Seaplane Base sits on the shore of Lake Jessie at the arrival end of Runway 11. The FBO at KGIF offers full serve and self-serve fuel, rental cars, and the Flightline Café right there in the terminal building on the North side of the airport.

Like KPCM, KGIF is a non-towered airport in Class G airspace but operates a temporary tower during SUN ‘n FUN. Be sure to note that frequency and use it as you arrive.

Of course, I’ll be hanging out at SUN ‘n FUN in the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) area, right next to the FAA building near show center. I’ll be there all week. If you’ve got time, please stop by to say hello. I’d love to meet you and hear your story. Truly, I would.