Gene Conrad, who has been the president and CEO of SUN ’n FUN and the Aerospace Center for Excellence for less than a year, has overseen significant changes to the SUN ‘n FUN Aerospace Expo.
Conrad, who took over from John “Lites” Leenhouts when he retired after the 2022 expo, is no stranger to fly-ins. He grew up in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, where his father was airport director.
He followed in his father’s footsteps, working at Branson Airport in Missouri and Dayton International Airport in Ohio, before taking over the top job at Lakeland Linder International Airport (KLAL) in 2010.
As airport director, Conrad oversaw huge growth at KLAL, including negotiating a 50-year lease with Amazon Air Cargo, inviting the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Hurricane Hunters to move its operations center from Tampa to KLAL, and coordinating a $200 million capital improvement program.
He also worked closely with SUN ’n FUN officials over the years as it evolved from a fly-in to a major aviation expo then to “a nationally recognized aerospace youth education complex,” he said before taking over his duties after last year’s expo.
In the last year he’s brought his enthusiasm for improvements to SUN ’n FUN, with his initial focus on infrastructure.
During that time, he also has shown that while he’s the man in charge, he’s also quick to give credit to others, according to multiple volunteers, who note he often steps in to help wherever he may be needed.
Conrad’s leadership style demonstrates an exciting new era at SUN ‘n FUN that builds on the foundation of previous leaders.
Let’s take a look at how that leadership style translated into changes at the 2023 show:
Parking
Ask anyone who has driven in to SUN ’n FUN in the past and you’ll hear complaints about long lines and horror stories of sitting in miles-long traffic jams for hours.
To streamline and speed up traffic flow, Conrad urged those attending the show to register for parking online when they buy tickets at FlySNF.org. Buying parking tickets in advance also saved $10 a day on parking.
As the cars entered the SUN ’n FUN parking areas this year, they were separated by pre-paid and buy-on-site. Guests with pre-paid parking showed their unique QR code on their email or text receipt and got into the show much faster than those who had to pay on site, according to fly-in officials.
Another considerable improvement to parking was the creation of a new lot on the Southeast side of the campus to allow for overflow.
Wi-Fi
Another chronic complaint about SUN ’n FUN was the spotty or non-existent Wi-Fi.
That’s why upgrading the Wi-Fi infrastructure on the SUN ’n FUN campus was one of Conrad’s top priorities when he took over the reins.
The expanded Wi-Fi infrastructure boosted reception around the 500 vendor booths, the Warbird Ramp, the manufacturer’s display area, and other places where people congregate.
According to Conrad, the expanded infrastructure “can handle 29,000 simultaneous Wi-Fi connections.”
Unfortunately, internet service on the first two days of the 2023 show was spotty at best.
According to Eric Crump, executive director of the Aerospace Center for Excellence, “on Monday and Tuesday we had what we felt was a security issue, so we had to boot people off the Wi-Fi often on those days.”
But by mid-day Wednesday, the ramped-up Wi-Fi was working, with credit card charges, social media posts (#SNF23), and texts flowing much faster.
News and Information
A better internet connection meant finding out what was happening during the show a little bit easier. It also helped that there were several options, including:
- The SUN ‘n FUN Aerospace Expo app, which was free to download. Users could search for events by day, by type of event, and by location using the filter feature and scrolling. Users could then save events to create a personal schedule, which was very handy.
- The schedule of events was also listed on DailySchedule.FlySNF.org. This daily schedule could be viewed in table format (filter listings by event type, tracks and credits, or location) or itinerary format (best used by turning your cell phone sideways for landscape view). Both formats had a search field. The thin, faint font was challenging to read even without daylight or glare. Typing in the search field had a delay and seemed a tad glitchy. It worked better using voice commands, but background noise caused a bit of interference.
- The SUN ‘n FUN Digital Daily offered a two-hour Innovation Preview on opening day of the show from 20 presenters, who spoke about new products, from avionics to headsets to new airplanes. This was livestreamed on YouTube for those who couldn’t attend the show. A recording of the Innovation Preview is available on YouTube. Search SUN ’n FUN Innovation Preview to get to the video.
The Island
Also new this year was The Island, a new sanctuary of services for campers and fly-in guests on the east side of the airfield. The Seabirds tent was shifted west to make room for this addition, which had its own tram stop.
Sponsored by The Islands of the Bahamas, The Island served food and beverages from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. The area featured a 120-by-60-foot tent with picnic tables and chairs, shower facilities, a country store, the Pilot Welcome Center, music, and food from Frescos and Gary’s Harborside Restaurants.
The Island was also the place to be for Uber and Lyft drop-offs, as well as deliveries from grocery stores.
Career Fair
In a sign of the times, the SUN ‘n FUN Career Fair, which was put on by aviation job website JSfirm.com, grew to five days. When it launched in 2014, the SUN ’n FUN Career Day was just one day.
But this year, recruiters from 19 companies were on hand Tuesday through Saturday, looking to fill empty positions at their companies. Most were looking for pilots and mechanics, according to officials.
Companies represented at the Career Fair included Frontier Airlines, Airborne Maintenance and Engineering Services, Mesa Airlines, Legends Aviation Academy, Go Jet Airlines, Plane Sense, Air Wisconsin, the FAA’s Flight Operations Program, Endeavor Air, Republic Airways, Vista, National Air Cargo, Commute Air/United Express, Cirrus Aircraft, Piedmont, PSA Airlines, SkyWest Airlines, and FlyExclusive.
E3 Aviation Association
This year also saw a new title sponsor for the aerospace expo: E3 Association, which launched the E3 Aviation Association on March 1, 2023.
According to CEO Brian Johnson, the new association’s purpose is “to empower, educate, and entertain. That’s the three Es.”
“We fill a niche in the industry,” he said. “We aim to give back through donations to a veterans organization and to support the ACE scholarship program here in Lakeland, which gives kids an opportunity in aviation that wouldn’t otherwise be obtainable for them.”
The new aviation association offers podcasts, forums, webinars, a magazine, member-only events, and discounts on aviation merchandise at Banyan Pilot Shop.
The E3 Association has membership associations representing many sports and interests. Gatherings of E3 members of their off-road, camping, aviation, overland, and firearms associations were held all week at the association’s air-conditioned VIP tent on the flight line.
From Wednesday to Saturday, E3 hosted member talks and meet-and-greets with representatives of their many associations, including air show performer Mike Goulian, who is an E3 Aviation Association ambassador.
Brand Ambassadors
Speaking of ambassadors, content creators who share their experiences at SUN ‘n FUN had the chance this year to become “brand ambassadors.”
According to SUN ’n FUN officials, the organization’s social media platforms reach more than 185,000 followers.
The organization wanted to expand that social media reach by naming brand ambassadors tasked with posting content about the show on their individual platforms.
To be considered as a brand ambassador, content creators had to have at least 20,000 followers on Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok, or 50,000 subscribers on YouTube.
According to SUN ’n FUN officials, 16 qualified as brand ambassadors for this year’s show. They appeared at meet-and-greet events throughout the show. This year’s brand ambassadors were: @bananasssssssss, @pdzzy, @pic_gillian, @flywithhaylee, Cooper the Pilot, Experimental Aircraft Channel, @tylerworrall, @dirtbagpilot, @rich__rafferty, @aviation_teacher, @pilotvictoria, @geekontheflightdeck, Skyline Baron Pilot, @pilotshauna, @emilyattheairport, and @just.plane.amber.
Their posts and videos range in style and content, representing a variety of aviation enthusiasts, some instructive and some entertaining.
To quote a TikTok post from @dirtbagpilot filmed in an aircraft, “Kids in backseat may cause accidents. Accident in backseat may cause kids.” Then the camera cuts away to a view behind the pilot, showing empty space. “No backseat equals no accidents.”
Applications are now open for brand ambassadors for the 2024 show. The applications must be completed by Feb. 1, 2024.
Student Passports
Students between the ages of seven and 17 were invited to participate in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) activities during the week-long fly-in. Students received a passport, which was stamped after they completed hands-on projects in the Buehler Aerospace Skills Center and the Florida Air Museum. When they turned in their stamped passport, they received a tool kit.
Volunteers reported 1,720 students had visited the Buehler Center by 3 p.m. Friday. Saturday is traditionally the busiest day of the expo.
Additionally, students on field trips from nearby school districts were bused in to the show. According to ACE’s Crump, officials expected 1,400 kids on scheduled field trips during the week.
The students on the field trips had a full day of activity, including a tour of the Florida Air Museum and the chance to participate in the STEM activities, such as getting the chance to solder circuit boards, fly a drone through an obstacle course, practice riveting and drilling, using a flight simulator, and learning about aviation history from a national park service speaker, according to Andy Ovans, director of aircraft operations at SUN ‘n FUN.
To learn more about SUN ’n FUN and the Aerospace Center for Excellence, go to FlySNF.org.
I find all the comments to be thoughtful, well expressed, and mostly valid. I’ve been attending this event since 2007, and always look forward to it, though each year the “magic” seems to fade a little. Maybe it’s just me, but I never have that feeling about AirVenture Oshkosh or Triple Tree.
Putting on an event of this magnitude is tremendously challenging, and we should thank the organizers, workers, and especially the volunteers for all their hard work. No matter where you go, if its a large public gathering, there WILL be pitfalls, especially with Wi-Fi and cell coverage. But the cell coverage truly was abysmal. I couldn’t make or receive a call for three days, unless I borrowed someone’s Verizon phone. This is totally unacceptable for those like me who need a phone for business. Folks…rent some COWS (Cell on Wheels) that will support most major carriers…,please.
Agree with most previous responses. My take on this year’s show is mostly negative because after having been to SnF several times in the past, I was disappointed:
I saw nothing to make the cost worth $40-45 and $10-20 parking. There just weren’t many interesting airplanes there to see, very little flyng, and the air show itself was ho-hum, except for the military acts, which are always awesome, and the Mr. Mulligan flyby, which was also good. I strongly dislike the overpowered aerobatic planes flying too-long, repetitive 15-minute routines, one after the other. Boring–and I could see everyone around me bored, as well. One such act would be plenty.
Back in the display/workshop area I likewise failed to find much of anything going on. Just the big hangars jammed with venders and people looking at stuff to buy.
I had no cell phone reception the entire time I was there, so I’m wondering about your “expanded Wifi infrastructure.” It should be a lot better in today’s world.
Not a drop of water to drink anywhere. It was hot and dusty and people can get dehydrated pretty quickly. Where the hydration spots were marked on the map, there was nothing. I searched for a long time but found no water. I ended up having to buy either a $3 bottle of water, which is like 3 gulps, or an $8 cup of powder mix lemonade. I think you owe it to attendees, from a medico-legal standpoint, to provide free water accessible in multiple areas. Water buffaloes are fine, just give people the water they need to survive.
The wind and dust was terrible on Saturday. I was covered with the black soot by the end of the day and my eyes full of it. I don’t know how you can fix this but it was definitely a problem.
I probably won’t be coming back unless you convince me that improvements are going to be made. I drove a long way and paid a very hefty hotel bill to come and you didn’t live up to my expectations.
It is getting a little bit pricey and find it very hard to believe that younger people are going to get involved in something this expensive in the name of promoting aviation to a younger generation. also found it a little hard to stomach $22 for a crappy cheeseburger cold fries and a soda. And seriously to have vendors having the doors closed on them 15 minutes early and absolutely no food or drinks available after 5:00 was ridiculous. Spoke with a few vendors they were not happy at all some said they likely will not return next year
I have been attending sun n fun for as long as I can remember. I grew up in the aviation business, my dad’s company moved checks for the Federal reserve.I was so disappointed this year with the actual cost. I brought my kids there for over 10 years, took the alouette at choppertown up all the time. My biggest concern, is I am getting older, there is a lack of shade except under the wings. Getting kind of hard to do these days. Thank goodness for the sheriffs that were handing out water as we were not allowed to bring any in. No b17 this year or A10 lol. It would be a great idea to schedule Amazon around the air show, not stop and start like I observed last weekend. Bring back coppertown to where it used to be and have more things for children. Good luck next year I’ll be there.
Moving the Type Club Tent to Runway 5 aka “Middle of Nowhere “ bad idea. No facilities or refreshments within reasonable walking distance. The forum schedule was seriously snafued. Parking was okay, tram service was good, Viewing areas for air show was limited due to corporate/VIP overcrowding. Good week. See you next year.
Agree with your comment on the type club tent location. Last year, the previous/traditional location was flooded out from the rains on Thursday, so I imagine the new location was intended to solve that issue. Still, it is a long way form nowhere, and you have to dodge golf carts, vehicles, and aircraft on the taxiways to get there. Maybe it’s time for “Plan C.”
As a general aviation pilot living in the Tampa area, I have attended Sun N Fun on the Saturday of the event. I’m more into seeing the airplanes and exhibits than the airshow and workshops. The increases in admission and parking cost has been disappointing for those of us not pulling in the high wages of some in aviation (not all folks around aviation are rich). But what is especially disconcerting is the outrageous jump in parking cost this year to $20, wherein we are punished for preferring to pay cash. Not all of us choose to do financial transactions on-line, particularly when those are non-refundable (in case of plans changing) and which may result in being put on mailing lists. Calling it a $10 savings is not being truthful, including not mentioning the “service charge”.
I’ve heard of the efforts by Sun N Fun to introduce and encourage young people to involvement in aviation, but am not overly impressed as I realize that such effort is largely funded by the added cost charged to us other attendees and possibly the venders. As reported, the event has become big money and less of friendly GA.
So being unable to attend without exceeding a total of $50 for parking and admission (including my $5 AOPA discount) without registering on-line, for the 1st time in many years (besides when it wasn’t held due to the China virus) I skipped attending the event this year, avoiding the increased cost and hassle. Instead I attended another event in Pinellas County on Sat. the 1st, in which admission was less than $10 (cash accepted, without penalty), parking is free, and there’s no big traffic backup for entry and exit. With the money saved I found something of interest there to buy. Wayne of Tampa
In the News & Information segment, you neglected to mention the original “social media”- SUN ‘n FUN Radio. For 29 years, SnFRadio has been broadcasting on 1510 AM locally & streaming on LiveATC.net/SnF since 2008, adding a YouTube live audio stream for 2023 on their channel SUN ‘n FUN Radio. Which will be upgraded to streaming video for SnF24.
Come on GANews- we were roommates, how could you forget us???
Dear Dave, this article was about things that have changed or are new to SUN ‘n FUN. I apologize for not knowing about your new YouTube live audio stream. If my editor does not make me walk the plank for this, please allow me to write about your live streaming video program in 2024.
As a vendor, Sun ‘n Fun has historically been a hot, long, exhausting show coupled with infrastructure challenges and a lack of interest from SNF themselves. However, there were some notable improvements this year. After a rough first day, the parking entrance and exit was efficient. That has long been a gripe with 30-60 minutes spent waiting to just get out of the parking lot in years past. This year, we saw that on the first day but following days were much better, like 15 min.
Wifi sort of worked which is an improvement over never working in the past. During airshow hours, all bets are off, but we could get a few emails and texts out otherwise. All that said, I’d rather see cell service upgrades since my employer does not want us using unsecured/unknown wifi networks. Aircraft camping had more restroom trailers with running water as opposed to porta-potties. That’s a great upgrade for those who fly in–and none of us would be there if people didn’t make the trip in their airplanes!
AT&T service was abysmal (I’m told a vendor issue was at play as some hardware was not installed when it was supposed to be). Verizon worked slowly, but was also waylaid during high-traffic times like the airshow. Saturday was hugely busy mostly with airshow attendees but with a good amount of aircraft owners/pilots as well. Any network will struggle some during those peak times I imagine.
At first, I was skeptical of increased number of airshow chalets, but the repositioning seems to have opened up some more space for good general admission viewing. Also a good thing.
Porta-potties seemed reduced with the ensuing lack of supplies (aka TP) and servicing. SNF has a history of having absolutely no hand sanitizer at any of the porta-potties I’ve seen and that continued this year. Gross. I’d love to see more of the restroom trailers since there is only one permanent flush toilet location and it’s a hot time of year. (Related: I would love if SNF was 4-6 weeks earlier so it wasn’t 90 every day but…)
As a longtime vendor, we rarely, if ever, see any SNF staff that stops in and says hello.
All in all, some improvements worth noting and giving credit for. Weather to the north held back some attendance early in the week and there were some typical growing pains with event changes. Will stay tuned for future changes.
The “Island” ,,,, maybe consider renaming it to “The Desert Island” . Horrible experience for fly-in camping. This year’s show was not GA friendly at all. Odd since GA should be what the show is all about. Been attending regularly since the mid 1970’s and I think it’s a real shame the way the show is headed $$$$ and how to get more coverage on social media……. That’s NOT what aviation is all about. Good luck and I wish you well in the future. Maybe Paradise City will spin-off and have their own show – that would be a good thing as they know what aviation is like.
The only voice that counts comes from your wallet. Gene Conrad and the SnF staff have learned this well. It’s the American way.
EAA Salute: 1) Open wallet, 2) invert, 3) shake well, 4) repeat #3 frequently, 5) return wallet to pocket.
Thus has it always been, thus shall it always be.
I know putting on a show this big is expensive, but c’mon, this is getting ridiculous.
Sun n Fun is not an EAA event, so your comment is bogus.
Quote: “Buying parking tickets in advance also saved $10 a day on parking.” Quit lying. By raising the cash parking price from $10/day to $20/day you have doubled the price and then say we can save 50% by buying a non-refundable online ticket (plus a convenience fee) makes no sense. Scanning a pre-purchased pass can actually take longer than handing over a $10 bill. This is a rip off especially for people who do not do apps or online transactions. I remember when the parking went from $5 to $10. I hope they fix this before next year. Instead of a Fly-In, this event has turned into a fundraiser for their educational programs.
Many of us remember when parking was, as it should be, FREE.
Jim … I agree. I spoke with MY feet over the Parking Fee issue … I didn’t come. And I won’t until they lower the price back to $10 or less. MY money will be spent in Oshkosh.
I attended the first two days of SnF this year, Tuesday and Wednesday. My third year in a row after not having been there for some years. I also attend OSHKOSH and Triple Tree regularly. I go to SnF and OSH primarily for business reasons, stopped watching airshows years ago. Triple Tree is the fun event, much more relaxed and a better value. Frankly, I was shocked when told I had to pay $20 to park my car in a field. Why is one punished for not having pre-purchased parking? Many of us can not commit to SnF or OSH until just before the show due to business demands, so pre-purchase is generally not an option. The cell connection (AT&T) was virtually non-existent beyond the parking lot, which was a major problem for me to stay in touch with business and meet others at the show. It was not this way last year. SnF leadership needs to work with the major cell providers to figure this out. Everyone was complaining, including vendors. For $40 per day, one would expect better. And the daily rate of $40 is about double what the show is worth. Can one not have a lower price for people in business who do not watch airshows and thus should not be forced to pay for aircraft fuel? Other needed improvements – more drinking fountains / faucets to refill water bottles. More park benches in the shade. A ban on any vendors selling non-aviation things, like those silly massage chairs. Signs around the parking lot so one can more easily find his car after a long day. A ban on wokeness, which has improved at SnF since last year. Otherwise it remains an important show. Rumor has it that SnF is seeking a new airport. I doubt this is true so it would be a good idea for the leaders to make a statement. I may reserve vendor space for next year so this would be helpful.
Kent, thanks for your comments and I just wanted to confirm that we are NOT looking for a new home. Also, good call out on water fountains along with benches and more shade, it is on our list. See you next year!
Gene
I have been flying for almost 60 years and have been a member of exp. Aircraft Assoc.. And have attended Sun N Fun for many years and live just south of the airport but in the last few years, the price of $45.00 and $20.00 to park is outrageous and will prohibit young familys from attending! If the expo is to continue, the leadership must look at these issues!
I just read the GAN email and was certainly upset by some of the analysis; so when I scrolled down to the comments I was happy to see that others had already responded and I absolutely agree. Raising the parking fee by doubling it from $10 to $20 and then claiming you can save $10 by pre-ordering is misleading disinformation at best, not to mention that you have to pay a fee on top of that. Furthermore, we attended three days and at no time was there any segregation between persons with a QR code or those who were paying cash for parking, so I have to wonder-where did you enter to park?
And another thing- the tram/golf cart service to choppertown is no better than it has ever been. If you do manage to get there, it will be even more difficult to get back, I promise.
And another thing- the golf carts- not the tram related ones-are ridiculous; they’re everywhere- so you’re always having to avoid them or make room for them.
On another note; I was happy to see the FAA people back at their building.
So, yearly attendance as a given, should not be expected.