Notes From SUN ‘n FUN 2026

SUN ’n FUN is often a blur of activity for me. It’s also a bit of a family reunion. I get to catch up with long-time friends and make new friendships along the way.

2026 was no different. Following are some of the things I saw, learned, and am still thinking about from the 2026 SUN ’n FUN Aerospace Expo.

Right out of the gate, I ran in to Carl Valeri and Jamie Beckett while in line to pick up my media credentials. Carl has been helping aspiring pilots find their way into the cockpit for many years now. His Stuck Mic AvCast and Aviation Careers Podcast are just two ways he mentors would-be pilots. And he told me he’s busier than ever. At SUN ’n FUN, Carl spends a good amount of time at SUN ’n FUN Radio, which you can still listen to via LiveATC. Jamie is an aviation journeyman. He’s written for General Aviation News, AOPA, Gleim, and himself, among others, for many years now. It was a quick catch-up, but I’d barely walked 100 feet from my rental car and had already run into friends.

That’s the family reunion part.

Speaking of SUN ’n FUN Radio, not long after entering the grounds I ran into SUN ’n FUN Radio Chairman Dave Shallbetter. Since the radio station raised its antenna (1510 AM) in 1995, Dave has been at the mic. He’s another fly-in family member. 

DeltaHawk’s Chris Ruud introduced the new DeltaHawk Defense division at the SUN ’n FUN Innovation Preview. This new division will serve drone, uncrewed, and unmanned aerial systems for the Department of Defense with 50-120 horsepower engines.

Bruce’s Custom Covers, the company that makes aircraft covers, also makes covers for the rocket industry. And nearly all covers are designed using 3D modeling. The rocket industry is a growing segment of aerospace, and those spacecraft need covers just like aircraft.

I sat in on a MOSAIC forum hosted by Bruce Bevers on opening day. Bruce mentioned struggling to find a complete list of MOSAIC-compliant aircraft. The most complete list he’s found is from CheckMate Aviation. From the homepage, type MOSAIC in the search bar. They have 160 aircraft listed so far.

With the dawning of MOSAIC I was curious to know if Sebastien Heintz at Zenith Aircraft had any new thoughts of building completed aircraft, not just kits. The short answer: No. He told me he loves what he does. The company has a great spot in the industry and, more importantly, it is profitable. Can’t argue with that.

I’ve known Don Fielden for a few years now. His Fielden Aero display in Paradise City showed off the latest batch of Skybox instruments. The Oblo Round EFIS is an amazing little instrument. Don also mentioned he’s organizing an air show at the Breckenridge, Texas airport. Details to come.

Mark Mellicker, VP of Sales and an owner of North American Eagle, which designed the Aquilae STOL aircraft, is bringing a new machine shop online in Illinois that will cut and weld aircraft tubing in one pass. It’s another tool in the company’s arsenal to deliver more accurate kits, more quickly, at affordable prices, he explained. 

Also in Paradise City was Aeroshare Ventures, a new co-ownership program. Brian Roberts, CEO and founder, told me they will help pilots, wherever they are located, find compatible partners to co-own aircraft. To start, they will focus on Sling aircraft. Aeroshare Ventures will help with the formation of the LLC, finding hangar space, building of the aircraft, and more. 

Sentinel by Airleronics is a Visual Traffic Collision and Avoidance System (V-TCAS). Think of it as a digital eye or dash cam, attached to a windscreen via suction mount, that constantly scans the sky for airborne hazards, such as other aircraft, drones, and birds. Alerts then appear on your EFB’s screen.

VFR into IMC is often a bad thing. The idea of MR-VFR is to provide an VFR pilot in IMC synthetic vision via mixed reality goggles. I donned a set and could immediately “see” the ground and the horizon. That, in theory, should make it easier for a pilot to more safely exit IMC conditions. The idea of putting goggles on, while in IMC, is a little odd to me, but it is an interesting concept.

Gyrfalkn, a two-seat side-by-side, composite experimental aircraft is an example of why the Experimental Aircraft Association came to exist in the first place. Designed and built by Arizona’s Chris Christensen, the smart looking one-off design was a joy to look over in the homebuilt section. You don’t see many one-off designs anymore. What a treat.

At the Light Aircraft Manufacturers Association (LAMA) dinner gathering I met Jimmy Cox from James Aircraft and Rockdale Tiger Flight. The former makes parts that will make your Van’s RV — not including the RV-12 — go faster via cowlings, fairings, induction systems, wheel pants, and more. The latter promotes aviation for both youth and adults. Jimmy told me Rockdale, Texas, has a population around 30,000 and the group often has as many as 10 kids participating. “Not bad for a small town,” Jimmy said.

I walked by the Pilot Duty display a number of times and finally stopped in. Quick take: It is an automated logbook. Place a little beacon in the aircraft to pair with your iPhone. The app will automatically detect when the aircraft is moving. The system will determine night flight and allow family and friends to follow your flying, monitor date-specific items, such as medical certificates, licenses, proficiency, and more. The beacon can pair with multiple pilots and also help with maintenance tracking. 

I flew home on Friday morning after three days. I could’ve used another day on site, but I was ready to get home. Attending SUN ’n FUN has grown into a joy for me. After 20 years of publishing SNF Today, the fly-in’s daily newspaper, it is a pleasure to wander the show, talk with friends, meet new friends, and take it all in.

If you haven’t gone, put the 2027 SUN ’n FUN Aerospace Expo on your calendar now for April 6-11.