Hawker Beechcraft, which featured its entire Beechcraft product lineup at last week’s Sun ’n Fun, including Premier IA, King Air 350i, King Air 250, King Air C90GTx, and Baron G58, as well as a Bonanza G36 debuting the new interior package announced last fall. “Sun ’n Fun is a great venue to debut this new […]
A banner year for general aviation
This has actually been a banner year for general aviation, according to U.S. Rep. Sam Graves (R-Mo.), who hosted a Town Hall Meeting Saturday morning on the Sun ’n Fun campus. “We got a lot done in the FAA reauthorization,” he reported. Among the victories were amendments that protect Through The Fence agreements — “I think […]
CAP Squadron launches at high school on Sun ’n Fun campus
The Civil Air Patrol (CAP) officially opened a Composite Squadron at the Central Florida Aerospace Academy (CFAA) on the Sun ’n Fun campus on Lakeland-Linder Regional Airport (LAL) in Florida. The new squadron boasts 59 cadets and 17 senior members under the command of newly commissioned First Lieutenant Lori Bradner. “More than 18 months ago, Cadet Lieutenant […]
Florida Wing moving to Sun ‘n Fun
Sun ’n Fun President John “Lites” Leenhouts, CAP Florida Wing Commander Colonel Michael Cook, and Vice Commander Lieutenant Colonel Phil Zedonek joined together Saturday at Sun ’n Fun to announce that the headquarters of the Florida Wing of the CAP will be moving to the Sun ’n Fun campus on Lakeland-Linder Regional Airport. “The Florida Wing […]
New TBM owner at Sun ’n Fun
As this year’s Sun ’n Fun winds down today, there’s a new TBM 850 owner: Dr. Bruce Feldstein of New Hampshire. The sale was made at the fly-in by Ken Dono, director of sales at Columbia Aircraft Sales, TBM distributor for the northeastern USA. “This is the first time we have sold a TBM 850 during […]
AOPA Foundation’s Hat in the Ring Society to honor GA
The AOPA Foundation has unveiled a plan to expand its Hat in the Ring Society and bestow four awards on those in the general aviation industry who have made significant strides in each of the categories. The society, chaired by actor and GA advocate Morgan Freeman and co-chaired by author Stuart Woods, air race pilot […]
Winner of ‘Fly a P-51’ Fundraiser chosen
On Saturday, March 31, the Society of Aviation and Flight Educators (SAFE) held the drawing for a flight in Stallion 51’s P-51TF, “The LITTLE Witch” at Sun ’n Fun. Standing beside the airplane on the Warbird Ramp at Sun ’n Fun, Stallion 51 Owner and Chief Pilot Lee Lauderback randomly drew the winning ticket from […]
Master Pilots honored at Sun ’n Fun
On Friday, March 30, a distinguished group of aviators received the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award during a ceremony at the FAA Production Studios on the Sun ’n Fun campus at Lakeland-Linder Regional Airport (LAL). The seven recipients, plus their friends and family, packed the room, as FAASTeam Program Manager Jim Minardy hosted the festivities and […]
Warbird Doctor
When Jamie Trudeau was a kid, his dad, who was a fighter pilot, wouldn’t take him to the airport. “Aviation is an addictive disease,” his dad told told him, “and there is no rehab.” But Trudeau didn’t listen. He got his license, then built six ultralights — and promptly crashed five of them. He found […]