What’s it like to fly F-15s? “It’s a great job,” says Capt. Tony Bierenkoven, demonstration team commander and pilot for the West Coast F-15 Demonstration Team, which performed at Sun ‘n Fun. “I’ve flown every day this week.” The team that flew at Sun ‘n Fun is based at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. […]
Beat the heat
Necessity is the mother of invention. Just ask Greg Turton, an Atlanta businessman who owns a Cirrus. Often spending 30 minutes or more waiting to takeoff in the crowded Atlanta airspace, he realized he needed air conditioning. But at $25,000 to $30,000, it was just too expensive. “I wouldn’t pay that much for it,” he […]
Cessna Center dedicated
The newest permanent building on the Sun ‘n Fun campus at Lakeland Linder Regional Airport in Florida was dedicated opening day of this year’s fly-in. The Cessna Center will be used to support year-round education programs at Sun ‘n Fun, according to Greg Harbaugh, Sun ‘n Fun vice president. “This will foster the next generation,” […]
Buehler Restoration Skills Center opens on Sun ‘n Fun campus
The newest addition to the expanding Sun ‘n Fun campus — the Emil Buehler Restoration Skills Center — was dedicated at this year’s fly-in. The 8,000-square-foot facility, located next to the Florida Air Museum, will house Sun ‘n Fun’s year-round aircraft restoration activities. It was made possible by a $300,000 grant from the Emil Buehler […]
Mutt Muffs: Ear protection for your pooch
It has been said that necessity is the mother of invention. When it comes to the needs of a pet, some people can be quite inventive — and sometimes that inventiveness can lead to a new source of income. Michele McGuire, a pilot from Maryland, likes to fly with her dog Cooper, but was concerned […]
Flying car wins MIT prize
The Ford automobile and the airplane came on the American scene in 1903. Both were considered technological marvels of the modern age and it wasn’t long before inventors sought a way to combine the two and produce a flying car. Although many have tried, no one has been able to come up with a design […]
‘Miss Pearl’ Single-engine elegance
It is said that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. This becomes apparent as you prowl the rows of aircraft on display at air shows and notice which airplanes have the “Judge Me” placards on their propellers. If you spend any time with judges at these events you begin to spot the little […]
Washington’s Evergreen Airport sold
The Olson family, owners of Evergreen Airport (59S) in Vancouver, Wash., have sold the airport to a developer, Opus Northwest LLC. A closing date has been set for mid-July. The airport, which has been for sale since June 2001, is within three nautical miles of Portland International Airport (PDX). It was known for its tailwheel […]
The best of times, the worst of times…
Flying yourself to a show like Sun ‘n Fun is always exciting, but it was especially poignant for Herb Rose from Sacramento, Pa. Rose, 49, has been flying for just two years. He spent a year restoring a 1959 Cessna 150. This year he proudly flew the orange and white Cessna to the Lakeland aviation […]