By CONNIE SUE WHITE When Civil Air Patrol Seminole Composite Squadron Deputy Commander Kenny Eads asked a group of five cadets to volunteer for a unique mission, it caught on like wildfire. The assignment: build the first-ever Fire Hub on the SUN ’n FUN campgrounds. Eads explained to the young men that it would the […]
General Aviation
Why would you fly to Sun ’n Fun?
Questioning pilots flying into Sun ’n Fun is an unexpected thing to hear from the fly-in’s new safety advisor to the president, Ben Coleman. Coleman is a nationally renowned aviation safety expert with more than 38 years of experience, much of it with the NTSB and FAA. He has investigated more than 400 aviation accidents through […]
StormReady: Lessons learned from last year’s tornado
When the tornado ripped through the Sun ’n Fun grounds last year, it took a lot of people by surprise — and ensuring that never happens again became a top priority for the fly-in’s new president, John “Lites” Leenhouts. “When I got here I asked how prepared they were for the storm,” he said in the […]
Cessna owners in the Cloud
On opening day of Sun ’n Fun, Cessna introduced a custom-designed interactive online portal called Cessna Connect. The customized, cloud-based program provides a way for Cessna owners to streamline their record keeping, track flights, log expenses and tax reports, and connect with other owners and enthusiasts. The subscription-based service is designed to work with a […]
Code 1 Aviation premieres
A group of industry experts with more than 80 years of experience has formed a new company, Code 1 Aviation, at the Lakeland Linder Regional Airport (LAL) in Florida, home to the Sun ’n Fun fly-in, to provide maintenance, restoration, avionics, sales, training and consulting services for owners of Warbirds. “We have the knowledge and […]
Lindbergh Foundation and LEAP merge
The LEAP Electric Flight Program, which includes the Lindbergh Electric Aircraft Prize, is now a program of the Charles A. and Anne Morrow Lindbergh Foundation. The directors of the Lindbergh Foundation and Creative Solutions Alliance, the nonprofit organization that runs LEAP, felt that since the missions of both organizations are so closely aligned, it made […]
Earthrounders hold reunion
Have you ever wanted to fly around the world? Those lucky pilots who have held a reunion before SUN ’n FUN began and hosted a variety of forums throughout the airshow, according to Bob Gannon, chairman of the Earthrounders 2012 reunion. To become a member of the Earthrounders, a pilot must have flown a single- […]
Appareo unveils portable in-flight weather for iPad
On opening day of Sun ’n Fun, Appareo introduced a wire-free weather receiver for the iPad that requires no monthly subscription. Dubbed Stratus, it combines an ADS-B and GPS receiver into a single unit that wirelessly streams NEXRAD radar, text weather, TFRs and aircraft position to the ForeFlight Mobile app for iOS devices. “Stratus delivers […]
Garmin Pilot app premieres
Garmin International has released Garmin Pilot, a new aviation app for iOS devices, including the iPad and iPhone, and Android-based mobile devices. The app offers general aviation pilots navigation, trip planning, DUAT(S) filing, weather and electronic flight bag capabilities. “From integrated flight decks to mobile apps, Garmin is committed to providing our customers with a […]