There are a couple of good reasons Gilbert and Barbara Pierce’s bright red 1949 Piper PA-16 Clipper occupied Space 1 on Row 1 of the vintage aircraft parking at this year’s SUN ’n FUN. First, they were early arrivals and, more importantly, their aircraft is a past champion and always receives a prime display spot. […]
Sun 'n Fun
Going fast on less gas
Would anyone be interested in a 250-horsepower aircraft capable of crossing the continent in just over eight hours at an average speed of 252 miles per hour while using only 61 gallons of aviation fuel, about 40 miles per gallon in cruise? That’s what California aviator Klaus Savier did the day before SUN ‘n FUN […]
Award-winning Bellanca Cruisair Senior turns heads at SUN ‘n FUN
South Carolina aviator Jeff Warren liked the look of the Bellanca Cruisair Senior the first time he saw it. And when the opportunity came to buy one, Warren, an architect from Simpsonville, S.C., jumped at the chance. That was in 1991 and Warren says he has been answering questions about his plane ever since. “It is […]
Largest high school flying club opens new hangar
The Lakeland Aero Club’s new hangar opened just in time to show it off to the crowds at this year’s SUN ‘n FUN. The 12,500-square-foot facility has office space, restrooms, and will house six aircraft. Mike Zidziunas, president of the Lakeland Aero Club, explained that the 50 members of the club, who range in age from […]
Ribbon cutting held for Lakeland Aero Club
In what was called a “momentous occasion,” a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held during this year’s SUN ’n FUN to officially open the Lakeland Aero Club’s new hangar. “This is the largest high school flying club on the planet,” said SUN ’n FUN President John “Lites” Leenhouts. More importantly, the club is the “cement that holds […]
Royal Air Force Cadets return to SUN ‘n FUN
By ELIZABETH WALKER The Royal Air Force Air Cadets were in full force at SUN ’n FUN 2016, marking the 21st consecutive visit for the group. Camp Commandant Flight Lieutenant John Wohlgemuth, RAF VR(T), who has led the group for the past 19 years, said, “It is a unique experience for the cadets that I don’t […]
To protect grassroots flying, ‘they’ are ‘us’
SUN ’n FUN always marks a big time of year for many of us who fly elsewhere throughout the country. It marks the end of the season where our priorities are making sure the engine heater is plugged in, the snow and ice are chipped away from the hangar door, and weight-and-balance includes the weight […]
My first SUN ‘n FUN
If someone would have told me a year ago that I would be going to SUN ’n FUN to see all the airplanes, meet people with incredible flying stories, and writing for the SUN ’n FUN Today newspaper, which is produced by General Aviation News, I would have thought they were crazy. After all, I […]
18-year-old wins chance to fly Crazy Horse
On opening day of this year’s SUN ’n FUN, Taylor Avery, 18, had the experience of a lifetime: He got the chance to fly the P-51 “Crazy Horse.” The flight started Tuesday morning at Kissimmee Gateway Airport in Florida, where Crazy Horse is based as part of Stallion 51’s fleet, and ended at 9 a.m. […]