Sun N Fun 2-7 Apr 2019

[blue44]

Never been to Sun N Fun, any recommendations ? Crowded like KOSH ? Might land locally ( DAB / 7FL6 / X07 / SEF ? ) and drive over. Would like to caravan if anyone else from the NE is headed down... Cheers, Donn

[grbamford]

I did SNF a few years ago. Thought it was a good time. Not quite the organizational experience as OSH but well worth going. Only hard part is wx that time of year in FL. Can be hit and miss if you’re a VFR only bubba.


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[moe2goe]

It’s much less crowded compared to OSH. Relatively easy to get in and out. Schedule the in and out times around air show times. Have Fun!

[Steve Pierce]

I go most every year and think it is more laid back than Oshkosh. Good time with lots of Short Wings.

[Gilbert Pierce]

Here is the 2019 Sun n Fun arrival NOTAM.
If you are flying in please read and understand it. There are always a few clueless idiots showing up at Lake Parker.

https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/atpubs/ntap/spair19001.html

I have flown into Sun n’ Fun 23 times. This video still gets my adrenaline going. Start at about the 18 minute point for his arrival at Lake Parker. He overshot the base to final turn and wants to park in the Vintage area. Not going to happen. It is good video of what to expect.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=KsxYTMohLT4

[CamTom12]

Holy crap! I started at 18:00 and quit at 28:00. That was fairly busy.

[blue44]

thanks Gilbert... :)

[Gilbert Pierce]

Here is a less chaotic video of the Sun n’ Fun arrival but also shows one of the clueless. Doubt he Switched to the tower frequency after crossing Lake Parker.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ntvh6F6meNQ

[blue44]

geez you guys have me about settled on flying to 7FL6 and driving over... :) Would still like to hear some good fuel stops for VA / NC / SC if anybody has such... Cheers, Donn

[Gilbert Pierce]

It’s really not that difficult. I have gone into Lakeland many times when there was very little traffic and the only thing I heard on the radio is is “red taildragger cleared to land”.
You just follow the airplane in front of you.

This year following the airplane in front of me made me nervous as he was wandering around all over the place at 75 knots. I just did a 180, found a gap and got back in.

[Gilbert Pierce]

geez you guys have me about settled on flying to 7FL6 and driving over... :) Would still like to hear some good fuel stops for VA / NC / SC if anybody has such... Cheers, Donn


Meet up with Steve and I 40J and follow us in.

[Steve Pierce]

Never as bad as Oshkosh last year.

[Pacer42Z]

My strategy to go into Sun & Fun is to leave Winchester, VA at about noon on Wednesday and fly within 2 hours of LAL. I stay the night and get up early on Thursday to be at Lake Parker at about 8:00 AM. At that time the traffic going in is very light and the controllers are actually talking to you (even though the NOTAM says to just listen). Here is a YouTube clip of my 2018 arrival https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7Sc_SbSO7c .
However, at any time you need to be prepared for other pilots doing unusual things, like the guy in the Super Cub announcing being over I4 without crossing over the power plant or the tower telling me that I was on the base leg when I was approaching LAL from the North giving me about half of the Runway (Taxiway) to work with (it's still plenty long). I also didn't catch that he wanted me to actually answer him (again, this "don't talk to the controller" in the NOTAM thing).
However, go with the flow and most of all make your own decisions about the safety of your flight.

Juergen
Pace rN3342Z

[Gilbert Pierce]

SnF arrival was chaotic last year. The whole peninsula of Florida was cutoff by thunderstorms for the fist 3 days.
When it opened up chaos reigned. There were over 25 airplanes stranded at 40J, Perry Florida waiting to get in.
Same senario at Oshkosh only worse. I got into OSH on my sixth trip up the railroad tracks from Rippon to be turned back 5 times by the controllers at Fisk. Unless they change the AirVenture arrival procedure I won’t go back.

[blue44]

Never as bad as Oshkosh last year.

Yup we went in 2016, got the "white skyhawk rock your wings" over FISKE, saw two others rock with us. Nothing more for us until "white skyhawk go around" ( well I think it was us ) at about 100 ft. due Mustang behind. We landed long and turned off expeditiously. EAA is working on it though... Donn

[blue44]

Well we did make it, delayed by wx on the way down but visited the Wright Bros. historic site, and drove over from Spruce Creek with friends due a.m. showers Friday. Sampled some fine CLR BLO 120 on the way home which in the mid-Atlantic was scattered to broken 1500 to 2500...

Here's Juergen's Pacer and the Clipper on the ramp at St. Simons Island, GA... :)

15022

[Steve Pierce]

And I found out Allycat won Contemporary Best Custom. Is a beautiful Pacer.

[westypilot]

Gilbert, it was a pleasure meeting you on Tuesday. Thanks for taking the time to talk and let me take pictures. I missed talking to you Steve, but I'll reach out to you in the future (I'm looking for a set of wheel pants for my Tri-Pacer). I also met a great couple from Virginia (Kevin) that was happy to share their airplane for pictures and talk about the nuances of owning a shortwing. It really made the trip from Pennsylvania worth it. Not only do I have a bunch of reference photos, but it's motivated me to get this project going.

[Gilbert Pierce]

It’s always a pleasure to visit with Short Wing folks that stop by at Sun n Fun.

[Pacer42Z]

Well we did make it, delayed by wx on the way down but visited the Wright Bros. historic site, and drove over from Spruce Creek with friends due a.m. showers Friday. Sampled some fine CLR BLO 120 on the way home which in the mid-Atlantic was scattered to broken 1500 to 2500...

Here's Juergen's Pacer and the Clipper on the ramp at St. Simons Island, GA... :)

15022

Donn, too bad we didn't meet up at Sun & Fun. I left SSI on Thursday at 6:00 AM and made it into S&F at about 8:00 AM. Here is a link to my flight SSI to LAL https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtetI5TjM7akOHN2VS-Vgvl-S1ns8eg4c


Juergen

Pacer N3342Z