Sun n fun 2015 thoughts

frfly172

frfly172

Touchdown! Greaser!
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Oct 22, 2008
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Display name:
ron keating
Went to the show today ,opening day. Not many aircraft had arrived warbirds line was a little thin. The brietling jet team did a great show. walk in crowd was good.,lot of people going through the hangars. ADSB seems to be a major topic this year. Going back in the AM enjoy the show.
 
Not surprised aircraft are thin on the first day especialy with the weather systems in the last week. Let us know how it progresses, the claim as usual is that there will be record attendance.
 
Can you ask the Aspen Avionics folks if they are offing any show specials or discounts? If so, can you grab me a flier or whatever they have on it?
 
Any reports on ground conditions re: GAC for taxiing and camping would be nice, too. :yesnod: As much as I don't want to sleep in a swamp, I want to not taxi through one much more!

P.S.—Have some fun, too. :lol:
 
Thought about going - momentarily.
Loved the show and flew through 1200 miles of crappy weather getting there many times in years past, even when I could not justify the lost income and the expense. Did a bit of hauling tables and sweeping.
But it got bigger and bigger. Then the EAA chapters spun it off as a separate corporation and suddenly there were careers, and year around salaries, and mortgages to be paid, and kids to be put through college from the proceeds.
Everything got more expensive (though I could afford it by then) It became a cash cow for the insiders not a celebration of flight by EAA members and their families. So I still go once in a while. It's not the same.
 
Denny-since you are from MI, I assume you have been to OSH a few times. I remember as a little girl attending with my dad. Talk about an event getting bigger and bigger!
 
Gypsy said:
Denny-since you are from MI, I assume you have been to OSH a few times. I remember as a little girl attending with my dad. Talk about an event getting bigger and bigger!
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First post on POA. Let me be the first to welcome you Gypsy!
Are you going to SnF?
 
Greetings John!

No SunNFun for me this year, but OSH is a definite yes!
 
I went yesterday also. Ground was little muddy but not bad. Probably be fine today. Definitely not as many planes in the camping areas but from the sound of them flying over my house since show end yesterday should be quite a lot more by now. Not near as big of crowds as I'm sure will be there later in week. Got to talk to several vendors extensively I wanted to visit with. Was a great place to do some cost comparisons. Found a smokin deal on the new avidyne 540 and transponder for adsb compliance. Also got to play with the 540 and 440 some. Then went and played with garmin 750 and 650. I liked the 540 the best myself. Got all the time in the sims I wanted. Had a king air sim that was really good. Very nice day
 
Theboys said:
I went yesterday also. Ground was little muddy but not bad. Probably be fine today. Definitely not as many planes in the camping areas but from the sound of them flying over my house since show end yesterday should be quite a lot more by now. Not near as big of crowds as I'm sure will be there later in week. Got to talk to several vendors extensively I wanted to visit with. Was a great place to do some cost comparisons. Found a smokin deal on the new avidyne 540 and transponder for adsb compliance. Also got to play with the 540 and 440 some. Then went and played with garmin 750 and 650. I liked the 540 the best myself. Got all the time in the sims I wanted. Had a king air sim that was really good. Very nice day
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Lots of Fun , some Sun, today weather is beautiful, supposed to get worse Thursday, improve somewhat Friday and then nice on Saturday.

Cheers
 
Haven't posted here in a while. So who is all down here???
 
Did day two today the ground is stable ,although the grass seems a little long.the warbirds show was great. The lots are starting to fill with planes,fly ins where steady ,not over crowded. Hangars are crowded as usual as the outside temp was high with bright sunshine. Enjoy.
 
Dr. O said:
Thought about going - momentarily.
Loved the show and flew through 1200 miles of crappy weather getting there many times in years past, even when I could not justify the lost income and the expense. Did a bit of hauling tables and sweeping.
But it got bigger and bigger. Then the EAA chapters spun it off as a separate corporation and suddenly there were careers, and year around salaries, and mortgages to be paid, and kids to be put through college from the proceeds.
Everything got more expensive (though I could afford it by then) It became a cash cow for the insiders not a celebration of flight by EAA members and their families. So I still go once in a while. It's not the same.
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Probably the most polite and accurate way do describe S&F's evolution...

Congrats on hitting the nail squarely on the head...:thumbsup::thumbsup:
 
I spoke to Lites Leenhouse the pres, and he proudly stated that the fly in is completely debt free, has under 20 actual employees, along with around 1200 volunteers, and funded hundreds of flying lesson scholarships BESIDES a funding the Central Florida Aviation high school built on the grounds, which just graduated their first four year set of students, 100% of enrolled kids graduated., and their student grads are all either in college, or full time employee in aviation related jobs.
 
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The show may have been commercialized,however it is still about aviation. Go to the camping areas or the vintage building and sit down and chat with a few strangers,it is about aviation.
 
nauga said:
John Leenhouts? Is he president of the Sun-n-Fun organization now?

Nauga,
and his wayback machine
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Yep. He was brought in when the former (political hack) president got the org so deeply in debt, they had to have fundraisers to pay the light bill.

The changes he;s made are amazing, and his dedication to building new pilots is phenomenal.
 
Went once, it was fun, though I prefer Osh. Airplane partner Lenny is down there selling for Pilot Mall, tell him I said hi.
 
steingar said:
Went once, it was fun, though I prefer Osh. Airplane partner Lenny is down there selling for Pilot Mall, tell him I said hi.
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I was in the Pilot Mall his morning. It rained quite a lot, so many, if not most folks, flocked to indoor activities. The forums were busy...
 
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Anyone been by the Aspen Avionics display? Are they offering and discounting on PFDs?
 
Florida Cracker said:
I was in the Pilot Mall his morning. It rained quite a lot, so many, if not most folks, flocked to indoor activities. The forums were busy...
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Lenny is the big guy selling electronics. He is an awesome IT guy and an electronics whiz.
 
I'll be in Sarasota Saturday through the weekend and maybe driving up to SNF for Sunday. Assuming the weather is good, is it worth it, on the last day, never been there? Anything I should know? I don't care about any of the venders or products, more interested in the Antique/Classic and Warbirds.
 
champ driver said:
I'll be in Sarasota Saturday through the weekend and maybe driving up to SNF for Sunday. Assuming the weather is good, is it worth it, on the last day, never been there? Anything I should know? I don't care about any of the venders or products, more interested in the Antique/Classic and Warbirds.
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This year Leenhouts has made the air show truly epic, and the Warbird line is HUGE.
 
I got to talk at length with the women pilot, born with NO ARMS, who flies an Ercoupe with her feet. What an amazing story.
 
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I enjoyed the show put on by the Breitling jet team. Not quite as clean in formation as the 'birds (or Blues) but a very elegant demonstration. Having it narrated by a Frenchman was also quite unique.

Fingers crossed the weather holds out for tomorrow's nighttime airshow.

Florida Cracker said:
This year Leenhouts has made the air show truly epic, and the Warbird line is HUGE.
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Florida Cracker said:
I got to talk at length with the women pilot, born with NO ARMS, who flies and Ercoupe with her feet. What an amazing story.
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We met her at Oshkosh a few years ago. That is one determined young lady, and an inspiration to us all.

Man, I wish we were at SNF. Unfortunately, we're in the middle of the biggest island event of the year here, "SandFest", so there's no way for us to escape...
 
Jay Honeck said:
We met her at Oshkosh a few years ago. That is one determined young lady, and an inspiration to us all.

Man, I wish we were at SNF. Unfortunately, we're in the middle of the biggest island event of the year here, "SandFest", so there's no way for us to escape...
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I think this isthe best sun-n-fun I've ever attended. It is certainly well attended.
 
My favorite part of this airshow is as the sun is setting leading up to the night show. There is a cool breeze, the bulk of the crowd is gone, and you watch the long line of planes depart.

IMG_20150425_194457.jpg

IMG_20150425_194704.jpg
 
I was standing at the Tecnam exhibit today next to a guy looking at their twin, I think its a P2006T. It was locked up and the guy asked if he could take a look inside. The salesman replied, "If you're a potential buyer." That was an a**hole thing to say, then he proceeded to badger the guy with questions to see if he was in the market for a new plane. If he was a potential customer, the salesman lost him. Why would you bring a plane to an event like this and not even open the doors for people to get a good look? Crappy marketing technique in my opinion.

Rant over...

-Stephen
 
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nddons said:
Yea, but did you and FC get to hug it out? :D:rofl:
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We had lunch together. I ordered the grilled free range chicken breast, no seasoning, accompanied by the gluten free wine spritzer. I led an agnostic chant thanking the chicken for giving its life for my sustenance and reiterating my support for two male chickens to have the freedom to cluck each other.

FC declined to order from the menu. Instead he bagged a wild bore with his Smith and Wesson, field dressed it with a chainsaw that burns kerosene and grilled it over an open pit fire using endangered animals as kindling, fuk yeah. With lunch he drank his homegrown moonshine affectionately named Barak O-blow-me.

Teehee. Actually, he does the weekday show(s) and I do Saturday so we didn't have the chance. But I think we would have done alright. Who has time to talk politics with all those airplanes around? :)
 
asechrest said:
We had lunch together. I ordered the grilled free range chicken breast, no seasoning, accompanied by the gluten free wine spritzer. I led an agnostic chant thanking the chicken for giving its life for my sustenance and reiterating my support for two male chickens to have the freedom to cluck each other.

FC declined to order from the menu. Instead he bagged a wild bore with his Smith and Wesson, field dressed it with a chainsaw that burns kerosene and grilled it over an open pit fire using endangered animals as kindling, fuk yeah. With lunch he drank his homegrown moonshine affectionately named Barak O-blow-me.

Teehee. Actually, he does the weekday show(s) and I do Saturday so we didn't have the chance. But I think we would have done alright. Who has time to talk politics with all those airplanes around? :)
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Awesome! :rofl:

We have free range Brats and sustainable beer here in Wisconsin, so if you make it to AirVenture, I'd be happy to share lunch with you.
 
nddons said:
Awesome! :rofl:

We have free range Brats and sustainable beer here in Wisconsin, so if you make it to AirVenture, I'd be happy to share lunch with you.
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:rofl:

It's a long trip from FL but it's on the bucket list, so I'll take you up on that offer when I get up there.
 
asechrest said:
We had lunch together. I ordered the grilled free range chicken breast, no seasoning, accompanied by the gluten free wine spritzer. I led an agnostic chant thanking the chicken for giving its life for my sustenance and reiterating my support for two male chickens to have the freedom to cluck each other.

FC declined to order from the menu. Instead he bagged a wild bore with his Smith and Wesson, field dressed it with a chainsaw that burns kerosene and grilled it over an open pit fire using endangered animals as kindling, fuk yeah. With lunch he drank his homegrown moonshine affectionately named Barak O-blow-me.

Teehee. Actually, he does the weekday show(s) and I do Saturday so we didn't have the chance. But I think we would have done alright. Who has time to talk politics with all those airplanes around? :)
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YOu ONLY left out one menu item.... I had a bag of Chik-fil-A sandwiches to wash down my wild bore souffle.
 
I arrived at the show late Friday morning and left this morning. I've attended many of these and I think the attendance was way up this year. Watching the night airshow was fun as always. I thought the Breathing Jet Team was a nice addition. Hard to imaging that selling watches could support sending 7 L39s and all the support that takes around the world. I did a lot of window shopping/tire kicking and got excellent help from the salespeople (notable exception at Lycoming).
One small rant on the pilots. I am AMAZED at how many who fly in and fly out have obviously not read the NOTAM. All the procedures whether arrival, departure, VFR or IFR are clearly spelled out. Yet you have numerous goofballs go charging into the arrival, cut into line, don't follow the no talking on the radio rule, etc, etc. And departing the NOTAM procedure to transfer to IFR is clear and simple. But so many on the radio this morning were not following it. The controllers were being saints in trying to help these jerks, but I had no sympathy.
Glad to be home, but it was a good show.
 
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