Sun N Fun is On for 2021!

....I doubt I can change any person's mind. I just don't get anti-maskers.....

aaaaand there it is, can't take the facts, pull out the "anti-masker" "insult".

I'm done with this pathetic conversation but it went pretty much exactly how I expected it to go. laterz.
 
Bit that IS what you meant.
Really? What are you, The Amazing Kreskin? I would've said what you said if I'd meant what you said. Instead, I said what I said, which was entirely different.

But please don't stop the demonstration of clairvoyance. What's my cat's name?
 
Tell that to the 2300 families watching their loved ones die of Covid today.
What are you going to tell the families of all the folks losing their jobs and having mental breakdowns due to the forced isolation? These kinds of arguments make me sick.
 
in the interest of keeping this as non-political as possible, and getting back to the topic at hand let me just say this.. as a San Diego resident and someone who was in Florida a few months ago visiting family here are my observations:
(1) don't believe everything you hear in the media, I come to the dog park everyday and it's absolutely crowded, the restaurants are open and the streets are packed with loaded beaches

(2) even in the most egregious lockdowns people were still out in the parks, the harbor was full of boats with people on them, and in the building I live people were having guests over and stuff

When I was in Florida it truly did not feel any different, a couple of random things were closed, most people are in masks, but by and large it seemed like there was a similar concentration of people.. you can say lock down and stay at home order all you want but if people are out and about the reality is not much different between the two states

back when it all started, in march and april, this place was a ghost town, but once the summer came people basically just gave up and at least socially speaking the pandemic here seemed to be over..

**you also have to take the reported numbers with a massive grain of salt, there are lies, there are dam lies, and then there are statistics. Don't forget that Florida had a statistics person removed from their job related to how the COVID numbers were reported.. and political motives aside there wasn't really a good centralized infrastructure in place for accurate record keeping of this type of data
 
Back to my original Sun and Fun post. Does anyone else think the fees are outrageous?
 
Back to my original Sun and Fun post. Does anyone else think the fees are outrageous?
I don’t think so. Like many things it’s relative. It’s an enormous effort to put one of these events together and considering all it offers, I think the price is commensurate.
 
I've gone for multiple days in the past, but really got disillusioned with SnF in 2019. Could be because 2019 was also the first year I attended Oshkosh, which was amazing. I swore I wasn't going to SnF in 2020 even before COVID was a thing. Now in 2021, thinking about maybe going, but if so, it will only be for a day (or two at most).
 
I've gone for multiple days in the past, but really got disillusioned with SnF in 2019. Could be because 2019 was also the first year I attended Oshkosh, which was amazing.

What caused you to become disillusioned? Just a comparison with Oshkosh?

I've been to Osh 6 or 7 times and SNF 4. I have come to prefer SNF, for many reasons:
- It has "most" of the same stuff as Osh.
- It's physically smaller, which means everything is closer. At Osh, getting from the North 40 to the main area takes about 40 minutes, even using the trams. At SNF, you can _walk_ from GAC to show center in about 15-20 minutes.
- The weather seems to be better. Florida in April is generally nice, especially when much of the U.S. is still having cold days. Wisconsin in July can be pretty hot and humid.
- Many of the seminars are held in indoor classrooms, with indoor plumbing, and the presenter doesn't have to pause every time there's a fly-by.
- Since it's not as big, and since there are many other nearby tourist attractions in the area, hotel/rental car/etc prices don't go crazy like at OSH (if that's important to you).
 
Three times to Sun n Fun.

First time, I thought the cost was a bit high, but went anyway. Stayed for a week, began to realize the cost of all the facilities and seminars, gas for the display war birds ($ tens of thousands just to send them out with full tanks), and the huge airshows.

Second time, amazed that the price had increased so little.

Third time, impressed that they were still so reasonable, but there were campers near me that thought that they were too high.

All three times, stayed for a full week, used the shuttle buses and tractor wagons frequently, and enjoyed all the airplane related input that I could stand.

Elsewhere, I once waited an hour just to hear a guy fire up his Mustang and take off. At SnF, I had trouble believing that I was walking away from the flight line as more than 20 Mustangs took off, and flew the pattern, but I had a welding seminar to attend, and had been by the taxiway as all of them went by. The seminar was well worth going to, and the Mustang music was impossible to miss.

If I get my Covid shots, I may attend this year, and the price will not be the determining factor.
 
Back to my original Sun and Fun post. Does anyone else think the fees are outrageous?
Yes! Additional money to sit on the flight line for airshows? Is this the norm here? It will be my first SNF.
 
We are pilots that should be very experienced in forming risk assessments. Nothing has changed here.

I'm wanting to attend so bad I'm considering adding ADSB
 
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I usually ride my motorcycle to the show, park right up at the entrance.
As for covid concerns, I get a PCR test regularly, average 2 per month since last July when things started opening up. Wear a mask when I'm close to others and indoors with strangers for more than a moment. Somehow dodged the virus when my roommate caught it. Negative antibodies. The virus isn't spreading outside much so unless I'm very close to people outdoors usually don't need to wear it outside. I'm going this year and I'll peak my head in for some of the classroom seminars, if they're crowded, I'll just go back outside and enjoy the sunshine, a cold beer and cool planes. I hope there's a nice turn out to support the event.
 
There is a local EAA chapter here reporting that SnF has been cancelled.

I cannot find any confirmation of this rumor ...

FWIW ...
 
Recent statement from SnF. Fast forward to 4:20 mark.

 
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There is a local EAA chapter here reporting that SnF has been cancelled.

I cannot find any confirmation of this rumor ...

FWIW ...

I would ask that you ask whomever told you that where they got their info. I'm a S-n-F volunteer and this past Saturday we were asked to provide our contact info for signing up for slots and to lock in our goodies (entry wrist bands, t-shirts, etc). Just this morning S-n-F sent out their latest email press release to the volunteer's distro list about how the F-22 Demo pilot coming to the show was a Tampa (Valrico) native. As a result, I'm 99.9% confident the show is a go at this point.
 
this year is gonna be different. it's gonna be Sun OR Fun. you can have sun, or you can have fun.
 
this year is gonna be different. it's gonna be Sun OR Fun. you can have sun, or you can have fun.

Although I expect the event to be smaller than normal (fewer venders, fewer aircraft across the board), me thinks that those that want to have fun will based up other events I've attended recently here in the Tampa area. Motorcycle rallies, boat shows, Super Bowl festivities, all have been packed. Especially with the Blue Angels coming as the main attraction.
 
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As a result, I'm 99.9% confident the show is a go at this point.

I was pretty sure he was incorrect and maybe was getting old information. I searched high and low for confirmation of what I heard but could not prove it.

Thanks for the update! I’m wanting to attend but nothing firm as yet ...
 
One of the great things about SNF as compared to OSH is you can go to SNF on extremely short notice and still find a place to stay. And because there's always an event going on in central Florida and there are a million rooms, they don't do the OSH-style motel price gouge.
 
I was just on sun-n-fun campus last weekend and they seem to think it's a go.
 
Daytona Beach is in the middle of Bike Week. I've heard there are about 400,000 people attending. I'm about 30 miles North and the bars are packed with Bikers. Pretty sure Florida will not be stopping SnF happening.
 
I just bought tickets yesterday so I'm sure it's on.
 
Daytona Beach is in the middle of Bike Week. I've heard there are about 400,000 people attending. I'm about 30 miles North and the bars are packed with Bikers. Pretty sure Florida will not be stopping SnF happening.
Am I correct in assuming they’re not doing the mask/distance thing?
 
Still ain't nailed down a go for SnF but tentatively looking at Thursday into Saturday ...
 
Just got off the phone with our volunteer coordinator. He called to ask us what dates we’d like work. We’re locked in for the 10th, 11th, 13th, and 16th.
 
"strongly encouraged" to wear masks. I bet most won't.
  • Guests must follow all posted COVID-19 instructions while visiting the 2021 SUN 'n FUN Aerospace Expo.
  • Masks will be required in all areas where social distancing is not achievable, such as exhibit hangars, ticket queues, enclosed tents and guest shuttles. Signage will be in place reminding guests of this requirement.
  • All indoor exhibitors will be required to wear masks, as will guests entering the hangars or other enclosed exhibit areas.
https://flysnf.org/covid-19-policy/
 
They have to say that. I wonder how it’ll actually work out. I predict “compliance” will be nearly universal among exhibitors. Among attendees, it’ll be 75% on Tuesday and precipitously drop after that.
 
We plan on going to sun n fun for the first time. But because of work if we do go it would only be for a day. Fly there one day, check it out the next. Fly back the following. There's a few things we want to check out but looking forward to one of the longer trips we'll take. 909 nautical.

Anyone want to give the lowdown? Is it like OshKosh?
 
Anyone want to give the lowdown? Is it like OshKosh?

In general yes, but on a much smaller scale. In the past, non-COVID environment, its had fewer venders and fewer show planes and overall fewer attendees (which many people like) but the major players in GA and E-AB usually attend and still tends to grab major air show acts like the Blue Angels and Thunderbirds. Where it has an edge over Osh is lodging. With its proximity to Orlando and Tampa there’s tons of places to stay nearby not to mention things to do outside of the show. This can make the trip very appealing to those wanting to escape the cold and for significant others for whom the show itself has little draw.
 
Sounds like fun to me. Lady Luscombe is a bit cramped so I try to keep the legs about 2 hours. But, if your body can take it, go for it.

we would likely stop every 2-3 hrs and maybe have an overnight stop halfway.
 
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