Sun and Fun 2018 (Weather)

FloridaPilot

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FloridaStudentPilot
Well, today is the first day of SnF and looking up at the weather, (Low flying clouds, some light wind and fog) looks like it's an IFR day today. Who is going? I hear it's suppose to rain on the weekend as well.... :(
 
Well, today is the first day of SnF and looking up at the weather, (Low flying clouds, some light wind and fog) looks like it's an IFR day today. Who is going? I hear it's suppose to rain on the weekend as well.... :(

You've got a cold front and some thunderstorms moving through as I type. Looks like rest of the week until Sunday will be warm and sunny.
 
You've got a cold front and some thunderstorms moving through as I type. Looks like rest of the week until Sunday will be warm and sunny.

It was red for a while passing through.....That's Florida's weather I tell ya!
 
I'm currently in Charleston, SC. Weather stopped me flying down today, then a small maintenance issue cropped up. Hopefully I'll get that fixed and get down there for a day before heading back North.
 
The hangar exhibits were full today, as we all waited on the rain to pass. A few breaks during the day, but mostly chilly and rainy.
 
Drove to the show ,weather was positively horrible ,off and on thunderstorms. With bands of heavy rain. Exhibitors in the hangars where cheerfull and helpfull all day.
 
I'd be there except the feds are doing their thing this week at the office so I have to stay put to be at their beck & call. Buddy flew from Sportys to Albany, GA today in his 152 where he is patiently waiting for WX to clear before heading in tomorrow AM. SNF was my first big trip in the mighty 172.
 
I looked up in the sky and the weather is absolutely delightful. How are the crowds? How are you enjoying it so far? I will be there (Hopefully) on Saturday and Sunday!
 
Looking at the weather, it looks like Sunday might turn out okay too. Saturday is suppose to be good too. Luckily Florida residents pay for Saturday and get Sunday free! so if Sunday is bad (Weather wise) I wont go!
 
Well, today is the first day of SnF and looking up at the weather, (Low flying clouds, some light wind and fog) looks like it's an IFR day today. Who is going? I hear it's suppose to rain on the weekend as well.... :(
Today was absolutely incredible weather, especially after the grey, wet, and dismal winter we in the Midwest have had this winter.

I have the red skin to prove it, too!
 
I was planning on flying Saturday and staying overnight to see the night airshow Saturday like every year.

However the Sunday forecast doesn’t look too promising and I don’t want to get stuck Sunday in Lakeland.

I’m only an hour 45 minute drive from Lakeland though so I’ll be driving Saturday and spending all day

Can’t miss flying in though so Will be flying in today (Friday) for the day
 
Jealous of y’all.

Might be a coincidence or my nephew might be part of the jump team that’s been jumping in at the beginning of the airshows every day. We (the family and a few on the grounds spies/press folks) haven’t been able to confirm.

All I know for sure is he was doing night jumps last week somewhere else. Then I heard his name (or someone else with the same name) on the PA announcer’s prattle a couple of days ago via the LiveATC feed.

:)
 
The two weeks with the worse weather (on average) for flying is when Sun 'n Fun is scheduled.
 
The two weeks with the worse weather (on average) for flying is when Sun 'n Fun is scheduled.

They don't want you flying. They want you firmly on the ground, visiting the exhibitors, buying aviator trinkets and expensive junk food with whatever credit limit you have left. ;)
 
They don't want you flying. They want you firmly on the ground, visiting the exhibitors, buying aviator trinkets and expensive junk food with whatever credit limit you have left. ;)

Does that apply to OSH as well?
 
Looks like they are going to have some BAD weather soon!!!!!
 
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Looks like they are going to have some BAD weather very soon!!!!!

That is very true. Some of the exhibitions are closing early and IMO the turn out wasn't great this year. If you don't believe me here is a photo I took of the camping this year:

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This was early on Saturday!

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Great weather for the drive back to Charlotte. We took two days and did some sightseeing along the way. Just got home 30 minutes ago.
 
Great weather for the drive back to Charlotte. We took two days and did some sightseeing along the way. Just got home 30 minutes ago.

So what was your favorite thing there and what most excited you about aviation?
 
So what was your favorite thing there and what most excited you about aviation?

The Czech girls at the Sport Cruiser display. :)

Really hard to nail down one best thing so here are a few things I enjoyed.

I really enjoyed the opportunities to talk in depth with representatives as well as management of some aircraft companies. I always found that difficult at OSH. I spent a lot of time talking and listening to Keith ? from Searey, Sebastian Heinz of Zenith, Chip Allen from Cub Crafters and several others.

Spent quite a bit of time talking to a guy at the Searey area who is trying to develop a network of clubs around the country using Seareys. I guess their launch club is going to be in the Saint Louis area. Sounds like he might have a decent business plan. I hope it works out.

Talked to one of the guys who rebuilt the Cub that EAA is giving away this year. Nice looking plane. The AOPA Super Cub really looks great as well. I'd really love to win that!

Talked to the Rotax & Viking guys about their respective engine options for experimentals.

Chatted with Melissa Rudinger from AOPA for a few minutes. She seems very nice. Thanked her as well as others from AOPA, EAA, and SPA for all their hard work in advocating for GA.

Attended a ADS-B session put on by Appareo. I wanted to attend other seminars but never quite fit them into my schedule.

Talked to the developer of Heaven's Landing airpark, Mike Ciochetti. He is a former race car driver in ARCA and was hoping to go NASCAR until an injury in an ARCA accident sidelined him.

And looked at airplanes. Lots and lots of airplanes.

All in all, a great time.
 
Turnout seemed sparse compared to last year. Not nearly as many warbirds, but I enjoyed walking through the Memphis Belle (B17) and a few other planes.

Agree with Dog; the Sport Cruiser girls alone are worth the price of admission. :devil:

I thought the new Vashon Ranger LSA would be there, considering the hype in the magazines, but it was conspicuously absent.

Had a good time nevertheless. Met several nice folks, looked at lots of lovely planes both old and new, got myself a new ANR headset, took a couple of WINGS classes, and walked my legs off. Beat being at work by a mile.
 
So what was your favorite thing there and what most excited you about aviation?

As you already know, from my years of posting I'm ALWAYS excited about aviation. I enjoyed myself today. This morning I had the opportunity to sit in a Beechcraft G36. It has pretty much the same room as an A36. I was talking to a sales person, (I can't remember his name) and I was VERY impressed with his knowledge of the aircraft. It inspired me so much that I decided to go to a Beechcraft Seminar at 10:00 this morning which I enjoyed very much. Didn't know much about the aircraft but I became a member of the Bonanza Society today. I also was talking to an owner of an A36 and got a chance to sit in his. This is probably the most comfortable single engine airplane that I ever sat in....Sorry Cirrus. I also sat in the back of the G36 and A36 and it's very comfortable as well. Like I mentioned previously. I'm a big wide guy and I sat in ALL of the seats with no issues at all. It was also comfortable enough to take long trips in.

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For some reason I was impressed with this bike never rode it but IMO looks pretty cool!

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Our tax dollars at work :)

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The G36 that I sat in!

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Specs

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As far as the Czech girls....Meh. They can show me where the airplanes are :)
 

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I would think useful load would be higher than that in a G36. Are the A36's that low?

No,

Generally speaking you can get an A36 with less speed, they are a bit slower but useful is better. The guy I met up with today his useful is 1376 with Tip tanks.
 
I also saw someone today flying a Rutan Defiant and almost ran into another airplane. I know someone has one here from Florida but I can't remember what his member ID is:

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