Sun-N-Fun 2010

I plan to go. This will be my first time and I must admit I am a little intimidated. I plan to fly in Saturday AM and spend the night. I was surprised to get a room at the Hilton so easily and now I am wondering if everybody else knows something i don't. I have some questions: Is the Hilton a good (or ok) choice? I know some or all runways are closed at times. Can I fly in on Saturday morning? When can I fly out on Sunday? Will thee be anything to see at the show on Sunday or will everybody be closing down. It doesn't really matter. I am going anyway, somehow and I plan to have a blast. LAL is only about an hour from Ormond (KOMN) and that includes flying around Orlando's class Bravo airspace.
 
There is a FAA video on how to fly into Sun-N-Fun I'll see if I can find the link for you.
You can normally get flight following that will guide you through the MCO class bravo (sometimes not)..
I've never heard of a bad Hilton (except for Paris) but I'm not really sure where it is in relation to the airport.
Normally there's not much going on Sunday and the NOTAMs do have certain times that you can arrive or depart KLAL.
 
I'm flying down Fridayt morning and planning to camp for 2 nights in Genaral Aviation camping area.

John, download the NOTAM for S&F arrivals and departures. Print it out. Read it. Read it again. Take in in the plane. It's no big deal if you follow the rules.
 
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flav8r said:
There is a FAA video on how to fly into Sun-N-Fun I'll see if I can find the link for you.
You can normally get flight following that will guide you through the MCO class bravo (sometimes not)..
I've never heard of a bad Hilton (except for Paris) but I'm not really sure where it is in relation to the airport.
Normally there's not much going on Sunday and the NOTAMs do have certain times that you can arrive or depart KLAL.
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Hilton hotel? They are good. I occasionally get them (or an affiliate) on business travel. They generally have free internet.

Paris Hilton? I thought she was a ditz until one of the candidates started using her for an example of why the other person wasn't fit to be president and I saw the advertisement she aired...I suspect she's smarter than the media let on.
 
Here is the line from the NOTAM that has me confused:

"Due to the large number of departures after the airport reopens each day, arrival traffic is not routinely accepted until 1830 EDT (2230 UTC)."

If I am coming on Saturday, does this mean I cannot arrive until 6:30pm? If true, then I and everyone else will take hours to get down and parked so the day is shot. Then on Sunday eveyrthing is breaking down and I will be lining up to leave, so that day is shot. Maybe flying in for the weekend is not such a good idea. Driving might be better, but it will take a lot of the "FUN" out of SUN N FUN.
 
JOhnH said:
If I am coming on Saturday, does this mean I cannot arrive until 6:30pm? If true, then I and everyone else will take hours to get down and parked so the day is shot. Then on Sunday eveyrthing is breaking down and I will be lining up to leave, so that day is shot. Maybe flying in for the weekend is not such a good idea. Driving might be better, but it will take a lot of the "FUN" out of SUN N FUN.
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You may not land at KLAL during the airshow but you can land in the morning or late afternoon.
 
JOhnH said:
Here is the line from the NOTAM that has me confused:

"Due to the large number of departures after the airport reopens each day, arrival traffic is not routinely accepted until 1830 EDT (2230 UTC)."

If I am coming on Saturday, does this mean I cannot arrive until 6:30pm? If true, then I and everyone else will take hours to get down and parked so the day is shot. Then on Sunday eveyrthing is breaking down and I will be lining up to leave, so that day is shot. Maybe flying in for the weekend is not such a good idea. Driving might be better, but it will take a lot of the "FUN" out of SUN N FUN.
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Arrive before the airshow. They are trying to avoid something like this: http://www.oshkosh365.org/audio/FantasticFridayFullLength.mp3
 
I recommend you try to arrive before 10am, or at least before the "showcase fly-bys" begin. Also, during the week, at different times the active military display aircraft will be arriving and normally they shut the airspace down around the airport until they land. For transports it's not much of a delay, but the hi-performance non-transports usually drag the runway once or twice before landing. Nothing against the active military, I actually like seeing active military aircraft on display. Some venues are better than others, though.

SnF is becoming more of a trade and air show and less of a fly-in, imho.

But that's just me.

flav8r said:
You may not land at KLAL during the airshow but you can land in the morning or late afternoon.
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JOhnH said:
Here is the line from the NOTAM that has me confused:

"Due to the large number of departures after the airport reopens each day, arrival traffic is not routinely accepted until 1830 EDT (2230 UTC)."
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ok, I will ask this one more time then drop it. Am I misreading the statement above, or am I being advised to just ignore it because of the word "routinely". I can just picture it now. Upon landing I hear "N426 Hotel Lima, please call the tower after parking" and I try to explain: "but some guys that I don't know on POA told me it would be ok! :lol::rofl:
 
I am assuming that you would like to arrive earlier than 18:30, if this is correct then you must arrive in the A.M. before the airshow begins.
After the airshow they have numerous departures and therefore they have requested NO arrivals till after the mass exodus of departing private flights.
You can always call the good people at Sun-N-Fun for clarification.
 
"not routinely accepted" means they won't let you or me in. If a bigwig (e.g. N1 FAA plane) arrives at that time, they will stop hundreds of departing proles. But you need to get there in the morning or wait until after 6:30PM. Capish?
 
Lance F said:
"not routinely accepted" means they won't let you or me in. If a bigwig (e.g. N1 FAA plane) arrives at that time, they will stop hundreds of departing proles. But you need to get there in the morning or wait until after 6:30PM. Capish?
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:mad2: I apologize to everyone for being so dense, but I just cannot figure out how the morning does not qualify as "before 18:30". Or are the NOTAMS just suggestions?

I did email sun-n-fun to ask for clarification.
 
JOhnH said:
:mad2: I apologize to everyone for being so dense, but I just cannot figure out how the morning does not qualify as "before 18:30". Or are the NOTAMS just suggestions?

I did email sun-n-fun to ask for clarification.
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If you think of KLAL as a busy downtown one-way street you'll see that the morning traffic is a one-way street inbound and a one-way street outbound in the afternoon.
What the NOTAM is telling you is that they don't want inbound traffic during the afternoon in what is normally a departure (outbound) period.
ie., No Salmon Runs (they want you going with the primary flow of traffic).
 
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JOhnH said:
:mad2: I apologize to everyone for being so dense, but I just cannot figure out how the morning does not qualify as "before 18:30". Or are the NOTAMS just suggestions?

I did email sun-n-fun to ask for clarification.
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This is copied from the SnF website and explains the whole thing in a nutshell:

Lakeland Airport's Control Tower will operate 6:30 AM to 9:30 PM. However, the SUN ’n FUN side (south) is closed to aircraft movements after 7:30 PM EDT. The field is also closed during the daily airshow (2:00 PM-6:00 PM). Check Graphic NOTAMS and AIM for air traffic information and procedures. Tune to ATIS frequency 118.025 upon arrival for update.

In other words, you're welcome to fly in prior to 2:00 PM or after the airshow (actually after the big wave of departures following the show). Note that they stop aircraft movements at 7:30, so you really have about an hour (6:30 - 7:30) arrival window after the show to land and get parked. My experience is that is a tight window. Try to arrive before the show.
 
The 18:30 refers to the earliest time after the airshow closes that arrivals are normally allowed.

On days with large numbers of aircraft departing after the show you can expect the controllers will not accept any arrivals for at least one hour, possibly longer if the departures are still lined up 30 deep like they can sometimes be. On slow days where there are few departures after the show you might be allowed much sooner if the number of departing aircraft is small.

The high count days for departures are usually Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. If there are weather issues north that can cause the departure count to go up after the show, also, on any given day.

I know some who want to get in after the show will stop over at Plant City or Bartow and have someone on the field at LAL call them on their cell phone with the departure status so they can slip in as soon as arrivals are allowed rather than holding over Lake Parker or the other lake.


JOhnH said:
:mad2: I apologize to everyone for being so dense, but I just cannot figure out how the morning does not qualify as "before 18:30". Or are the NOTAMS just suggestions?

I did email sun-n-fun to ask for clarification.
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I'm flying down to Sun 'N Fun on Monday from Baltimore. Any recommendations on good places to stop for lunch and/or cheap fuel in N & S Carolina, Georgia or N. FL?
 
flybill7 said:
I'm flying down to Sun 'N Fun on Monday from Baltimore. Any recommendations on good places to stop for lunch and/or cheap fuel in N & S Carolina, Georgia or N. FL?
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Claxton, Ga. has cheap fuel ($3.69 100LL) and it is about midway between.
It doesn't have any place to eat but once you arrive at KLAL you can eat at Tony's Airside Restaurant.
 
flybill7 said:
I'm flying down to Sun 'N Fun on Monday from Baltimore. Any recommendations on good places to stop for lunch and/or cheap fuel in N & S Carolina, Georgia or N. FL?
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Avoid Decatur County, KBGE. Horrible facilities, loose rocks all over the tarmac, lineman have no idea how to fuel an airplane. When I went looking for someone to "fuel" my plane one guy wanted to put diesel in my plane. When I finally found someone to drive the fuel truck I had parked too close to a building and he would not fuel it. :mad2:

A helpful local pilot tried to explain the many years of problems there, but all I wanted was fuel and to get something to eat. Neither of which were accomplished. I flew to another airport.
 
The Super 8, in Mulberry, FL has cheap rooms and plenty of them. I'm paying $55 a night! About 15 min drive from SnF.
 
For ONC - just one night of camping - can we pay the campground fee when we get there? I couldn't find any specific info on the site and there's no single night of camping avaialble on the ticket purchase section.
 
EvilEagle said:
For ONC - just one night of camping - can we pay the campground fee when we get there? I couldn't find any specific info on the site and there's no single night of camping avaialble on the ticket purchase section.
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Yes, you pay the camping fee on site.
 
Flew in yesterday afternoon. Clear skies and I hit a short lull in the arrivals so I didn't have any of the normal hassels getting in. Hit major turbulence on short basel but recovered and landed on the orange dot as directed. The volunteers were helpful as usual.

Unfortunately, I had to fly out of TPA this morning to go back to work. Will try to get back Sunday evening to take the plane home. I think the weather should be all week.


For any of you guys that are there, go by Charles Stites Able Flight forum on Wednesday. Here is a copy of the news letter update.

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​
COMING TO SUN 'N FUN?
Join us at Able Flight's forum on
"Sport Pilot For People With Disabilities"
Wednesday 14th at 11 AM
Tent #11
for news on our Career Training Scholarship and for a special presentation!
​

And, be sure to drop by the Hansen Air Group display to meet Able Flight's Charles Stites and take a look at the adapted Sky Arrow 600 LSA used to train a number of Able Flight scholarship winners.
See You There! ​
 
It was an incredible array of home built, factory built, war birds, seaplanes and everything in between.

Bumped into a few familiar faces visited the new hangar echo and loved every minute of my visit.
Next year I will try to go for the entire week.

I now have to restart the countdown clock for next years event, I can't wait.
But in the mean time I have created a Flickr Group called Sun 'n Fun 2010 that I have posted some pictures on and anyone is welcome to add their pictures to the mix.

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By the way I really liked Pipers entry into the LSA market, but Cessna not so much.

http://www.flickr.com/groups/sun-n-fun_2010/
 

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I'll hide this at the end of this dead thread.:D
I camped out at SnF. Yes, I did. The sacrifices of aviation. Actually "slept" for two nights in the blue tent behind the right wing. Woke to the pitter patter of raindrops on Sunday morning. Oh the joys of the outdoor life. Can't wait for next year.
 

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Lance F said:
I'll hide this at the end of this dead thread.:D
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Dead thread!!! :nono:

Well then I guess I'll just have to add this little video to try and revive it.


The video is the Piper LSA at Sun 'n Fun.
 
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