Sun n fun 2015 thoughts

A good group of pilots ignore the notams,figuring the controllers will save their bacon. Send them back to lake Parker a couple of times,maybe they'll get the message. If you can't read and understand the notams ,maybe you should stay away from large fly ins.
 
A good group of pilots ignore the notams,figuring the controllers will save their bacon. Send them back to lake Parker a couple of times,maybe they'll get the message. If you can't read and understand the notams ,maybe you should stay away from large fly ins.
Sending them back to Lake Parker just makes it more difficult for those who are at Lake Parker and are doing it the right way. They ought to let 'em land and then taxi them over to a penalty box where an FAA inspector is waiting to cite them.
 
I thought the show this year was great, best of the 5 years I've attended, met quite a few guys camping out at my local Field KGIF (Winter Haven) and getting the shuttle over to Lakeland, it's made it a good social week, safe travels home folks ..
 
I hated leaving today, for the first time. There were so many greeat stories to hear, people to meet, and aviation things to learn, i just had a blast.

I think I'm gonna do the gyro thing. Saw one I loved over at Paradise city
 
Went on Thursday. Rained most of the time I was there. Did get the chance to see Mike K ... had been a while. I always find fun stuff to look at and
drool over.

RT
 
Come on guys /gals....
Surely one of you had a camera

Sun n Fun on Facebook has the best photos
But if you want to see mah family pics - no problem :)

PS Emergency Repair Services need to be renamed into Secret Services. I'm sure they're a great bunch, but I've (and all the awesome volunteers) spent the evening yesterday and the morning today trying to find anyone who knew how to get a hold of them. Unsuccessfully.
Thankfully I have a buddy on the field who had a wing jack, spare tube, tools and desire to come out and rescue me on Sunday.
 

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I never thought myself as much of an experimental guy, but the Lancaire Evolutions on display really got my attention. Very impressive aircraft. I spent some time talking to two owners. I sure wouldn't mind joining their group.
 

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I never thought myself as much of an experimental guy, but the Lancaire Evolutions on display really got my attention. Very impressive aircraft. I spent some time talking to two owners. I sure wouldn't mind joining their group.

Get a IVP Turboprop with a D (not E) turbine, throw another hundred or two to make it yours and like new, and the change will still buy you about 155000 gal of fuel. Which is roughly 4550 hrs of flight time. Invest into good instruction, don't take it lightly, and that will be roughly 1,433,250 nm minus whatever you spent training.
YMMV naturally.
 
I never thought myself as much of an experimental guy, but the Lancaire Evolutions on display really got my attention. Very impressive aircraft. I spent some time talking to two owners. I sure wouldn't mind joining their group.

Did you look over the black on black and gray RV 12?

I liked it very much.

Saw an RV6 (yellow/orange/white on the blvd, in Paradise City that looked pretty nice, also.
 
Re: aircraft salesfolks -

I've found an unfortunate chunk of them to be real standoffish. This year it was one of the Mooney guys. I walked up as he was helping an older gentleman down off the wing of the nice looking Mooney outside the tent. I hovered for a moment and nodded to him and said hello and got a curt "hi" in return. Then he just stood there and stared at me.

The Piper guy was sitting in his chair and buried in his smartphone and didn't even acknowledge my presence. Maybe it's because I am a young-looking dude, I dunno.

Granted, I am not in the market for a new purchase at the moment. But I am a pilot and hope to own someday. I am also involved in sales for a living. The best salesfolks are a good ambassador for the company and the industry. I'd be greeting everyone who walked up to the plane, including the kids, talking up GA, talking up the company, and leaving them with a good impression. 'Cause even if they're not currently in the market for a plane, they may be someday, or they may know someone who is in the market. And I'd be keenly aware that the survival of my company may depend on the health of GA, and every kid I can "wow" and bring into the fold helps that cause. "It's not out of reach. Work hard and you can do this too."

Ok, that's my Sun 'N Fun rant. :D Let it be known that the show is still plenty enjoyable.
 
I suspect that they have learned, over time, that "selling" their $300,000 airplanes is a waste of time and effort. People that want and can afford that amount will find them.

You want sales effort, go to the homebuilders and LSA areas. Those boys SELL.
 
I've always wanted one of those, utterly cool. Should be safe enough once you learn to fly it since it can autorotate and land on a dime.

What I learned this week, in a demo ride which lasted nearly an hour, was it flies very similarly to a plane. Even though I had to push the stick forward to take off, I ended up bringing it back to level the plane once we were airborne.

What I also learned was how much fun you can have "sliding" around corners, "driving" one like you're on a track and racing against other drivers, and slamming it all around in the sky.

The fun factor was way over the top, and there are a lot of farmers in Florida who have them and meet up and fly to breakfast all the time, so thinking I'm pretty seriously about it.

EDIT: I didn't manage to land on a dime. I got within about 50' though, which is not bad for an orientation flight, I suppose.

The Pre-rotator (or whatever you call it) that spins the blades above you to rotation speed ahead of you needing them is interesting, but I can;t say I understood how it all comes together to get the thing flying.

I am very interested in learning more before buying.

The two I liked were built in Poland, though.
 
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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.

I've observed the same thing for years. I've flown into Paradise city for the last three years. Procedures are simpler but you do get the occasional buffoonery. Still more relaxing.
 
Come on guys /gals....

Surely one of you had a camera....

:needpics::needpics::needpics::needpics::needpics::needpics:

Trying to edit my video of my two passes in the manufacturers showcase on Saturday.
There is some salty language on interphone after they announced they were closing it 20 minutes early so the C- 17 could land. Those AMC guys must suck at time control.:rolleyes:
 
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.


Psst. He's holding out on you. He didn't mention cheese curds. He's planning on keeping them all for himself. Wait for a better offer!

YOu ONLY left out one menu item.... I had a bag of Chik-fil-A sandwiches to wash down my wild bore souffle.


LOL. Mmmmmm. Is hate-chicken still a thing? ;)
 
Psst. He's holding out on you. He didn't mention cheese curds. He's planning on keeping them all for himself. Wait for a better offer!




LOL. Mmmmmm. Is hate-chicken still a thing? ;)


That would be RENEWABLE cheese curds to you, Bub.
 
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