Sun n Fun Intel please

AlphaPilotFlyer

AlphaPilotFlyer

Line Up and Wait
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AlphaPilotFlyer
I'm lending my plane to a couple of CFI's building time to fly from Denver. Last year a couple CFI's flew it to OSH and had a great time without issue.

Neither of the young ladies going this time has been to SUN n FUN and will be studying the NOTAM as if prepping for a check ride. Wondering if anyone has some experience and offer some advice learned from experience. They plan on camping with plane a few days and we have the grass tie down stuff already.

How busy can arrivals get? What's best day to arrive to avoid busy airspace and get good parking spot? Where is best place to park if camping? Any PoA'ers camping?... would appreciate if they had a contact there if needed.
 
Can’t help much with the question as its been nearly 15 years since I attended but tell them to bring sunscreen and lots of it. FWIW I’ve done the arrival into both SnF and Osh and recall SnF being much less busy but that may no longer be the case.
 
SnF approach is less complicated and less busy than OSH. Only tricky part of SnF is they will sometimes ask for aggressive maneuver on turn from base to final to hit the spot.
 
AlphaPilotFlyer said:
I'm lending my plane to a couple of CFI's building time to fly from Denver. Last year a couple CFI's flew it to OSH and had a great time without issue.

Neither of the young ladies going this time has been to SUN n FUN and will be studying the NOTAM as if prepping for a check ride. Wondering if anyone has some experience and offer some advice learned from experience. They plan on camping with plane a few days and we have the grass tie down stuff already.

How busy can arrivals get? What's best day to arrive to avoid busy airspace and get good parking spot? Where is best place to park if camping? Any PoA'ers camping?... would appreciate if they had a contact there if needed.
Click to expand...
I had done the OSH arrival at least a dozen times before I went to SnF for the first time, and I prepped for SnF like I prep for OSH.

It was a giant nothingburger going in there. I'm convinced you could probably skip reading the NOTAM and do it OK. My experience was that I tuned the ATIS and they read me the NOTAM, flipped over to Lake Parker Approach and they read me the NOTAM again, went to Tower and they read me the ending part of the NOTAM. Handholding the entire way.

In fact, I was kinda ****ed because the ATIS didn't even have the weather, and I would have liked the winds and altimeter at least!

They'll do fine. SnF is maybe 20% of what OSH is.
 
SnF seems to attract less experienced pilots, so expect curveballs.

Case in point: a few years ago we were landing following a Cardinal. The instructions (for all planes) were land, kerp high speed until the end of the runway, pull over in thr grass.
The Cardinal lands and proceeds to slam on his brakes as we touch down behind him. No room to go around, no room to stop. Good thing we were in a low wing and he didn't have struts.
 
AV8R_87 said:
SnF seems to attract less experienced pilots, so expect curveballs.

Case in point: a few years ago we were landing following a Cardinal. The instructions (for all planes) were land, kerp high speed until the end of the runway, pull over in thr grass.
The Cardinal lands and proceeds to slam on his brakes as we touch down behind him. No room to go around, no room to stop. Good thing we were in a low wing and he didn't have struts.
Click to expand...

I've seen way more accidents and incidents at OSH. No comparison.
 
Bartow Airport KBOW is having a free shuttle service to KLAL.
Another option.
 
bonefishpete said:
Bartow Airport KBOW is having a free shuttle service to KLAL.
Another option.
Click to expand...
Winter Haven did the same a few years ago. No idea if they’re still doing it, but if so it’s easy and quick enough.

The SnF arrival works well for competent pilots, but be ready for guys who don’t follow the NOTAM or get overwhelmed by traffic. There also can be delays when the Almighty Amazon jets are arriving or departing. They get priority handling from ATC.
 
I've flown into SNF a couple of times in my Maule and it was easier than my flights into KOSH. Both venues get overloaded from time to time and planes attending either event will be shuttled to the holding areas. Both times I attended Sun-N-Fun, the taxi to aircraft camping was much longer than at KOSH, but there were no technical challenges and the volunteers were well organized to guide taxiing aircraft. I actually prefer the SNF location over the AirVenture grounds. It is more compact and easier to navigate on foot. There is just as much variety at SNF as there is at AirVenture, but fewer examples of each type.
 
Read and fully understand the Notam,and it will be an easy experience. The controllers are some of the best,who are used to pilots not understanding the notam,or have ignored reading it. Follow the instructions or you will be directed to Lake Parker to try it again. Enjoy
 
I’ve never flown into Oshkosh, but sun n fun might was well not have a notam for all times people pay attention to it. Thank goodness I can fly the warbird arrival now.
 
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