Sun and Fun Starts Next Tuesday

If you haven't flown to the Sun and Fun it really is a fun and worthwhile trip. Every pilot from the north east I’ve ever spoken with has, at some point, expressed a desire to fly a light airplane to Florida. The Sun and Fun fly in is certainly a good enough reason to do that.

The show kicks off the flying season with new products, airplanes and pilots from all over converging in south Florida for the start of the air show season.

Flying there is easier from the north east as the trip can usually be accomplished without having to cross a frontal bounty. The challange is arriving and executing the Lake Parker approach after 7 some odd hours of cross country flying. The procedure is outlined in the NOTAM which is voluminous- 30 some odd pages of information.

Traffic inbound to the airport has to fly in single file over the powerplant and at 90 knots.  The difficult thing about flying the procedure is keeping track of who you are following not getting side by side with anyone, while scanning for other traffic who might be following the same airplane you are. Sometimes you'll encounter folks who aren't very good with airspeed control and this can create problems. Or maybe you're not so good controlling airspeed and if this is the case I would suggest practicing flying level at 90 Kts prior to arriving over Lake Parker.

Fortunately coming from the northeast, you will likely get to KLAL as or soon after dark. The good thing about arriving late is, unlike Oshkosh, Lakeland Linder Regional does not close at sunset.

I've found the easy way in is to arrive just after sunset, when the NOTAM expires. Then you simply file IFR from your fuel stop to the destination without requiring an STMP slot reservation.

Doing this may prevent you from camping your first night but the FBO's will let you sleep on the floor in the terminal or pitch your tent on the grass along their ramp. When you get up in the morning you simply taxi to where you will be parking for the show. 

Judy and I have done the trip seven times. Six in the Mooney and once in our Tiger. We always love going to Florida in the spring time as it gives us some quality flying time and a jump on our tans for summer.

We won't be making it this year due to other commitments but hopefully some of you will and maybe you'll send us a postcard.