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Sun and Fun

Tom Martin

Well Known Member
It is that time of year again. Sun and Fun is just around the corner, April 10-14

This is the start of the flying season for me and I always am ready to go, if I can see some nice weather. I start watching now, seeing how the weather systems are moving. As we are due north of Lakeland, 1000nm, a high pressure system will often let us get the whole way in clear skies. It is one thing to get there, another to get home. I have flown down with a good forecast only to have to return the next day for risk of getting stuck. But it does not matter, it is not the destination that counts it is the trip itself, the places we stop, the folks we meet.
We camp by the pond, close to the BQ place, good grub, music a plus. I know there have been issues in the past, but I let it go. It is so much fun to see old friends, share some brews, see the new gadgets, buy stuff I absolutely do not need and to eat food that is bad for me.
There used to be hundreds of RVs there, now there is a handful, Wayne Hadath and I will be there with our F1 rockets. We usually park in the south end of home built parking.
Forget past problems, watch the weather, come on down. Give yourself a two or three day window to get there, being early is ok, lots to see.
 
M?lady was able to bid 10-13th off, hoping for good air show weather, so we can do some fly-in camping!
 
I will be there all week with the RV-14 in the Van's booth with the rest of the team.
I am also giving a presentation on Condition Inspections on Wednesday, and participating in the AOPA panel on Experimentals on Thursday in the AOPA tent.

I look forward to seeing you at SNF!

Vic
 
I am all booked up and ready. Commercial flight, rental car and hotel.
Hope to see a lot of you there. Vic, willing to learn anything you want to teach me.
 
I’ll be getting there the weekend before to do some test flying, then staying through Friday...magazine work you know (yeah, tough job....). No fixed location - just catch me wandering around!
 
. . .Forget past problems, watch the weather, come on down. Give yourself a two or three day window to get there, being early is ok, lots to see.
Well, I did enjoy time spent there in the past when I attended, I believe 4 years starting in 2008. However, given the manner in which the SnF organization treated me and others after 3/31/2011, I decided it was not worth supporting them any longer.

It is a personal thing with me, I am sure it is not with you, since you did not experience it. Because of that I can understand your ability to 'forgive and forget'. I am sure you will have a great time. I will too, during that week. Just not there.
 
This will be my first time flying in to sun n fun, have always been to Osh, will be bringing the new 10 down. Does sun n fun allow you to pick your spot for camping or is it like Osh where they file you in?
 
HBC parking procedure is pretty much like OSH, but the area is waaaay smaller, so not much concern about walking distance.
 
I'm planning on getting down early in the week ,will have camping gear on board but with weather being so unseasonablely cool last year and this week , I will be mentally prepared commute from FtMyers again this year !
Good chance we'll see you there Tom
 
I haven't seen anything about HBC activities, etc at SNF. Will it be status quo??

Anthony,

Last I heard was that Mary Jane had retired but her son and family were
going to take over the HBC Hospitality tent. Was one of the highlights of my
2016 trip. We will be hauling our 5th wheel down again this year. Wife likes
air conditioned comfort and a real bed.
 
For someplace to stay instead of camping in inclement weather, why Ft. Meyers instead of Tampa/St. Pete area which is closer? We are hoping to fly in from northern Utah but don't plan on camping and need to find a place to stay for a couple of days. Will get there Wednesday or Thursday depending on weather. Can you get a rental car on arrival at Lakeland or is it better to just plan on landing somewhere nearby and renting there?
 
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lodging

lodging in Winter Haven and Bartow will probably be cheaper than Ft Myers/Tampa. <30 minute drive into SNF. If you're flying in, rentals are available on both fields with inexpensive avgas. Weather permitting, it's an easy hop into Lakeland and you avoid the ground traffic getting out in the evening. You're an hour away from Tampa and Orlando if flying in with the airlines.
 
Hope to see you there

I plan on arriving on Tuesday afternoon or early Wednesday morning. Hope to see you folks there.
Cheers
Nige
 
We'll be there...

I am looking forward to the first big event of the season as well. Plan to be there wandering around from Tuesday to Thursday with ?Skykingbob? ? hope to see as many RV-friends as possible - we usually make it by the HBP/HBC around dinner time :D
 
WX not looking good for Tuesday.
I'll be flying in on Wednesday, maybe HBC.
Otherwise, if not HBC, I will fly in Wednesday, Thursday & Friday & park in the HB area.
 
Plan "A" for me is afternoon Thursday departure from west Texas, overnight Cajun Feast in New Orleans and late morning arrival Friday, headed for HBC.
 
Attended the very first S&F

I walked into the main gate area with Paul Poberezny and Steve Whitman.
Little did I know the impact they would have in our lives. I have our pix somewhere in my stuff.
 
Transponder

Read the notam, did a text search, and can't find info about when to turn off transponder like we do for OSH. Lights on at 30 miles out but nothing about the transponder except flying in controlled airspace without one.

Makes for another question. It seems like I read once upon a time that if you have ADSB out, it was supposed to be left on at OSH due to FAA rules or I just might be having a pipe dream or was a discussion on this site once before.

Betty as I fondly call the warning on my ADSB-in would be screaming if the transponders were left on which makes me wonder about the on or off answer from the question above.
 
SnF

Flying into VDF late Tuesday. Will be at the show all day Wednesday and possibly Thursday morning. Bayou Bert(RV9A) part of our crew this year.

Don Broussard cell 337-255-7012
RV9 Rebuild in Progress
57 Pacer
 
Read the notam, did a text search, and can't find info about when to turn off transponder like we do for OSH. Lights on at 30 miles out but nothing about the transponder except flying in controlled airspace without one.

Makes for another question. It seems like I read once upon a time that if you have ADSB out, it was supposed to be left on at OSH due to FAA rules or I just might be having a pipe dream or was a discussion on this site once before.

Betty as I fondly call the warning on my ADSB-in would be screaming if the transponders were left on which makes me wonder about the on or off answer from the question above.

You're not wrong! See FAR 91.225 (f).
 
Weather is starting to look better for our trip to Sun and Fun. The current plan is to clear customs in Port Clinton, OH Sunday morning, tomorrow at 10am, 14Z.
From there we typically fly southwesterly to clear the mountains and then southeasterly on the east side of Atlanta to Florida. We have flown directly over the mountains many times but there really are not that many airports should something go wrong, our westerly detour does not add much time to the overall trip.
Public forecasts have reduced the amounts of rain expected for the next couple of days. Total travel time, 4 hours 49 min. Forecast tomorrow is with a push so we should beat that number a little. Bags are packed, ready to submit EAPIS border notification.
Current plan is to return on Friday.
 
What about flight following flight of 2 or 3

You're not wrong! See FAR 91.225 (f).

Exactly, while using ADS-B out you are never suppose to turn it off.

So if we are flying along flight of 2 or 3 very loose formation and using flight following, everyone has ADS-B out, aren't we going to be told to have the wingmen turn there transponders to standby? That's not allowed right?

I like being able to see where they are on my screen also, when I'm lead.
 
Just a reminder that AOPA is having a panel discussion on Experimental aircraft in their forum tent at SNF this Thursday at noon. Mitch Lock and I will be participating. I think it is huge that AOPA is beginning to recognize our segment of aviation so let?s give them a good turnout.

Vic
 
Exactly, while using ADS-B out you are never suppose to turn it off.

So if we are flying along flight of 2 or 3 very loose formation and using flight following, everyone has ADS-B out, aren't we going to be told to have the wingmen turn there transponders to standby? That's not allowed right?

I like being able to see where they are on my screen also, when I'm lead.

It was two years ago, I was leading a flight of 3 and ATC said to have wingmen turn Transponder OFF. I asked Standby? Was told OFF.

One airplane had ADS-B out. Was over KONT in the Charlie airspace.
 
You're not wrong! See FAR 91.225 (f).

I read the FAA document. It says we are supposed to transmit at all times if we have ADSB-out......however, backing up a few paragraphs it looks like the disclaimer of "After Jan 1, 2020". I'm not an attorney but it looks like the qualifier might just include the statement about keeping it on.

It still doesn't make me feel any better when i can't find instructions regarding transponders and what we are supposed to do.

There is a lot of turn the head the other way at OSH. Not so sure about SNF.

And thanks, now I know I only have partial memory loss and not fully there yet.
 
Be careful in the Mass Arrival of Aircraft tomorrow ( Wednesday at SNF ). The weather across north FLA has held off most VFR arrivals until forecast opens up on Wednesday. My guess is that Wed will be a big arrival day . Please read the arrival procedures published including the holding pattern options. It will be much safer for all of us. Looking for some FLA wx.
 
Weather

Well if my memory serves me correctly this is almost an exact copy of last years SNF weather.
I am only thirty minutes RV time from Lakeland so I fly into HBC for one night of camping. Last year I went in Wednesday morning after the front went through and had to file IFR and the other arrivals were non-existent.
With the front stalled on Central Florida right now there is almost no path for the Northern arrivals to get to LAL until later Wednesday. The good news is that there has yet to be much rain in LAL so the grounds should still be dry and in good shape.
The weather for the rest of the week looks perfect.
 
Well, sick plane and sick wife means no SNF. Looks like we'd be sitting in GA anyway right now, no on-board radar on any of the little planes.
 
Looks like we'd be sitting in GA anyway right now, no on-board radar on any of the little planes.

Yup. I just flew Newark-Tampa (737), lotta crud out there. Passing N of LAL I dialed up the SNF arrival freq; man, it was quiet. Said hi to the controller, asked how it?s going... he said it?s been slow, only 6 arrivals so far today. Gonna get slammed with traffic tomorrow methinks...
 
The forecast indicates no VFR across North Fla on wed until 1800 UTC and if i subtracted correctly thats 2pm est at which time the airport is closed!!!!. Maybe not tomorrow now. Not interested in staying overnight in South Ga.
 
It rained all day here in Lakeland. Got to do a couple of workshops and hangout in the big hangars and check the vendors out. Tomorrow will hit Vans.
 
Well, I did enjoy time spent there in the past when I attended, I believe 4 years starting in 2008. However, given the manner in which the SnF organization treated me and others after 3/31/2011, I decided it was not worth supporting them any longer.

It is a personal thing with me, I am sure it is not with you, since you did not experience it. Because of that I can understand your ability to 'forgive and forget'. I am sure you will have a great time. I will too, during that week. Just not there.

Can?; I ask or dare I ask on this format. What happened in 2011 that turn some off? Yours, R.E.A. III # 80888
 
FWIW, weather was great from Wednesday to Saturday.
I flew in Wednesday morning & stayed in HBC until Friday morning.
Caught up with many VAFers.

All of us had a great time in HBC & were very well taken care of during our stay.
 
Weather

I am on the West side of Orlando and we have had some serious weather this afternoon. I hope that everyone got packed up and secure before the rain and wind turned everything to mud.Lots of wind with the rain.
 
ATC requests.

There is a lot of sections of the FAR's that start with one or both of the following lines.

(a) Unless otherwise authorized by the Administrator, no person may operate an aircraft...........

(b) Unless otherwise authorized or required by ATC, no person may operate an aircraft........

With that in mind, If ATC asked you to do something, it is sometimes easier to do as asked as that is an authorization. Just remember the date, time and location, because all ATC communications are recorded and saved for sometime, so you can use it as your defense. They understand that multiple aircraft is close proximity, mess up their screens, and they need to reduce returns and false traffic conflicts which causes alarms and distractions, so that is why they ask your wingman to turn off their transponder to remove these distractions. It is all in the interest of safety.

Brian
 
They actually cancelled the air show today,and most vendors were packed up by early afternoon, including Van?s. The really nasty weather spared the airport. The frontal system sure closed off the route home so we are leaving early tomorrow morning.
I really enjoyed meeting so many of you that I have spoken with or traded emails over the years!

Vic
 
Great Show

Bracketed by bad weather, the core of the show was great! From Thursday through Saturday, the weather was excellent and the performers were awesome.

The cancellation of the Thunderbirds was regrettable but SNF filled the gap admirably. Personally, I prefer SNF without the jet team shows. I stay in the campground and dislike having to evacuate half of the campground just so the T-Birds or Blues can fly. But, that's purely personal opinion.

I restocked my supplies, checked out all the new stuff and said hello to many friends. It was a good year at SNF.
 
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