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Trends, Sun ‘N Fun 2001 The Dawn Of A New Age … ? The perception of homebuilders and certainly homebuilt aircraft has evolved from the “crazy outsider” stages to the corporate giant phase and now we all stand to reap the benefits, hard won by an adventurous minority – minority, that is, until you step […]

A palpable sense of melancholy permeated much of the EAA Sun ‘n Fun Fly-In grounds Saturday as the realization hit the final few thousand on the emptying grounds that another chapter in the annual event was nearing its final hour. It seemed only moments earlier that thousands of airplanes filled the vast expanses of green […]

In a perfect world, the opening morning of a major spectator event would bring crisp, clear, cool skies conducive to the focus of the celebration. No traffic snarls would plague the arriving throngs, the entertainment would start on time, and the scheduled attractions would rise to the expectations of the audience. Somewhere, somebody must have […]

Click on any image to view a larger version. Daybreak Activities begin Fly Market Exhibit Hall Things to buy Exhibitors show their stuff A little bit of everything And something for everyone Did we mention airplanes? Airplanes And airplanes LOTS of airplanes I can float I can float too Technically, we BOTH “float” I just […]

Click on any image to view a larger version. The crowds kept coming To see it all Looking at airplanes Up close and personal All shapes and colors Old and new Inside too All sorts of panels Neat airplanes Of every description Look at the airplanes Talk to the drivers Hands-on workshops Learning the tricks […]

Click on any image to view a larger version. I feel naked out here Grrrrrr…. Short ‘n Gofast So THAT’s how it fits! Hot stuff Pod included… Delta Bzzzzz Don’t forget to have a drink And take a break Plenty to look at and buy Hmmmmm…. Bomber girl “Autolite Annie” Patty Wagstaff too Learning by […]

Click on any image to view a larger version. Waiting to have fun in the sun The place begins to fill up! So much to see… …up close and personal Pilots and airplanes… …big and small In many colors… …and shapes Ultra (but not so) light Ultra Warrior The ubiquitous “grazing EZs” Colonel Poberezny’s Wishin’ […]

It’s A Wrap: Sun ‘n Fun Sunsets For 27th Time As the sun sets on the 2001 installment of the Sun ‘n Fun Fly-in and Lakeland-Linder Regional Airport empties itself of planes and people, it’s time to take a look back at the week. Although the local weather cooperated, low ceilings and thunderstorms elsewhere in […]

March teases us nearly every year here where I live in Kansas, tempting us with a sampling of spring weather, then pulling us back in to winter once or twice as surely as sunrise and sunset. But March’s teasing seldom frustrates me as much as my non-aviating friends and neighbors. What these folks don’t know […]

I have a 100-knot airplane. Oh, sure; the airspeed indicator usually reads much higher than that. But when it comes down to what really counts – rate of movement over the ground – my shiny, expensive, 160-knot airplane is frequently relegated to speeds closer to an 18-wheeler on the Interstate highway below me than those […]