Making the voyage to Sun ‘n Fun is a right of passage for aviation enthusiasts. Each year some are doing it for the first time and some are doing it for the third, fifth, tenth, twentieth, etc… time!

Well, for the first time, this year I was finally able to make it to Sun ‘n Fun. It’s a lot earlier when you live less than two hours away as opposed to more than a thousand miles away!

It’s always a great time to spend time surrounded by so many other aviation enthusiasts and aircraft. It really recharges your aviation batteries and energizes the passion deep within you! Between walking among the seabirds (the seaplanes), the warbirds and the hundreds of other visiting aircraft there is something for everyone to see.

There is something about a chrome airplane… Gets me every time!

It was great to see so many friends, some who I hadn’t seen in many years. It’s funny how big aviation events tend to draw my friends to the same spot… Who kew, right?

During my visit to Sun ‘n Fun on Friday I came to a couple of conclusions:

1. Air shows never get old… The sound of a fighter jet, an old radial-driven bomber or a single engine Cessna is enough to cause anyone’s head to jerk skyward, eyes darting around, scanning and searching for the source of the beautiful sound.

2. The Mooney M10 is the first “cool/new” thing I’ve seen from a legacy aircraft manufacturer in a long time! The 3-seat option is pretty cool too. Providing pilots a path towards the high end Acclaims is a smart way to go for Mooney, a high-end manufacturer with no entry level option to speak of, well before now anyways.

3. David Clark’s “One” is the ‘thing’ on the headset market. Many aviators get their start with the uniquely-green ear cups of a David Clark headset in their flight bag. At the age of 13, I was one of them. Years later, in 2010, I became a Lightspeed pilot. But, I think when it comes time to replace my Zulus, the DC One is going to be high on the list. I was very surprised with the product!

4. This isn’t a negative, just an observation… Sun ‘n Fun is no Oshkosh, but that’s okay, it doesn’t have to be a copy. “SnF” is smaller but there is a lot more of a grassroots vibe in the air, and that is a palpably fun atmosphere to experience.

5. Next year, I’m going to Sun ‘n Fun for more than one day! Hopefully I’ll see you there!

-Fly Safe, @MTElia1B9