EAA Looks Back at Sun 'n Fun 2016

April 14, 2016 - The 42nd Sun ’n Fun International Fly-In & Expo took place in Lakeland, Florida, last week. Attendees enjoyed sunny skies, temperate weather and engaging in the aviation amazingness. A short storm on Thursday morning held the crowds back for a few hours but everyone was still able to enjoy the afternoon air show and activities.

The EAA Member Center moved to a new location this year. The expanded space allowed for the showcase of two planes; a stand-in for the 2016 Sweepstakes Piper L-4 and a homebuilt RANS S-19. Guests enjoyed getting up close to both planes, especially hearing the stories of how Linda and Ken Jordan, EAA Lifetime Members, built the S-19 together with the help of EAA Technical counselor Gerard Kral. EAA members were also able to renew, shop retail, talk to EAA staff, and get insurance quotes onsite.

A press conference held at the Member Center on Wednesday revealed a big announcement for the entire general aviation community. Jack Pelton addressed a crowd of media and guests to announce a breakthrough STC focused on reducing avionics upgrade costs for certified aircraft. Through a partnership with Dynon Avionics and the FAA, EAA officials established an STC process to install the Dynon EFIS-D10A as a replacement for the primary attitude indicator in certain type-certificated aircraft. The conversation and excitement around the STC continued throughout the week.

EAA staffers were out in force, working in the Member Center, meeting with industry partners, and scouring the field for stories and photos for Sport Aviation magazine, Experimenter, Warbirds, Vintage Airplane, Sport Aerobatics, and the Web.

The daily air shows were once again a highlight for visitors young and old. Sun ’n Fun had a main theme of saluting the armed forces with a multitude of warbirds flying in every show. An exciting new feature was a mock Red Bull Air Race in which Michael Goulian and Kirby Chambliss flew the course while videos explained what happens during and actual race. In the end, Goulian recorded the best time and took the win.

As the sun set on Sunday’s show and the clean-up started, there was a buzz of excitement in the air for the upcoming flying and air show season. Even with 105 days to go and 1,335 miles away, EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2016 felt closer than ever!