Tag Archives: Sun N Fun

SUN ‘n FUN Announces New Corporate Structure 

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SUN ‘n FUN

ACE Takes the Lead as SUN ‘n FUN Flies into the Future 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 1st, 2019

LAKELAND, FL – The annual SUN ‘n FUN Fly-In has been an iconic mainstay in Lakeland, FL for over four decades, and in that time, millions have attended the annual gathering of aviation enthusiasts. The event is hallmarked by the arrival of thousands of aircraft to the Lakeland Linder International Airport, and the showcase of aerospace-related exhibits, flight demonstrations, military displays, forums and workshops and seminars. It is recognized as the second largest event of its kind in the world.

On October 1st, 2019, SUN ‘n FUN underwent a corporate transformation, placing it within the overarching governance of the Aerospace Center for Excellence (ACE), the 501(c)3 organization that has become a nationally recognized model for aerospace STEM learning.

“This restructuring of our organization places ACE in the right position as the leading entity,” said John Leenhouts, CEO of ACE. “SUN ‘n FUN will always be Spring Break for Pilots, and everything people know and love about it will remain unchanged. With the unprecedented influence ACE is having on engaging, educating, and accelerating the next generation of aerospace professionals, a reorganization was necessary. The Fly-In now is in the right position in our structure as the primary fundraiser for ACE, along with the myriad of other supporting activities held on the SUN ‘n FUN Expo Campus.”

“We took our existing Board from SUN ‘n FUN and redistributed that membership into two separate Boards according to their interest and influence,” explained Dr. Harley Richards, DDS., who will continue as Chairman of the SUN ‘n FUN Fly-In Board of Directors. “Having each Board specialize in the area it is responsible for helps make us more efficient. SUN ‘n FUN will continue as it always has, but now each Board can focus on specific tasks. It’s a very exciting time, and we thank the thousands of our volunteers who have made this possible.” Dr. Richards is an experienced pilot and owner of Florida Dental Implants and Oral Surgery in Lakeland.

In 2014, SUN ‘n FUN introduced ACE, unveiling the 14-building aerospace STEM facility located on the SUN ‘n FUN Expo Campus. Anchored by the Central Florida Aerospace Academy, a Polk County Public High School Career Academy, and Florida Air Museum, established as Florida’s official aviation museum in 2005, ACE boasts an impressive array of STEM learning environments. Aerospace-themed summer camps and student outreach programs are presented by ACE staff to over 40,000 students annually, and educator assistance programs provide STEM-based curriculum and lesson plans for teachers at all grade levels. Hands-on learning activities are available for all ages, and even include aircraft construction and maintenance programs. There is even a fully functioning Boeing 727 on the campus that serves as a unique learning laboratory. ACE provides annually over $2 million in education support, including pilot, maintainer, and college scholarships. Up to four pilot scholarships are awarded monthly, and ACE expects to announce its 100th private pilot completion under that program this fall.

Rick Garcia, President of Gulf Coast Avionics, is the Chairman of the Board for the new ACE organization. “The Aerospace Center for Excellence is now the primary company, and we have structured it using successful models of other education-based non-profit organizations in the U.S.”, he said. “We are now much better positioned to secure funding through grants and philanthropic programs than when we were only an event. This new structure has also allowed us to attract industry partners to participate on our Board to broaden our scope and influence.”

Garcia reported that the ACE Board now has a member from Southwest Airlines, and that other national aerospace industry partners are also being considered, including the Airplane Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA).

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About Aerospace Center for Excellence, Inc.:

The Aerospace Center for Excellence (ACE), a 501(c)(3) non-profit, has emerged as a nationally recognized leader in STEM-related and aerospace education through its various learning centers, outreach programs, summer camps and scholarships aimed at preparing students for tomorrow’s aerospace challenges. Located on the SUN ‘n FUN Expo Campus in Lakeland, Florida, the organization is known for its annual SUN ‘n FUN Aerospace Expo fundraising event as well as the Florida Air Museum, which is Florida’s Official Aviation Museum and Education Center. ACE is the world’s leader in producing licensed teenage private pilots and delivers youth programs that engage over 40,000 students a year. For more information, www.ACEedu.aero.

About SUN ‘n Fun Fly-In, Inc.: 

SUN ‘n FUN Fly-In is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit whose mission is to preserve and enhance the future of flight through world-class events, inspiring and educating people of all ages. Year-round events, including the SUN ‘n FUN Aerospace Expo, which is one of the world’s largest aviation events, raise funds for the Aerospace Center for Excellence (ACE). SUN ‘n FUN Fly-In annually raises over $2M for ACE, enabling the delivery of STEM-related and aerospace education programs. For more information, www.flysnf.org.

Missing Logbooks?

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Missing Logbooks.

Should you even consider buying an aircraft that is missing logbooks?

Every now and then you run into a situation where the aircraft logbooks are missing, or have been lost and reconstructed.  Should that stop you from buying the aircraft?

Well, maybe.  Just because the logs are gone doesn’t mean it is a bad deal.  Try to substantiate the aircraft and engine hours (along with compliance with Airworthiness Directives (AD’s) and service bulletins) through the use of past maintenance records (invoices, shop tickets, etc.)  If it doesn’t have any records, all the hours, overhaul estimates and repairs, are a guess.  With past work orders and shop tickets you can attempt to rebuild the records.  This would at least provide a reasonable base of hours to start from.  It also depends on the use of the aircraft.  Some commercial operations require that the hours and the TBO requirements be validated in the logs or maintenance records or the part cannot be used.  If you don’t have a record of those, the use may require the overhaul of that component.  For most general aviation owners, the logbooks for the engine will probably be more valuable than the airframe.  The airframe, like the engine, can have critical AD’s that need to be monitored.  Most pilots worry more about the engine condition than the airframe.  Additionally, it would be worthwhile to do a search of the FAA records for any Major Repair or Alteration reports (Form 337).

This also brings up another question, should you pay less for an aircraft without logbooks?

As a personal buyer for a non-commercial use, the logbooks still have a value, although not as much as a commercial operator, but the price should still reflect the incomplete or missing logs.  How much money are the logs worth?  The guideline for most single engines aircraft logs is somewhere around $5,000.  Light twins are worth $5,000 to $10,000.  Establishing a price hinges on what information is available.  If the work orders and records are there, and hours can be substantiated, the logs are less critical.  If the missing logs are from years ago, but the aircraft has been maintained, overhauled and recorded since the time of loss, it would be less of a concern.  Logbooks have also been known to show up after the purchase of an aircraft.  The holders of the logbooks might have a reason for keeping the logs from the seller.  In those cases of “re-appearing logs”, the holder usually wants to be paid for the logs.  In some cases it might be worth the cost.

missing logbooks

EAA: GA safety must be considered in UAS airspace integration

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GA safety

EAA MAINTAINS IMPORTANCE OF GENERAL AVIATION AND SAFETY IN COMMENTS TO FAA ON AMAZON PETITION

Retailer seeking regulation exemption to begin unmanned drone deliveries

EAA AVIATION CENTER, OSHKOSH, Wisconsin — (September 3, 2019) — GA Safety for manned aircraft, not commercial expediency, must be the priority for federal air regulators as they consider an exemption application by Amazon regarding package deliveries by unmanned aerial systems (UAS), noted the Experimental Aircraft Association in formal comments to the Federal Aviation Administration.

EAA made the comments in response to Amazon’s petition to the FAA that requested relief from certain rules in order to conduct deliveries by UAS, commonly known as drones. The exemption would allow Amazon additional freedom to operate below 400 feet above ground level (AGL) without the line-of-sight observation requirements for UAS operations.

“There is an asymmetrical challenge to safety as UAS flights are integrated into the national airspace, as the priority must be preventing hazards to people in the event of a collision over threats to unmanned machinery,” said Sean Elliott, EAA’s vice president of advocacy and safety, “EAA is not opposed to integrating unmanned systems into the airspace, as long as they observe appropriate safety protocols and do not lead to additional regulations and mandated equipment for manned aircraft. In addition, manned aircraft must have the right-of-way in all circumstances.”

In addition to reaffirming EAA’s long-standing position on UAS integration, the organization’s comments give specific examples of various types of flying that takes place on a regular basis below 400 feet AGL, where Amazon intends to operate. Those operations include ultralight vehicles, private airports and helipads, emergency medical flight operations, backcountry flying, seaplanes, and flights over open water or sparsely populated areas. This affirms the need for extremely reliable sense-and-avoid technology aboard unmanned systems that can detect any and all manned aircraft.

“While we are pleased that Amazon stated in its petition that it must demonstrate an equivalent level of safety to ‘see-and-avoid’ principles of manned aircraft, we urge the FAA review and confirm Amazon’s risk assumptions are accurate and its redundancy procedures are as vigorous as those for manned aircraft,” Elliott said. “It is the responsibility of every entity using the airspace to maintain the equivalent safety standards as we explore the opportunities and benefits of this new technology. The stakes are too high for any alternative to be acceptable.”

About EAA

EAA embodies The Spirit of Aviation through the world’s most engaged community of aviation enthusiasts. EAA’s 225,000 members and 900 local chapters enjoy the fun and camaraderie of sharing their passion for flying, building and restoring recreational aircraft. For more information on EAA and its programs, call 800-JOIN-EAA (800-564-6322) or go to www.eaa.org. For continual news updates, connect with www.twitter.com/EAA.