Sun N Fun '07 Redux

When I flew the Merlin (P-51) we burned in the low 60GPH for normal
cruise. At a low crusie we could get down into the high 50's GPH. Take
a flight of 1000 miles to get there and 4-5 hours each way and any
flying at air show you can get an idea of just fuel costs to attend.

Let's see, that's about $240 per hour for fuel. The P-51 alone now
costs over $1 million, and is almost completely useless outside of
being extremely, almost painfully cool to own.

For some reason, I hope that a guy who can afford to own an utterly
useless $1 million dollar plane can probably afford to **** away $240
per hour to fly it.

Maybe I'm getting too cynical in my dotage, but I think there must be
more to the warbird no-show at SNF than economics. Someone forgot to
butter someone's bread, and they simply stayed home, despite perfect
weather.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
ps.com...
Maybe I'm getting too cynical in my dotage, but I think there must be
more to the warbird no-show at SNF than economics. Someone forgot to
butter someone's bread, and they simply stayed home, despite perfect
weather.

I agree with the missing butter theory. On the Saturday right before SnF,
Kermit Week's hosted a Mustang's and Mustang's show and Fantasy of Flight. I
didn't go but I flew over the field. There were thousands of people there.
The parking lot looked full. The ramp area was packed with both P-51s and
Fords.

So, economics of travel was certainly not a part of them not showing up.
They could have hung around and spent some time at SnF, if they had wanted
to. Not only did they not do a fly by but they weren't even on the flight
line. All I saw was the pair of acro Mustang's.

Disclaimer: If they were there and I missed them, then never mind!
--
-------------------------------
Travis
Lake N3094P
PWK

I agree with the missing butter theory. On the Saturday right before SnF,
Kermit Week's hosted a Mustang's and Mustang's show and Fantasy of Flight. I
didn't go but I flew over the field. There were thousands of people there.
The parking lot looked full. The ramp area was packed with both P-51s and
Fords.

Interesting bringing up Kermit Weeks. Mary and I tried to find our
way to his nearby "Fantasy of Flight" museum during the week, and were
astounded to find that there was NO shuttle bus from the SNF grounds
to his museum. NONE.

Not for any price -- which seemed really, really weird. I figured
there must be bad blood between them.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

In article . com,
Jay Honeck wrote:

Interesting bringing up Kermit Weeks. Mary and I tried to find our
way to his nearby "Fantasy of Flight" museum during the week, and were
astounded to find that there was NO shuttle bus from the SNF grounds
to his museum. NONE.

That's quite a ways away.
Fantasy of Flight is southwest of Disney World.
That's on the west side of Orlando.
That's about 60 miles away.
Not really a shuttle ride away.

"john smith" wrote in message
...
In article . com,
Jay Honeck wrote:

Interesting bringing up Kermit Weeks. Mary and I tried to find our
way to his nearby "Fantasy of Flight" museum during the week, and were
astounded to find that there was NO shuttle bus from the SNF grounds
to his museum. NONE.

That's quite a ways away.
Fantasy of Flight is southwest of Disney World.
That's on the west side of Orlando.
That's about 60 miles away.
Not really a shuttle ride away.

It is about 22 miles from Lakeland Linder to Fantasy of Flight by road (per
mapquest). I didn't realize how close it was until Sunday. I flew over to
Winter Haven from SnF on Sunday morning. Winter Haven is nautical NE of
Lakeland Linder. There I picked up a buddy and gave him a good ride in the
RV. About 10 miles NNW of Winter Haven, I saw a Lockheed Constellation out
in the middle of a grass field, which caused me to do a double take... I'd
accidentally found Fantasy of Flight from the air...

KB

"Kyle Boatright" wrote in message
. ..

"john smith" wrote in message
...
In article . com,
Jay Honeck wrote:

Interesting bringing up Kermit Weeks. Mary and I tried to find our
way to his nearby "Fantasy of Flight" museum during the week, and were
astounded to find that there was NO shuttle bus from the SNF grounds
to his museum. NONE.

That's quite a ways away.
Fantasy of Flight is southwest of Disney World.
That's on the west side of Orlando.
That's about 60 miles away.
Not really a shuttle ride away.

It is about 22 miles from Lakeland Linder to Fantasy of Flight by road
(per mapquest). I didn't realize how close it was until Sunday. I flew
over to Winter Haven from SnF on Sunday morning. Winter Haven is

18 nautical miles NE of


Lakeland Linder. There I picked up a buddy and gave him a good ride in the
RV. About 10 miles NNW of Winter Haven, I saw a Lockheed Constellation
out in the middle of a grass field, which caused me to do a double take...
I'd accidentally found Fantasy of Flight from the air...

KB


KB

In article ,
john smith wrote:

In article . com,
Jay Honeck wrote:

Interesting bringing up Kermit Weeks. Mary and I tried to find our
way to his nearby "Fantasy of Flight" museum during the week, and were
astounded to find that there was NO shuttle bus from the SNF grounds
to his museum. NONE.

That's quite a ways away.
Fantasy of Flight is southwest of Disney World.
That's on the west side of Orlando.
That's about 60 miles away.
Not really a shuttle ride away.

It is just about 8 miles NE of SnF, on I-4. I overfly it enroute to to
the initial point for the "powerplant arrival."

In article ,
Orval Fairbairn wrote:

It is just about 8 miles NE of SnF, on I-4. I overfly it enroute to to
the initial point for the "powerplant arrival."

Thanks. I always thought it was closer to Orlando.

I agree with the missing butter theory. On the Saturday right before SnF,
Kermit Week's hosted a Mustang's and Mustang's show and Fantasy of Flight.
didn't go but I flew over the field. There were thousands of people there.
The parking lot looked full. The ramp area was packed with both P-51s and
Fords.

Interesting that you bring up Kermit Weeks and the "Fantasy of Flight"
museum. Mary and I tried to find a shuttle from the SNF grounds to
the "F-of-F" museum -- and there simply wasn't one! We asked at the
"transportation center" (where all the buses pick-up) and the
volunteers there just shrugged their shoulders...

This, to me, signals loud and clear that there is some VERY bad blood
between the two organizations. Here they've got thousands of pilots
and planes at SNF, just a few miles from F-of-F, and NO ONE thought to
provide a shuttle bus over to the museum? Not!

Somebody peed in somebody's Wheaties...

Judging by the P-51 turnout at F-of-F, and what you related, above,
obviously Kermit Weeks is more "plugged into" the warbird community
than the SNF organizers.

I find it so sad -- and frustrating -- that aviation is so fractured
like this. Despite being a TINY minority, it always seems that we
aviators always self-segregate themselves into even tinier sub-groups.
Often those sub-groups can't seem to get along with each other.

It's sad, and it's why we continually lose the public relations
battles with the anti-aviation crowd.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
ups.com...
I agree with the missing butter theory. On the Saturday right before SnF,
Kermit Week's hosted a Mustang's and Mustang's show and Fantasy of
Flight.
didn't go but I flew over the field. There were thousands of people
there.
The parking lot looked full. The ramp area was packed with both P-51s and
Fords.

Interesting that you bring up Kermit Weeks and the "Fantasy of Flight"
museum. Mary and I tried to find a shuttle from the SNF grounds to
the "F-of-F" museum -- and there simply wasn't one! We asked at the
"transportation center" (where all the buses pick-up) and the
volunteers there just shrugged their shoulders...

This, to me, signals loud and clear that there is some VERY bad blood
between the two organizations. Here they've got thousands of pilots
and planes at SNF, just a few miles from F-of-F, and NO ONE thought to
provide a shuttle bus over to the museum? Not!

Somebody peed in somebody's Wheaties...

Fantasy of Flight used to have a large display at SnF. I don't remember if
they offered a shuttle service or not. I suspect many of the hardcore
folks who are there by airplane or RV don't really have the ability to
easily go 20 miles up the road to visit FoF...

Also, looking at FoF, I have a sneaking suspicion that the intent of the
business isn't necessarily to be a big money maker. It *may* simply be a
good way for Kermit to turn a frighteningly expensive hobby into something
he can write off as an expense on taxes.

Just speculating....

KB


Judging by the P-51 turnout at F-of-F, and what you related, above,
obviously Kermit Weeks is more "plugged into" the warbird community
than the SNF organizers.

I find it so sad -- and frustrating -- that aviation is so fractured
like this. Despite being a TINY minority, it always seems that we
aviators always self-segregate themselves into even tinier sub-groups.
Often those sub-groups can't seem to get along with each other.

It's sad, and it's why we continually lose the public relations
battles with the anti-aviation crowd.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"