Sun N Fun '07 Redux

("Jack Allison" wrote)
Are you sure it wasn't the other way around? Perhaps the "Black" half of
the duo from the Twin Cities conveniently arranged to send "Mont" your way
and paid the kids a handsome price to watch him for a week :-)


That's closer to the truth than you realize. g


Montblack

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
oups.com...
Mary and I just returned from 6 glorious days at Sun N Fun in

I am not the big fly-in fan that some of you are. I would love to spend time
with the planes and the vendors but the mass of people just get on my
nerves.

One thing that caught my attention was the number of small, mom&pop
companies making digital display instrumentation. If they've been around for
a while, I hadn't noticed. Must be great for the experimental guys. I
presume that most of them are not certified but I haven't even started
visiting web sites from the literature I bagged.

My favorite vendor was the notepad on a wriststrap. If he has been at other
fly-ins, I missed that too. I'm guessing that the husband dragged the wife
into it. I would love to know what she is really thinking.

The owner's fly-in for the Lake (www.lakeflyers.com) is usually in February
but they (we) moved it to coincide with Sun 'n Fun. I went down last
Thursday. A weekend of enjoying the many, many Florida lakes, workshops,
forums, and conversation focused on my baby followed by a week of Sun 'n
Fun. Even if Sun 'n Fun is dwindling, the combination of activities over the
weekend and week really got me going!

One of the Lake owners coordinates the seaplane base and the spash in. I
enjoyed the splash in thoroughly but was also disappointed. It seemed like a
very sparse showing of seaplanes and the crowd was pretty thin. I'm planning
on spending a few days at OSH just so I can camp at the seaplane base.

Coming back, I took a more easterly route. Actually, it was straight north
but that is easterly of the straightline from LAL to PWK. Managed to come
across the wild fires burning in southern Georgia. A huge area of swamp on
fire creating massive amounts of smoke. Continuing straight north into the
hills south of Knoxville. Wandering around from mountain lake to mountain
lake. Although it was very hazy, I thought it was breathtaking. My first
time in that area. I can't wait to plan a vacation there.

This was my first time flying to Florida where I didn't need to file IFR for
at least a few hours. Amazing weather. Low deck but VFR flying into clear
skys with a 30kt tailwind on the way down. Good VFR and not a killer
headwind on the way back. Again, Amazing.

Thanks for your post Jay. Good summary. Good to meet you and Mary.

-------------------------------
Travis Marlatte
Lake N3094P
PWK

Thanks for your post Jay. Good summary. Good to meet you and Mary.

Thanks, Travis. Same here!

Now, plan on Wednesday at OSH, for the rec.aviation party!

:-)
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
oups.com...
Mary and I just returned from 6 glorious days at Sun N Fun in
Lakeland, FL.

Me too, but only 4 days. In addition to the airshows and static displays, I
took in a couple of workshops where I learned a little about metal shaping
and welding. Also, I visited the Aircraft Spruce display and had 'em ship
me about $200 in aviation odds and ends - filters, plugs, wrenches, etc.

I have a buddy who drives to the show and provides ground transportation.
It is great to have "wheels", because there are plenty of restaurants within
a 10 minute drive of the grounds, and the wait times are nonexistent. We
left the show at lunchtime a couple of days and were back in an hour or
so... There are several grocery close by as well. The local Publix has a
Kitfox on display as you walk into the store. And they have steamed shrimp.
Campers at adjacent campsites were very jealous... Shrimp and beer...mmmm

I had a couple of brushes with the media at the show. In one case, I'd just
had my buddy take my picture with the "Zoom Free Zone" sign at the CGS booth
in the ultralight area. Walking back through the antique area, I gave my
buddy the rundown on the business practices and ethics of Jim Campbell, and
how (and why) he is banned from SnF. As I finished the story, a guy who'd
been sort of walking along with us introduced himself as a writer/reporter
from Avweb. He said he didn't dare to comment on Jim Campbell or ANN, but
was just happy that I wasn't giving Avweb the same "treatment". I commented
to him that I appreciate Avweb, but that I'd love to see Avweb add some of
the irreverence (his word was snarkyness) back to its writing. He indicated
that they had to be careful, but that they do plan to add back some of that
content.

Later, we were in the Flying Magazine booth and someone asked if I was a
subscriber (not anymore - dropped the subscription recently) and would I
care to resubscribe. I told him "No thanks, the magazine's focus has moved
way, way upscale. Today's content is all jets and $100,000 instrument
panels" Then I pointed to the array of recent issues spread out on the table
for review - every one of 'em had a corporate jet on the cover... Of
course, I was probably talking to a hired gun for the airshow, but it would
be really nice if the folks who run Flying would throw the $100,000 (and
sub - $50,000) airplane crowd a few bones in each issue...

Completing a nice 4 day vacation, there was a 10 or 15 knot tailwind for my
trip home in nice blue skies (other than the smoke in South Georgia).

KB

It is great to have "wheels", because there are plenty of restaurants within
a 10 minute drive of the grounds, and the wait times are nonexistent.

Yeah, we were lucky to have (occasional) wheels, too, thanks to our
buds at Flying Colors Glass. We ate off-site several times, and hit
the local Winn-Dixie grocery store once. But it sure would have been
nice if that danged camp store had been open more, mostly for ice and
beverages.

Later, we were in the Flying Magazine booth and someone asked if I was a
subscriber (not anymore - dropped the subscription recently) and would I
care to resubscribe. I told him "No thanks, the magazine's focus has moved
way, way upscale. Today's content is all jets and $100,000 instrument
panels"

They tried to get me to extend, to which I replied that I was already
receiving TWO subscriptions, thanks to the LAST time I "extended" my
subscription at their tent at OSH. That's right, instead of extending
your current subscription, they will start another one, just to pad
their numbers.

And woe to anyone who actually tries to call "Flying" mag's
circulation department to get the situation corrected! It's been
totally farmed out to the same bozos that are selling subs at SNF and
OSH, and they rarely answer.

Completing a nice 4 day vacation, there was a 10 or 15 knot tailwind for my
trip home in nice blue skies (other than the smoke in South Georgia).

We saw a bit of those fires on our way through. Up at 8500 feet it
didn't matter, but it sure looked hazy down lower...

Great show! I wish I never had to leave...
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Jay Honeck wrote in news:1177261684.540467.127180
@y80g2000hsf.googlegroups.com:

Nice write-up.

NEXPO was in Orlando this past week. I had hoped to sneak away to Lakeland,
but ended up being WAY too busy to pull it off.

I wasn't there this year, but one other other item for the good list was
that Marion Blakey didn't show up. I finally got my Ku band satellite
receiver set up to receive the transmissions from the FAA Production
Studios there, and I caught the "Meet the FAA" session. They said she
had an international travel schedule conflict. (Uh. Ya, right.)

What are the odds of her showing up at OSH?

The TV people there do a pretty nice job. I'm going to try to remember
to record their seminars throughout the year.

I see that the FAA has brought out more ammunition in the power grab
they want in a statement countering the AOPA points.

http://www.faa.gov/news/fact_sheets/...fm?newsId=8747

"Paul Dow (Remove Caps in mail address)" wrote:

I wasn't there this year, but one other other item for the good list was
that Marion Blakey didn't show up. I finally got my Ku band satellite
receiver set up to receive the transmissions from the FAA Production
Studios there, and I caught the "Meet the FAA" session. They said she
had an international travel schedule conflict. (Uh. Ya, right.)

Care to share the details on your configuration (satellite, channel,
schedule, etc.)? I'd seen a listing about this previously and inquired at a
Wings event but they didn't have any details. I'd like to digitize them for
future hosting on a website...

Darrel,

The FAA transmissions are on satellite AMC-3, 87 deg West, Transponder
18, Vertical polarity, 12055 Mhz, s/r 3.020 MSPSm FEC 3/4, Video PID 33,
Audio PID 36, PCR PID 33

Here's where I got that information http://www.floridaaviationnetwork.com/

They have information that says they are on Dish Network channel 9411.
They also have a web stream in Windows Media format.

The program schedule is he
http://www.faaproductionstudios.com/...%202006-07.pdf

You'll need a receiver for MPEG/DVB transmissions. My situation was
that I had a older C/Ku band receiver for watching TV. I put a MPEG/DVB
receiver card in a nearby PC and split the signal from the satellite
blocking the DC power. I still use the original system for positioning
the dish and powering the amplifier on the dish. Instead of the card,
there are separate receiver units like this:
http://www.pansatusa.com/product/receiver-2500AM.htm

Paul

Darrel Toepfer wrote:

Care to share the details on your configuration (satellite, channel,
schedule, etc.)? I'd seen a listing about this previously and inquired at a
Wings event but they didn't have any details. I'd like to digitize them for
future hosting on a website...

"Paul Dow (Remove Caps in mail address)" wrote:

Darrel,

The FAA transmissions are on satellite AMC-3, 87 deg West, Transponder
18, Vertical polarity, 12055 Mhz, s/r 3.020 MSPSm FEC 3/4, Video PID
33, Audio PID 36, PCR PID 33

Many thanks, Paul...