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Airplane stuff to do in Central Florida

mburch

mburch

Well Known Member
Patron
Hi folks,

My wife is at a conference in Orlando this week and I'm tagging along to escape work. Other than driving her to and from the convention center and attending evening social functions, my responsibilities are limited and my schedule during the day is wide open. I hate amusement parks but I love airplanes... so far I have been to the following museums:

* Kennedy Space Center - Good, although I think I am spoiled from visiting the Cosmosphere so many times.

* Sun-n-Fun Museum - Worth a visit. Interesting collection of antique and vintage homebuilts. (also, after being to the Sun-n-Fun airshow many times, the Lakeland airport looks positively weird when it's not covered with people, airplanes, and campers)

* Fantasy of Flight - Fantastic! Absolutely world class. Don't miss it.

Anyway, I still have a couple days left. Any suggestions on places in the area I should see while I'm here? Or, if you want to show off your RV, I'll buy your lunch. Send me an email or private message and I will read it on my phone.

cheers,
mcb
 
Jack Brown's seaplane base

Go take a few lessons. You might even get your rating! Great fun!
 
Vern said:
Go take a few lessons. You might even get your rating! Great fun!
Click to expand...

I went to Jack Brown's to get my SES rating a couple years back, and you're right, flying a Cub off the water is a blast. :)

mcb
 
You could go back to Jack Brown's to get checked out in the Twin Seabee. Lots of RV?s at Winter Haven. Also there is a CFI that gives twin rating in a Air Cam at Winter Haven.
Squeak
 
Stallion 51-Kissimmee

Go get an hour in Crazy Horse.
The P51 is absolutely everything it is cracked up to be. My wife was good enough to give me a coupon for an hour in the 51 for my 51st bday.

I am lucky in more ways than I can count!!
 
tour warbird restorations

They used to give tours at the warbird restoration facility at the Kissimmee airport...I can't remember the name of it though.
 
Cedar Key

Cedar Key is a nice visit. It has a small historical museum. Quaint town. Worthwhile trip. It's Central, but West Coast.
One thing...if you do go, be careful where you park. THe paved parking area often gets full, and people will end up getting stuck on what looks like pretty solid sand grass off the runway.

There is a taxi you can catch for a few bucks into town, the walk really isn't that bad though if your up for it.

If you like art...then fly into Albert Whitted and go to the Salvador Dali museum.

Finally, in Daytona, there is the Ponce de Leon Inlet liighthouse. They have some neat little representations of what life was like during the time frames the lighthouse operated. And great excercise going to the top.
 
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Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Museum

Since you already did the KSC museum, and I am not sure that that the CCAFS Museum is reachable by the public, this probably serves as info for a future visit...but if you like Space History (pre-Apollo), and want a really historic trip, the Museum on the CCAFS grounds is the place to go - I try and visit every time I am down there and have a free hour. No crowds, just walking around the old pads, vehicles, and blockhouses.

If you'd given me a little warning Matt, we might have been able to work something out.....:rolleyes:

Paul
 
Go back to Kennedy

The CCAFS Museum and the launch sites were open to the public when I was there a few years ago, and I just recommended the tour to a group of exchange students who are space nuts. They thoroughly enjoyed it.

The place is truly amazing and honestly quite emotional if you are a space history buff.

I was fortunate enough to meet some of the old timers who were there for Alan Shepard's launch. As the caretaker who had been present for the launch told stories of what happened that day, I could picture Von Braun standing there tensely awaiting the first real test of his vision, the guys huddled around their launch consoles and of course Shepard strapped to the top of a guided missile getting antsy to get on with things.

The Apollo 1 pad where Chaffee, White and Grissom died in January of 1967 is a somber memorial and reminder that people put their lives on the line to advance our knowledge and ultimately assure the survival of our species.

The tour bus that takes you out to the Mercury and Gemini pads also passes to area where the Challenger wreckage is entombed.

It's a fascinating place that is full of information about the early space program. Go take the tour.

Ironflight said:
Since you already did the KSC museum, and I am not sure that that the CCAFS Museum is reachable by the public, this probably serves as info for a future visit...but if you like Space History (pre-Apollo), and want a really historic trip, the Museum on the CCAFS grounds is the place to go - I try and visit every time I am down there and have a free hour. No crowds, just walking around the old pads, vehicles, and blockhouses.

If you'd given me a little warning Matt, we might have been able to work something out.....:rolleyes:

Paul
Click to expand...
 
How about helping a Jayhawk (KU graduate in 1978) do his canopy, since you are a recognized expert?!?! ;)

And/or come to the EAA meeting at COI (Merritt Island) Wednesday evening.
 
aparchment said:
The CCAFS Museum and the launch sites were open to the public when I was there a few years ago, and I just recommended the tour to a group of exchange students who are space nuts. They thoroughly enjoyed it.

The place is truly amazing and honestly quite emotional if you are a space history buff.

I was fortunate enough to meet some of the old timers who were there for Alan Shepard's launch. As the caretaker who had been present for the launch told stories of what happened that day, I could picture Von Braun standing there tensely awaiting the first real test of his vision, the guys huddled around their launch consoles and of course Shepard strapped to the top of a guided missile getting antsy to get on with things.

The Apollo 1 pad where Chaffee, White and Grissom died in January of 1967 is a somber memorial and reminder that people put their lives on the line to advance our knowledge and ultimately assure the survival of our species.

The tour bus that takes you out to the Mercury and Gemini pads also passes to area where the Challenger wreckage is entombed.

It's a fascinating place that is full of information about the early space program. Go take the tour.
Click to expand...

I toured it back in June before the shuttle landing and is full of space history but would probably only take up a few hours. I got the USAF free tour.
 
Thanks to everybody who posted suggestions...

I am headed back to the coast tomorrow to see the CCAFS museum. From what I was able to gather, the museum has been closed to the public for some time, but you can still see the exhibits if you can get into the KSC bus tour (yes I did call ahead). I've been reading Gene Krantz's autobiography this week so it will be cool to see some of the sites he mentions.

The warbird place in Kissimmee is apparently out of business now, but the Valiant Air Command museum in Titusville is said to be worth the visit. I'll try to stop by there between dropping the girl off at the pill pusher convention and seeing the history of early spaceflight! Busy day. :)

Jeff... Although I may admit to being an expert on one or two things, airplane construction is not one! But thanks for the invite.

Paul... I am saving my Paul-favors for the next time I'm in Houston. ;)

mcb
 
Hey

Jeff R said:
How about helping a Jayhawk (KU graduate in 1978) do his canopy, since you are a recognized expert?!?! ;)

And/or come to the EAA meeting at COI (Merritt Island) Wednesday evening.
Click to expand...


I have a gal friend of mine (and a fellow engineer in my office) who grew up on Merritt Island..her dad worked on the shuttle too. Michelle will be the on my next aerobatic video..:)

Frank
 
I loved your shirt in the first two photos! I need to get one of those. My screen saver is of Mario's "The Shot". KU fans totally know what I am talking about. I miss Lawrence.

KU Grad BSEE 1978
 
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