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04-01-2008, 09:42 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 276
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SnF and OSH thoughts
I have flown to each event twice.
I am more convinced each time that flying into either event is not worth the effort. Last year, I went down to SnF with a friend and we landed at an outlying airport (Zephyr Hills), got a cheap hotel room and a rental car. Shared between us it was about the same price as camping would have been.
Also we got to eat where we wanted to (off the field), sleep in real beds, shower without a hassle etc.
And I liked the safety aspect. When you fly into LAL, it is always hectic (and OSH can be worse). Last year at OSH I had to do a last minute go around on landing when a P-51 pulled onto the runway in front of me. When you depart, you get in a LONG line and there is no easy place to go through your checklist and do a proper run-up.
There also seems to be a fair amount of pilots that are not familar with the NOTAMs doing stuff like flying at the wrong altitude, entering the LAL area and jumping in line in the middle, replying to controllers on the ground etc.
Oh, did I mention the miles of taxiing that seems to be the norm at both places.
I don't mean to sound negative, I really still enjoy both events. While I will definitely continue to attend each event, I will almost for sure not be flying into either LAL or OSH.
__________________
Bruce
Richmond, VA (KFCI)
RV-10 (520+ hours since first flight in Nov 07)
RV-8 (500 hours, sold Sept 07)
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04-02-2008, 06:16 PM
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Moderator/Tech Counselor
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: East Troy, WI
Posts: 1,983
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Hey Bill,
I haven't started any planes or boats yet, but I am practicing the piano.
Roberta
__________________
Roberta Hegy
Built/Flew an RV-7A
Air Troy Estates, East Troy, WI
Ford Expedition and TRICE "Q"
Built Glen L "ZIP" Classic Outboard Runabout and Super Spartan Hydroplane
Glen L Torpedo
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04-02-2008, 06:40 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 5,685
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One Time is OK
If you haven't been to Sun 'n' Fun it is worth the expense. When you pull off into the grass and taxi to a tiedown it is a high power task. They used to control the tiedown area limiting access to pilots and crews but I understand that has changed. To go twice indicates that there is something about the event that is special to you. I've made my trip and unless they reinstitute the Sun 100 I do not intend to return. There is simply nothing interesting about event for me. If you have children or if you have friends there and enjoy the good fellowship among like minder folks it may be a wonderful experience that you just have to repeat year after year. I have seen airshows since the Blue Angels flew straight wing Panthers and I am over it. $140 is better spent on fuel to fly to some new adventure.
Bob Axsom
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04-04-2008, 06:38 AM
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Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Cape Cod MA.
Posts: 236
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Last year!!!
Last year we made a last minute decision to stop working on the 9A and drive down to SnF (1500 miles)to see vendors and friends. Not having made any hotel reservations, we took our conversion van which can be configured to have a bed in the back. According to SnF on line, there was an area there that you could camp in and pay an overnight fee of $20 per night, as opposed to making RV reservations ahead of time. When I got to the parking area, non of the parking people seem to know where this transient area was, and since I was blocking a long line of cars behind me, I just parked in the normal parking area. After the show, I got on Route 4 east, and went for about 15 miles to a rest area. Spend the night there, had washrooms close by. Drove back to the show in the morning before stopping for breakfast on the way. Did that for 2 nights...No charge, just a bit of gas....
Hope this might help some of you drivers..
Jack
RV9A
N99552
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04-05-2008, 09:10 AM
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Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Santiago, Chile
Posts: 447
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Hi All,
My wife and me are going from Chile to SNF for the first time, I am building a RV-8(finishig wings) and I want to buy the engine at the event.
We will be arriving at Orlando on monday 7th. We do not have reservation for hotel or car, we will be looking for everything just in site.
As we know probably there is no more rooms available at lakeland, I ask you for a good advise about where to stay not so far from LAL so I could drive in less than an hour.
Happy flyings and see you at SNF
Maca & Fernando
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04-05-2008, 09:15 AM
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Senior Curmudgeon
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Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Dayton Airpark, NV A34
Posts: 15,420
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Welcome!!!
Airbuspilot------cant help you with the S/F thing, but would like to welcome you to VAF.
Good luck on your quest.
__________________
Mike Starkey
VAF 909
Rv-10, N210LM.
Flying as of 12/4/2010
Phase 1 done, 2/4/2011 
Sold after 240+ wonderful hours of flight.
"Flying the airplane is more important than radioing your plight to a person on the ground incapable of understanding or doing anything about it."
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04-05-2008, 11:07 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Port Angeles, Wash
Posts: 373
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It's a lot of work
Never been to SnF but OSH twice and Arlington too many times to list. Given the price of the everything (relative), 140.00 is not a lot of money. Look at it this way. If your building still, 140.00 is worth it if you come out of the airshow with a pile of new ideas/products to buy or use on your plane. Everytime I have went to the airshows, I come out of there with a lot of information on what I can do with my airplane flying or project. Also, if you are in the market to buy something, airshows can offer deals on certain products. I bought my interior for my RV-6 for 750.00 back when Oregon Aero was just starting up. Now they are selling the same interior for about 2K  So I saved there. I also know people who VOLUNTEER their time and energy to make it happen so that we can fly and land our airplanes at an airshow, direct you to park and get you back out on the taxi ways so you can leave. The airshows usually pay for their meals for the day so think of your fee as a donation to the people who put in the time. Next, the insurance liability of an airshow is almost prohibitive anymore. Arlington almost did not happen for this very reason alone. A gentlemen crashed his RV one year because he forgot to take the seatbelt off his controls that he was using for a control lock. His family sued the Arlington airshow saying that he died because of the lack of response from the fire crew not getting there in time to put out the inferno that erupted from his airplane being just filled with gas.
I would agree in some aspects that airshows are getting expensive and they need to give the pilots who fly into them a break on fees since they are part of the airshow. Imagine if we all quit flying to them, it would be just a bunch of vendors. However, 140.00 is not too bad put in perspective of the grand scheme of things IMHO.
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04-05-2008, 08:33 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Mtns of N.E. Georgia
Posts: 1,322
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SnF
Airbuspilot:
Renting a car at Orlando should be no problem. There are usually motel rooms available at Kissimmee which a bit closer to Lakeland. Probably 30 minutes or so.
Get up early and get to Lakeland before the local traffic builds up. Since you're arriving on the 7th you should be there and be familiar with the area before the big rush later in the week.
I have an RV-8 flying. I will be there most of the week I hope. I will be flying into Tampa as I will be staying with friends there. I too will rent a car and drive back and forth.
Send me an e-mail and I will give you my cell phone number. Maybe we can meet and exchange "War Stories".
__________________
LAUS DEO
Mannan J.Thomason, MSGT. USAF (RET)
VAF788
"Bucket List" checkoff in progress!
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04-05-2008, 08:45 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Orlando, FL
Posts: 809
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staying in Orlando
Airbuspilot,
I am an 8A builder who lives in Orlando. Mannan is correct. You should have no trouble renting a car at the Orlando Airport. Kissimmee is a good recommendation for a place to stay. There are lots of other areas between Orlando and Lakeland where you can find a hotel room if Lakeland is full, which is likely.
Bartow, Winter Haven, Aburndale, are a few suggestions. If you want to get a seaplane rating while you are in town, Jack Browns seaplane base in Winter Haven can do that for you in two days. I think they are very busy during sun and fun because a lot of people who come to sun and fun make that arrangement with them.
If you want to do the tourist thing at Disney World, consider staying in the tourist area on International Drive. That area is on the west side of Orlando between Orlando and Sun and Fun. It takes my 45 min to an hour to drive from downtown Orlando to Sun and Fun. It would take less from International Drive.
If you stay in Orlando and want an inexpensive hotel/motel, stay off Orange Blossom Trail. It is a high crime area.
Let me know if there is any other information that you need that I can help with.
__________________
Tony Johnson
RV8A "Badboy" N12TJ
Treasure Island Florida
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04-06-2008, 01:58 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: UK
Posts: 65
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It seems like a bargain to me. I would pay $100 just to have the chance to get a SnF ticket for $140. But then again I`m crazy. I live in England, where AVGAS is now >$11 / gal.
I would imagine that considering how much it costs us to own / build / run an aircraft every year, $140 makes zero impact on the flying budget.
But then again I`m crazy.
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