Ironflight

Ironflight

VAF Moderator / Line Boy
Mentor
Well, it looks like we'll be headed east to pick up the RV-1 in Alabama, then down to join the Sun in the Fun next week. I have never been to this show, and am curious what the peak arrival traffic times (and days?) are - I find that for Oshkosh, it is pretty easy to have the arrival all to yourself at certain times, and figure that there must be known slack times at SnF as well. We've all read horror stories about traffic insanity at the big shows, and I like low stress....:cool:

We have a special arrival for the RV-1 planned on Monday morning, but Louise will be bringing Mikey in on the normal route, then we'll probably be flying at other times - so I'd love to learn from those more experienced with Lakeland.

Paul
 
Early is better.

Flying into Sun'n Fun is a piece of cake compared to AirVenture but earlier arrivals will make for less traffic. As you know, read the notam. I'll be there Thursday so I will look for the RV-1 and I hope to meet you and Louise in person. Will you be staying that long?
 
arrival

Paul,

As others have said.....the earlier in the morning the better. Pretty much consitent through the week with traffic picking up Friday and Saturday as you would expect.
 
SnF Approach Procedure

Hmmm...first time into SnF and in a one-place plane. Paul, normally I'd say there might be a problem but I have flown with you and I know you to be an excellent pilot.

I have flown into both SnF and Airventure on numerous occasions and I can't say one is worse than the other. As others have said, it just depends on when everyone else shows up. By all means keep your head on a swivel and I know you will familiarize yourself with the procedure provided by SnF.

I have seen a video of the flown procedure but I'm not sure if it's still available. If one is available that would help you find the landmarks called out on the procedure. The landmarks I remember were Lake Parker, Interstate 4 and the big Water Tank. I'm sure they are still there. It's been a while since I've flown it so maybe they are providing GPS waypoints now. That would be nice.

The only problem I remember was a particular company demonstrator in front of us that seemed to get slower on final approach to Runway 9. I later thought he may have been "posing" for a company photographer. Either that or he had his volume turned down to the point that he couldn't hear the tower telling him to speed it up. He was high and slow and the tower actually told us to go under him, and land on the far dot. I was the co-pilot that day and my job was to look up at his belly as we went under him in an RV-6A. No joke.

Other trips into SnF have been uneventful. For anyone reading this, be aware if you have a northerly wind component, whether you are landing on 9 or 27, it is real easy to get closer to the runway than you intend to as you make your base to final turn, since the downwind is on the north side of the runway regardless of whether Runway 9 or 27 is active.

Other than that all I can offer you is that we used to stop in Cross City for fuel (not sure if it still offers a good price) and then fly over to Cedar Key for a nice meal. Louise and you both would really enjoy Cedar Key. They didn't sell fuel the last time I was there, but they did have an old Checker Cab with an old NARCO on the dash with which they monitored UNICOM. It's too far to walk from the airport to the town to enjoy the ambiance, but if you do decide to enjoy Cedar Key, allow enough time to see the town. It's a delightful step back in time. IIRC, it's under an hour RV time from Cedar Key to Lakeland.

Have fun...in the sun!
 
rv7boy said:
Hmmm...first time into SnF and in a one-place plane. Paul, normally I'd say there might be a problem but I have flown with you and I know you to be an excellent pilot.
Click to expand...

Thanks Don, and thanks for all the other info! I've used Cross City in the past - nice fuel stop when you go "feet dry" flying Houston to KSC.

Oh - I'm not going to have to worry about flying the single-seater in - we have a special arrival for that! Just gathering info for Louise and "Mikey" (The Val has to stay home and guard the hangar - "Junior" has a date with he paint shop...).
 
SNF arrival snags

Paul,
I had one bad experience a couple years back that I will never repeat..I was flying my 46 T-crate and had just got to Lake Parker when I was told to enter "the hold". Fortunately I was heavy on fuel, as we were advised there had been a runway closure due to a mishap. I was in the low level hold for an hour and thirty minutes trying to keep at 100 mph to avoid being run over, as there were 45 planes in the cuircuit..kinda like a NASCAR race with no known ending. Temps were high, and not everyone in the flock played nice,in fact some were downright dangerous. In hind sight, I would have requested to depart, and came back later. Seems no one could give an estimate of the runway re-open. Since its a "no talk" arrival, all one can do is listen. In the case of a high profile prize like the -1, it might be nice if you can get a discreet frequency with a known representative on the field to advise if something like this may occur...otherwise, they do a great job of getting people in, and the visuals are easy to find. I think there even some Youtube videos you can "fly the approach" virtually to see...wish I was going , but Im going to have to wait to see the -1 when it comes to NC.
 
Paul, if Louise is flying Mikey in, it would be good to have a passenger as another set of eyes. But I know she is an excellent pilot, too. I think the main thing is to keep an eye out for any other plane, and don't assume the other pilot will follow the procedure.
"Trust, but verify."
 
RV-1 will be there during display hours on Thursday

wjnmd said:
Flying into Sun'n Fun is a piece of cake compared to AirVenture but earlier arrivals will make for less traffic. As you know, read the notam. I'll be there Thursday so I will look for the RV-1 and I hope to meet you and Louise in person. Will you be staying that long?
Click to expand...

We'll be there in a primo display area across from the Van's tent. I expect that we will also be looking for volunteers to help host the display, so come by and volunteer a little time, if you have it. I'm expecting Ernie to come in and announce the locations, etc., any hour now. Look forward to seeing folks.
 
It has been my experience that the peak is between 10 and 1. I figure that a lot of GA, AL, SE USA folks leave home at 8'ish and that puts them over the arrival about then. But, it's really a **** shoot. I've arrived between 8 and 9 and have been the only airplane in the pattern, head on a swivel thinking "there HAS to be an airplane somewhere!".
 
I am planning to leave Houston around 3AM on Wednesday morning on my Cherokee 180. I hope to be there around 11 or so that morning. I am a little nervous, because this is my first time to fly into something like this. Fortunately, my building partner is coming along to lend another set of eyes and ears.

Have any of you had experience picking up flight following from KCTY? Any issues?
 
Civengpe,
I am sure you have seen the arrival NOTAM but be careful of late arrival. The airshow starts at 1:00 which means they shut down the arrivals at 12:30 local. Sometimes a little tough to get FF on the way in due to increase traffic. Give Jax center a call near CTY or Jax. Appr. when you get close to Ocala and they might be able to help. They turn down alot of people during the heavy traffic of Sun-N-Fun though. Expecially during the weekend when everyone is leaving and headed towards the border.
 
Thanks Mark. I am planning to stop at KCTY for fuel and was wanting to pick up FF out of there. I am flying the first 2 legs IFR, but didn't think that would work too well on the last leg since the forecast, as of today, is for VMC.

Planning this trip is really giving me motivation to finish up the -10. I weep every time I change the TAS to the -10 speeds in foreflight and see the difference in flight timefrom my Cherokee.:(

I have read the Notam so many times that I can almost repeat it blind folded.
 
Flying later in the day

I was planning on coming in to S&F around 5:30 pm. Any reason that time would not be a good idea? Also I am flying from Eastern Colorado to Rock Hill, SC to pick up my brother, any suggestions for fuel stop would be appreciated. Thanks
 
rwarre said:
I was planning on coming in to S&F around 5:30 pm. Any reason that time would not be a good idea? Also I am flying from Eastern Colorado to Rock Hill, SC to pick up my brother, any suggestions for fuel stop would be appreciated. Thanks
Click to expand...

Not a good time as the runway re-opens at 1700 after the air show completes. This is when everyone lines up to depart. Especially problematic when it occurs on the evening where there's a night air show. They will close the runway again.

They will try to sequence you in but you may be in a hold for a while.
 
rwarre said:
I was planning on coming in to S&F around 5:30 pm. Any reason that time would not be a good idea? Also I am flying from Eastern Colorado to Rock Hill, SC to pick up my brother, any suggestions for fuel stop would be appreciated. Thanks
Click to expand...

The evening "window" can be a tough one. The airshow can run long, then they launch all of the departing aircraft. After the queue of departures is gone they start allowing inbound traffic. You might get in, you might not. If you don't, have a backup plan.
 
Any good times in the evening

Since the airport doesn't close until 10:00 pm, is it possible to fly in at a later time. May 7:30pm.
 
rwarre said:
Since the airport doesn't close until 10:00 pm, is it possible to fly in at a later time. May 7:30pm.
Click to expand...

SnF ground operations stop at dark or slightly before. One year, I landed right at dark and SnF ground op's had just closed. I (along with a few others) had to park at the FBO on the north side of the field and taxi to the show grounds the next morning.
 
rwarre said:
Since the airport doesn't close until 10:00 pm, is it possible to fly in at a later time. May 7:30pm.
Click to expand...

With the apparent issues with your planned arrival time, perhaps over nighting a short distance away with an early morning arrival makes sense.
 
Plan changed

My brother and I have decided to overnight close to SnF so we can arrive early the next day. Anyone know of airports an hour or so North of Lakeland that caters to RV folks and might have a shuttle/courtesy car for a motel.
 
rwarre said:
My brother and I have decided to overnight close to SnF so we can arrive early the next day. Anyone know of airports an hour or so North of Lakeland that caters to RV folks and might have a shuttle/courtesy car for a motel.
Click to expand...

I stayed at KLEE a year ago and got a good rental car rate plus an FBO rate on a hotel close by. I think that the FBO was Sun Air. Call them for better info.

I needed to drive but there may be a hotel shuttle.

http://www.airnav.com/airport/KLEE
 
Kyle Boatright said:
SnF ground operations stop at dark or slightly before. One year, I landed right at dark and SnF ground op's had just closed. I (along with a few others) had to park at the FBO on the north side of the field and taxi to the show grounds the next morning.
Click to expand...

I had the exact same thing happen to me a couple years ago and it was about 2 min. after the field closed for SNF. The crew at the FBO handed me a beer and I was about to unpack when they told me to crank it up and follow them to the south side of the field. They gave me special permission to set up camp outside the fence right where the taxiway meets 9. Best seat in the house! Of course it was with the understanding that I would pull stakes and go to HBC first thing in the morning. That was the best SNF ever for me!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.