SUN 'n FUN 2021
Photography and Prose: Austin Cleary
SUN ‘n FUN Aerospace Expo and Fly-In 2021 is a wrap!
According to SUN ‘n FUN, attendance this year was record-setting! It was a fantastic feeling to finally be back at my hometown airshow after the insanity of the past year that I am sure we would all prefer to forget. Due to COVID, many were skeptical if SnF21 would proceed as planned, but it did, and it was as amazing as ever. After a week full of flying, photographing, and reuniting with old friends, it is only appropriate to reflect on everything from this past week.
Having been a Lakeland resident my entire life, SUN ‘n FUN has always been a huge aspect of my life every spring. Their slogan for many years has been “Spring Break for Pilots!” and I can’t think of anything more accurate. It is the perfect way for individuals and companies from all over to travel to Central Florida for the largest airshow in the Southeastern United States. SUN ‘n FUN draws not only airshow enthusiasts such as myself, but also hundreds of thousands of aviation enthusiasts to Lakeland Linder International Airport for a week packed with excitement.
With hundreds of exhibits and vendors, they offer something for everyone. Participants can find anything from patches to wrenches to headsets and GPS systems for their airplanes, and can even check out the “for sale” area if they would like to purchase an airplane of their own. In addition to the exhibits and vendors, aircraft companies like Piper, Aviat, and Daher put their latest and most popular general aviation aircraft on display for everyone to check out.
One of my favorite parts of any airshow, SUN ‘n FUN being no exception, is the people. When traveling around for airshows and fly-ins, you start recognizing familiar faces from participants and pilots. After a while, you begin recognizing each other and forming friendships. Sometimes you can be standing right next to someone who is famous (or Instagram famous) that you have been following for years. This happened to me with Stevo Kineevo. I'm fortunate to have made a solid group of both local Floridian friends and friends from across the world who share the same passion for aviation.
A unique part of SUN ‘n FUN is their own radio show and podcast, hosted live during the show and keeping the vibe going year-round. The goal of SUN ‘n FUN Radio is to highlight individuals or groups within the aviation industry and bring them in to talk about what they are accomplishing within their respective fields. For instance, I ran into an old friend who happens to now be the President of the Women in Aviation Chapter in Jacksonville, FL, Brianna Dittman. I was walking around the exhibits and stopped for a bottle of water by SNF Radio and here she comes walking off the deck after completing an interview. It had been well over ten years since we had seen each other and SUN ‘n FUN allowed us to catch up and discuss our mutual love for aviation.
Another fun and almost hidden gem to SUN ‘n FUN is Paradise Field. Paradise Field is full of activity and STOL competitions. Here you can check out a wide variety of light aircraft and gyrocopters in action.
Arguably, everyone’s favorite part of SUN ‘n FUN is the airshow itself. Whenever it is announced that the U.S. Navy Blue Angels are going to be headlining the show, people flock to LAL by airplane, carload, and camper-full. The entire airshow is huge as it showcases fly-bys every morning until showtime. Then the fun begins.
This year, we were fortunate to have the C-17 West Coast Demo Team, who not only performed their demo, but also dropped the nation’s colors via the Black Daggers tactical parachute team. Civilian performers also showcased their abilities and their aircraft through daily aerobatic performances. Rob Holland and many others wowed the crowds with their award-winning aerobatics. The F-22 Demo Team was also present and showed off the unique thrust vectoring capabilities and heart-pounding speed. After the F-22 demo, the A-10 and the P-51 joined up for a classic heritage flight.
Then it was time for the Blue Angels! For over thirty years, the Blue Angels flew the Boeing F/A-18 Hornet, but they transitioned to the new F/A-18 E/F Super Hornets just in time to debut their new jets at SUN ‘n FUN. If you were one of those who just couldn’t get enough, on Wednesday and Saturday, the always popular night airshow amazed the crowds; a spectacle only seen at a handful of airshows around the United States. The “grand finale” of the night show on Saturday featured fireworks to finish out the night. If you haven’t had a chance to see this before, it is a must-see for next year!
A huge thank you to all of the organizers who put on such a successful airshow yet again. I can’t wait to reconvene again next year!
