The daily airshows, scheduled from 1-5 p.m. EDT, promise to deliver thrills courtesy of renowned performers such as Patty Wagstaff, Rob Holland, and Michael Goulian. Additionally, the night airshow and pyrobatic fireworks will illuminate the skies on Wednesday and Saturday, kicking off at 7 p.m.

• READ MORE: A Fond Memory: Sun ‘n Fun Aerospace Expo 2023

For aviation enthusiasts, the Commemorative Air Force is set to offer vintage aircraft rides, including the iconic B-29 Fifi, and various other warbirds. Interested individuals can secure their ride bookings through the Sun ’n Fun website. Spectators can look forward to captivating performances by the U.S. Air Force F-35A Demo Team, Air Force Thunderbirds, Patriot Parachute Demo Team, and Warbirds Arrival Show on April 9, with additional warbird events sprinkled throughout the week. The official website provides a detailed event schedule.

On the ground, attendees can partake in workshops, explore opportunities at an aviation career fair, and provide young aviation enthusiasts with inspiration at a dedicated kids corner. Aviators flying into the show can benefit from available discounts, while those seeking an elevated experience can opt for preferred seating, available on the event’s website. The Sun ’n Fun event promises an immersive experience for aviation enthusiasts of all ages.

The post Sun ’n Fun 2024: Soar Into the Skies with Unforgettable Airshow Spectacles appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Today’s Top Pick is a 1994 Steen Skybolt.

In the late 1960s, Lamar Steen was a high school industrial arts teacher who was looking for a way to inspire his students. He designed a sport biplane and figured he could teach the kids some serious math and mechanical skills while boosting their confidence. He coached them while they did the building. They finished the project in 1970 and watched as Steen test-flew it. How has no one made a movie about this feel-good story?

Steen performed aerobatics at numerous airshows during the 1970s and sold hundreds of plans for the homebuilt airplane. The airframe is stressed for aerobatics and consists of a steel tube fuselage and wooden wings. The original aircraft used a Lycoming HO-360 engine, but subsequent models used a variety of engines including 300 hp Lycoming 540s. A total of more than 400 were built.   

This Steen Skybolt has 605 hours on the airframe and 605 hours on the engine since factory overhaul. The panel includes a King KT97A comm radio, King KT76A transponder, AV30 PFD, intercom, ADS-B out, and EDM 800 engine monitor.

Pilots looking for a handsome sport biplane that is capable of performing full aerobatic routines should consider this 1994 Steen Skybolt, which is available for $59,000 on AircraftForSale.

You can arrange financing of the aircraft through FLYING Finance. For more information, email info@flyingfinance.com.

• FLYING Magazine: Keeping America’s Largest Vintage Biplane Rides Fleet Flying
• FLYING Magazine: Frank Christensen and the Kit Plane Revolution
• Plane & Pilot: Steen Skybolt
• Plane & Pilot: Pitts S-1S Special
• AVweb:  Bad Mojo No Mo

The post This 1994 Steen Skybolt’s Biplane Proportions Make It an ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Today’s Top Pick is a 1975 Great Lakes 2T-1A-2.

The Great Lakes 2T-1A-2 matches the image that appears in people’s imagination when someone says “biplane” with its swept wings, sleek lines and graceful proportions. The model’s ancestors date to the 1920s, but as the design evolved, its performance improved. It attracted numerous airshow pioneers and aerobatics competitors, including Harold Krier, Dorothy Hester, Charlie Hillard, and Tex Rankin. 

The Great Lakes Aircraft Company was shuttered in 1936, but the design resurfaced with new manufacturers acquiring the rights and building hundreds more, first during the 1960s and again during the 1970s. One could say the aircraft went out of production a few times but never went out of style. About a decade ago, the airplane made another comeback when WACO began reproducing it along with its current, larger YMF-5D. Like the WACOs,  Stearman, and Pitts Special, the Great Lakes have a certain timeless quality.

This 1975 Great Lakes has 1,621 hours on the airframe, 168 hours on its 180 hp Lycoming IO-360 engine and 138 hours on the propeller since overhaul. The panel includes a GNC 250 XL nav/com, King T-76A transponder and wingtip Sky Beacon ADS-B Out. The aircraft received new covering, paint, and interior in 1989.

Pilots who are looking for an open-cockpit experience in a classic sport biplane with aerobatic capability should consider this 1975 Great Lakes 2T-1A-2, which is available for $108,000 on AircraftForSale.

You can arrange financing of the aircraft through FLYING Finance. For more information, email info@flyingfinance.com.

• FLYING Magazine: WACO Great Lakes 2T-1A-2 Debuts
• Plane & Pilot: Return Of The Great Lakes
• Plane & Pilot: Great Lakes Sport Trainer

The post This 1975 Great Lakes 2T-1A-2 Is a Golden Age, Aerobatic ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The inductees for 2023 include: the late Neal Loving, EAA Homebuilders Hall of Fame; Lew Shattuck of Yelm, Washington, International Aerobatic Club Hall of Fame; the late Charles “Chuck” Greenhill, Warbirds of America Hall of Fame; John Parish Sr. of Tullahoma, Tennessee, Vintage Aircraft Association Hall of Fame; and Paul Mather of St. Elmo, Alabama, EAA Ultralights Hall of Fame.

• READ MORE: Members of EAA 983 Honored for Safe Operation

Loving was born in Detroit in 1916 and took his first flight at age 14. He began learning to fly in 1938 despite difficulties finding flight schools that accepted Black students. He later designed the S-1 glider and lost both legs in an aircraft accident but continued to pursue aviation. He went on to design his most well-known aircraft, the WR-1, which won the Most Outstanding Design Award at the 1954 EAA Fly-In Convention. Loving died in December 1998.

Parish is known for his interest in the Beechcraft Model 17 Staggerwing. After years of flying, he was able to buy his own Staggerwing in 1970 and became increasingly involved with the International Staggerwing Club. In 1973 he and his wife, Charlotte, helped establish the Staggerwing Museum Foundation, known today as the Beechcraft Heritage Museum, in Tullahoma, Tennessee. Parish’s involvement with EAA has included serving on its board for more than 30 years, and working as director and vice president of the EAA Aviation Foundation.

• READ MORE: EAA Chapter Marks 20,000 Young Eagles Flights

Shattuck enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in 1952, where he flew many different fighter aircraft. In 1966, Shattuck was captured after his F-105 was shot down in North Vietnam and was held as a prisoner for more than six years. He retired from the Air Force in 1976 as a colonel. He soon bought a Pitts Special and began practicing aerobatics. In 1978 he won the Pitts Cup trophy in the IAC National Championships. He continued flying in competition until 2018, when he was 85. Shattuck also spent many years mentoring aerobatic pilots and judges.

Greenhill became involved with restoring warbirds soon after he served in the U.S. Army. Greenhill used his skills as a tool and die maker to restore warbirds to their original condition working with his wife, Bev. One standout among his many projects is the only surviving Grumman J2F-4 Duck from the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Greenhill’s restorations often appeared at EAA AirVenture and earned him the 2007 World War II Grand Champion, 2003 and 2005 Reserve Grand Champion, and 2014 Preservation awards. Greenhill died in April 2022.

Mather began flying in 1974 at age 18 and has flown a range of ultralights, including hang gliders and Quicksilver foot-launch models. In 1980 Mather began working at Quicksilver in sales and marketing. Among his notable feats was his 1984 nonstop flight in an MXL II ultralight from Annaba, Algeria, to Monaco over the Mediterranean Sea, setting numerous FAI records. Mather left Quicksilver in 1995 to start his own venture, M-Squared Aircraft, which produces a variety of aircraft, including the part 102 ultralight Breese-XL.

In addition to the inductions, Jim Casper received the Henry Kimberly Leadership Award, which recognizes Oshkosh-area residents for volunteer service to the EAA. Casper is a longtime EAA Aviation Museum docent volunteer.

The post EAA Honors 5 Hall of Fame Inductees for 2023 appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Today’s Top Pick is a 1967 Nanchang CJ-6A.

When you see a Nanchang CJ-6 on display or flying in formation at an airshow, your first thought might be something like, “That airplane is not from around here.”  It is true that the aircraft, long used as a military trainer in China, is a departure from what we are accustomed to seeing at local airports. Still, the Nanchang boasts a following in the U.S. among pilots who cite its fun-to-fly qualities, which include aerobatics. There are quite a few of the aircraft registered here, and owners enjoy an active type club, the Red Star Pilots Association.

The Nanchang echoes the lines of the Soviet-era Yak 18. Over time it received a number of revisions, upgrades, and adjustments to improve its performance and maintain its relevance in the fleet. It seems like its appeal would be similar to that of the North American AT-6 Texan from World War II, which has become a favorite among warbird enthusiasts. There are many differences between the Nanchang and the Texan—including lower operating costs, in general—though the Chinese machine winds up occupying a category of its own. Its trailing-link tricycle landing gear, for example, reflects its use as a trainer for pilots headed for duty in jet fighters.

This Nanchang has 835 hours on the airframe since rebuild and 567 hours on the engine since overhaul. Its panel includes a Garmin GTR 200 and Bendix King KN165. The aircraft was last painted in 1992. In the U.S., the CJ-6 is operated under the FAA experimental/exhibition category.

Pilots interested in owning a unique, eye-catching military aircraft that gets attention at the airport—and could also fetch invitations to airshows—should take a close look at this Nanchang CJ-6, which is available for $85,000 on AircraftForSale.

You can arrange financing of the aircraft through FLYING Finance. For more information, email info@flyingfinance.com.

• FLYING Magazine: Oshkosh Flying Memories
• Plane & Pilot: Warbirds On A Budget (Sort Of)

The post This 1967 Nanchang CJ-6A Is an ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick for Pilots Interested in Warbirds appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The Gen2 is portable and has a graphing function that displays Gs over time using a color coded scale.

According to James Wiebe, CEO of Radiant Technology, the Gen2 is self-powered and can be attached using Velcro or an optional holster, making it easy to transfer from aircraft to aircraft, which makes it a valuable tool.

“A visualization of G force is useful and fun for any pilot, but is especially valuable for student pilots,” said Wiebe. “We did a market survey of various competitive products and could not find any with graphing and needle modes, especially at a reasonable price.” 

According to the company, the Gen2 operates in the plus-8 to minus-8 G range with the minimum and maximum values constantly displayed. The unit has a graphing mode and a traditional needle for presentation. There is an audible alarm for auditory notification of tolerances. The unit comes with a USB rechargeable battery (cable included). The unit can operate up to five hours on a single charge. The unit weighs 2 ounces, which is about the same as a snack box of raisins.

How to Use It

To use the Gen2 it needs to be mounted on a vertical surface. When the unit is activated it will display current, minimum and maximum Gs. The user can move between the graphing and needle mode by pressing the “next” button switches. The screen is dimmable, and the needle and the graphing mode are color-coded and will change to red at plus-4 or minus-2 Gs. An aural alarm also sounds, which may be muted by briefly pressing the speaker button.

The unit carries an introductory price of $149. The attachment holster sells for $49.

The post Portable G-Meter Gives Pilots Feedback on Inflight Forces appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Today’s Top Pick is a 1973 Bellanca Citabria 7KCAB.

Citabrias are popular among the range of two-seat taildraggers that includes Piper Cubs, Luscombes, Cessna 120s, and Taylorcrafts. Taildraggers have gained a bigger audience of late because of growing interest in backcountry and bush flying among adventurous pilots, and the Citabria is known as a forgiving trainer.

This 7KCAB model is one of the higher-powered, “hot rod” versions of the Citabria with a 150 hp 4-cylinder Lycoming engine set up for basic aerobatics. There is a special place in my heart for the 7KCAB because I began my flight instruction in one after a friend urged me to learn in a taildragger. With the same horsepower as a Cessna 172 of the same era, the Citabria is hundreds of pounds lighter and feels especially peppy. The basic Citabria is called the 7ECA and has a more modest 100 or 115 hp engine.

This Citabria has 1,662 hours on the airframe and engine, and 79 hours on the fixed-pinch Sensenich propeller. The aircraft received new wings with metal spars in 2013 and carries 36 gallons of usable fuel. Useful load is 483 pounds. The panel includes a King KLN 89 GPS, Garmin SL 40 digital com radio, Garmin GTX 327 transponder, uAvionix ADS-B out wingtip beacon, and a G-meter.

If you are looking for a traditional tailwheel airplane with extra speed and the bonus of aerobatic capabilities, you should take a look at this 1973 Bellanca Citabria 7KCAB, which is available for $89,500 on AircraftForSale.

You can arrange financing of the aircraft through FLYING Financial Group. For more information, email info@flyingfinancial.com.

• FLYING Magazine: Getting Reacquainted With Taildraggers Is Time Well Spent
• FLYING Magazine: A Taste of Taildraggers
• Plane & Pilot: Bellanca ‘Citabria‘
• The Aviation Consumer: American Champion Citabria/Decathlon
• The Aviation Consumer: Decathlon and Citabria

The post Today’s Top Aircraft For Sale Pick: 1973 Bellanca Citabria 7KCAB appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

According to Jim Rothlin, the CEO of the Port of Bremerton, the event was the first air show at KPWT in 35 years.

For years, the event was known as the Freedom Fair because it usually took place on the Fourth of July and was staged at the Tacoma Narrows Airport (KTIW), some 15 miles to the southeast.

According to Tony LaStrella, the president and CEO of the Freedom Fair and the Tacoma Events Commission, when the aviation event outgrew its space at KTIW, the Port of Bremerton reached out with the idea of bringing it to Bremerton, which sports a 6,200-by-150-foot runway and sits on 1,729 acres as opposed to KTIW’s 568 acres and 5,002-foot runway.

Celebrating the Navy

Wings Over Washington celebrated the area’s Navy heritage. Bremerton Airport’s identifier, PWT, stands for Pacific Weapons Transfer Station as it was known during World War II and the Cold War.

There were several aircraft on display that were crowd favorites from the Navy arsenal. Some of them are privately owned, while others are part of collections. Among those making the show were the Erickson Aircraft Collection—an F4U Corsair, FM-2 Wildcat, SBD Dauntless, and TBM Avenger.

Greg Colyer’s Ace Maker Aviation brought out the T-33 Shooting Star, and there was a T-28 Trojan and a PBY-5A-Catalina cared for by the Soaring by the Sea Foundation. Other aerial acts included flybys by Dan Vance’s P-51 Speedball Alice, and the Cascade Warbirds.

Olde Thyme Aviation had several of its restored antique biplanes on display, and approximately 25 lucky visitors took to the skies for rides before the air show performances began. 

The air show was opened by the Canadian Armed Forces Parachute Team—the “Skyhawks”—with LaStrella and organizers of the show singing the national anthem.

Aerobatics

Despite hazy skies because of forest fire smoke that had drifted in from the east, there were aerobatic performances from Undaunted Airshows, a two-ship act utilizing Oregon-designed Van’s Aircraft RV-7 and RV-8 that kept fans looking skyward.

The Pacific Northwest theme continued with a performance by Portland, Oregon-based Renny Prince in a Sukhoi Su-29.

For those who preferred more terrestrial engines, Bill Braack’s Smoke-n-Thunder JetCar roared down the runway, and the south end of the airport offered a car show organized by the Bremerton Pilots Association (PBA) that featured about 70 vehicles. Organizers noted that 100 percent of the entry fees will go to supporting the BPA’s youth pilot scholarship fund.

LaStrella said the event enjoyed a pretty good turnout, estimating 3,000 people came through the gates with another 2,000 for promotion and local charities in the first year of what is hoped to be an annual event.

“The idea was to get the word out and build on the event, so that next year it’ll really take off,” LaStrella said. “I think we accomplished that as everyone had a great time. and all the community leaders and businesses now want to get involved as either sponsors or volunteers. So we’re going to keep the momentum going and offer some special opportunities this week while it’s in everyone’s mind for sponsors and ticket holders to get locked in now for next year.”

LaStrella said both VIP and premier seating were sold out. There were some businesses that came in too late to become sponsors, so he said that will be addressed for next year.

The post Wings Over Washington Airshow Off the Ground appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

An example of her determination and willingness to adapt to challenges was her 2014 appearance at the World Advanced Aerobatic Championships. She was sharing a CAP 332SC with others in her group, and when it came time for her to compete, the airplane broke down and could not be repaired. Faced with elimination, she welcomed the generosity of an Italian competitor who loaned her his CAP 232. Her mantra of “be bold, be daring” carried her to fourth place in that program—and seventh overall, and first woman overall—despite competing in an unfamiliar airplane she had never flown.

Based in the Alpilles region of Provence in southern France, Astles has found success with competition aerobatics, and also as a race pilot on the Red Bull Air Racing Circuit, where in 2017, she won the event portion held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Astles shared with FLYING how she got to this place, and what she does to maintain her competitive edge.

FLYING Magazine (FM): Your record of achievements indicates you’ve always pushed hard towards your goals and persevered through any challenges you faced. Tell us about your work ethic.

Mélanie Astles (MA): If I had to quote keywords to define my work ethic, those words would be passion, determination, and boldness. I focus on my target, clear away the limiting beliefs, and make a plan to go after it. This way, I can change negative beliefs into positive thinking. I abide by Nelson Mandela’s saying that you either win or you learn. My philosophy is that challenges make you stronger, and failures are incentives to make you progress.

FM: We all know aerobatics competition is extremely strenuous on the human body. How do you condition yourself to handle the G loads of this type of flying?

MA: “A great mind in a healthy body” could be my motto. My physical conditioning is intense, with workouts virtually every day and coaching several times a week. Breathing and abdominal exercises are very important to sustain the G loads, and I recently took up yoga, boxing, and stretching. In aerobatics, mental preparation is just as important as physical preparation.

FM: Does your preparation regime for aerobatics extend to your diet?

MA: I don’t follow a strict diet, because as is everything in life, it should be pleasurable. I eat healthy food regularly but occasionally won’t say no to a pizza, a hamburger, or a drink of champagne.

FM: Walk us through your pre-competition preparations. Do you have methods to eliminate outside life stresses from your mind so you can focus on the demands of the routine?

MA: I guess my best friend is music. Before a competition, I like to be by myself with my headphones listening to my favorite music, oblivious to everything else. At that moment, I am already in the air. In aerobatics, mental preparation is essential. I recently had an insight into hypnosis and learned some basics of autohypnosis, which is sometimes practiced by people, like Bertrand Piccard, who have trained themselves to use autohypnosis for short periods of restorative sleep.

FM: Describe the precision it takes to become a successful Red Bull Air Race (now Air Race World Championship series) pilot. What is the focus like, and what margin of error do you have to maintain to excel?

MA: In aerobatics, we have to perform figures in a limited area, and we are given marks by several judges, very much like ice skating. The difference with air racing is that we compete against the clock, so we are judged on speed. Along the runs, we have to find the best track trajectory, avoid penalties, and preferably not hit a gate.The concentration needs to be maximum because the run is only about 1 minute, so precision is essential, as we fly at nearly 400 km per hour very close to the ground or water. The margin of error is nil.

FM: As a woman, have there ever been times in your career when there were indications that the men around you doubted your skill and determination?

MA: When I was touring with the Red Bull Air Races, I was rather welcomed by the men, everybody was kind and helpful to me. The one problem [I had] was maybe with the media. As the only woman in the sport, I attracted the media, and some of the males resented that, which is a bit understandable. I did not have this feeling of sexism with the other pilots and believe strongly that they saw me as a pilot and not as a woman pilot. And I guess from my results, everybody realized I was not just a pretty face, but was there for fighting and winning!

FM: Throughout your bio and blog posts on your site, you use the word “happiness” frequently. Is flying your happy place?

MA: I always wanted to fly, and when I started flying at 21 years old, the exhilaration was even stronger than I had anticipated. Reaching the sky where I knew I belonged was an intense experience. What other word but “happiness” could I use? My motto of  “Smile On” started when I flew my first Red Bull Air Race in Spielberg, Austria, because I just could not believe this was happening to me. I had a permanent smile on my face, even during my runs. When we get on the course, the clock starts when you hear “Smoke On,” which immediately became “Smile On” for me, and that has remained ever since. It is my peaceful cry which I would like to hear throughout the world.

FM: Tell us about the personal relationship you have with F-HMEL, your Extra 330SC.

MA: F-HMEL is indeed very special to me. When I started competing in aerobatics, I shared airplanes. When I wanted my first airplane, the banks refused to lend me the money. But thanks to the help of one of my sponsors, who helped me build a case with the bankers and stood security for me, I was able to buy F-HMEL, and it has been with me through many competitions. 

FM: Tell us about being an ambassador to the Pima Air and Space Museum in Arizona. What is the importance you place on inspiring young people to become involved in flying?

MA: I am very proud to represent the Pima Air and Space Museum internationally, because it is one of the most beautiful museums I have ever seen. The Pima staff and I share many common values and want to inspire people to join the aviation world by making it feel accessible. I love promoting the museum, it is just so natural for me because the history found there highlights the values I defend.

Quick 6

Who’s the one person living or dead you would most like to fly with? Someone who is dreaming of flying but can’t.

If you could fly any airplane or helicopter, what would that be? The F-15 Eagle, because it’s my favorite fighter.

What is one airport you’ve always wanted to fly into? Oshkosh (KOSH).

What do you believe has been aviation’s biggest break-through event or innovation? Breaking the sound barrier.

What is one important life lesson you’ve learned from being an aerobatic competitor? It is not so much what I do in competition, it is who Ibecome through competing.

When not flying, I’d rather be… Learning new things

The post Melanie Astles Reflects on Perseverance and Precision appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The events include a wide variety of shows, precision aerobatics, military big iron, and unique and rare flying examples. This schedule is subject to change.

Monday, July 25, 2022; Start time: 2:30 p.m.

Van’s 50th Anniversary / Air Force Special Operations Command Day

Tuesday, July 26, 2022; Start time: 2:30 p.m.

Innovations Day / Air Education and Training Command Day

Wednesday, July 27, 2022; Start time: 2:30 p.m.

WomenVenture / Air Combat Command Day

Wednesday, July 27, 2022; Start time: 8 p.m.

WomenVenture / Air Combat Command Day

Thursday, July 28, 2022; Start time: 2:30 p.m.

Air Mobility Command / Young Eagles Day

Friday, July 29, 2022; Start time: 2:30 p.m.

Salute to Veterans Day / Air Force Global Strike Command Day

Saturday, July 30, 2022; Start time: 2:30 p.m.

U.S. Air Force 75th Anniversary

Saturday, July 30, 2022; Start time: 8 p.m.

U.S. Air Force 75th Anniversary

Sunday, July 31, 2022; Start time: 1 p.m.

The Big Finish

For more information about EAA Airventure 2022, visit FLYING’s Oshkosh page.

The post EAA AirVenture 2022 Airshow Schedule Released appeared first on FLYING Magazine.