With Lakeland only a short distance from our home in Florida by car or air, attending Sun ‘n Fun Aerospace Expo is a no-brainer. Although reduced in number to a trio, the airport crowd from my Connecticut days always plans the annual journey south. None are airline pilots, but they are passionate about aviation and the camaraderie. On this trip, we inducted my JetBlue check airman friend, Mike Strauss, into the fold, a dubious honor considering the nonstop harassment involved.
After waiting out the low visibility and low ceilings of early morning fog, a 35-minute flight in Mike’s V-tail Bonanza from Ormond Beach (KOMN) got us to the Lake Parker entry point for the arrival into Lakeland Linder International (KLAL). Let the fun begin. Though I had performed this arrival in my airplane, the lack of direct control from the copilot seat seemed to make the proce- dure more stressful. Or perhaps it was the uncomfortable proximity to other airplanes. Or perhaps it was the NTSB report I was envisioning: “Two ATP-rated pilots were…” On a side note, compliments to the controllers who volunteer for the event. They’ve developed a “show” vernacular that is explicit in the instructions, humorous in its tone, complimentary in its encouragement of correct performance without condescension, and welcoming in its message.
