Sun ’n Fun Kicks Off Spring Break for Aviation

The annual fly-in/airshow in Lakeland, Florida, provides cold-weary northerners in particular a much-needed boost every spring.

LeRoy Cook

Monday, April 08, 2024 at 12:13 PM ET

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This year's Sun 'n Fun event runs Tuesday, April 9, through Sunday, April 14. [File photo]

Key Takeaways:

The Sun 'n Fun Aerospace Expo in Lakeland, Florida, is a major annual event that began 50 years ago as a "spring break with airplanes" for pilots to escape cold northern winters.
Held this year from April 9-14, the expo showcases a vast array of aircraft types, new aviation products, daily airshows, educational seminars, and an on-field museum.
Pilots flying into the event must navigate complex arrival procedures detailed in a 27-page NOTAM, while attendees should prepare for extensive walking and sun exposure.

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As a major milestone along the march of aviation’s year, central Florida’s Sun ’n Fun Aerospace Expo in Lakeland, Florida, gives cold-weary northerners a much-needed boost from the leftover winter.

It’s not that we can’t fly during the short, colder days. It’s just not worth the bother in the frozen states. Bundling up for the trek to the hangar, arranging for some engine heat, wondering if the battery is up to the start, chipping leftover snowplow detritus from the rollout path—naw, too much trouble, wait for a better day.