The Story of How Ambitious Locals Created the Runway for a Global Gathering

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY SUN ’N FUN

For half a century people have been looking up at SUN ’n FUN—now one of the premiere aviation expos in the world that intertwines incredible feats of engineering, gifted pilots, educational opportunities and entertainment—but Suzy Eickhoff fondly remembers a time when aviation enthusiasts had their eyes looking down and their hands in the dirt.

“We would fly over [from St. Petersburg] on the weekends and work like crazy; we’d get dirty—and we pretty much cleared land by hand,” she recalls about the early 1970s on the grounds of what was then called Lakeland Municipal Airport. “We would bring food and have a cookout, and the guys from Vero Beach would bring their guitars and play music, and it became a family thing on the weekends.”

Bill Eickhoff, Suzy’s husband of 55 years, said no one went to the airport in the pre-fly-in years “because it was out in the sticks.”

“But pretty soon the vision was there for an event and there were probably 10-15 early founders who were so involved even to the point of signing a note at the Barnett Bank to get our first pump and well in because after working out here you get pretty damn dirty,” he says.

It’s fitting that Suzy is the chairman of the Pioneers Club, a group that is celebrating the 50th fly-in this April with a special luncheon and parade.

What started as a gathering of some friends who were part of local chapters of the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) has become Florida’s largest annual convention of any kind, bringing in thousands of aircraft and more than 200,000 visitors from 80 countries to Lakeland each year. But it didn’t happen by accident—it came to fruition on purpose, for a purpose, even if most of the original pioneers stand in awe of the breadth of what it has become.

SUN ’n FUN pioneer Bob Highley, who has lived in Lakeland with his wife Susan since 1972, said initially a group of five or six EAA chapters were interested in partnering with the Antique Aircraft Association to create an event that was open to the public where people could check out pre-World War II aircraft. Eventually, the Classic Aircraft Association jumped on board as well, and in 1975 a weekend fly-in with 365 aircraft and 1,980 guests served as the first Sun ‘n Fun as people around the world know it today.

From the beginning, one of the aims of SUN ’n FUN was to do more than just have fun—even if that’s what the name implies—but also to be a place to build programs and opportunities related to aviation education.

It’s no surprise then to learn that one of the organization’s first board presidents, Lyle Flagg, was a lifelong educator, and he helped put the next generation of pilots, mechanics and aviation workers at the forefront of the mission.

What started out as a few summer camps and a library eventually grew into the opening of the esteemed Florida Air Museum, the creation of the Aerospace Center for Excellence (ACE) and the building of Central Florida Aerospace Academy.

Today, the aviation job fair stretches the entirety of the expo and countless opportunities to learn more about aviation and aerospace is ingrained in the event’s DNA.

Another foundational goal of the pioneers was to make Sun ’n Fun something that appealed to people of all ages and from all walks—and flights—of life.

The reality is people fall in love with aviation for different reasons.

For Highley, serving in the United States Air Force allowed him to see the world from the sky; for Suzy Eickhoff, she remembers stories her father told of helping supply fuel for a mail plane, and she would eventually help her dad build a plane when she was in high school; Bill Eickhoff fell in love with Suzy in high school, and his wife says it’s a good thing he took a liking to aviation as well because she would “hate to think what would have happened” if her father were asked to give his endorsement for a man who liked staying on the ground.

At the 50th fly-in you’ll find everything from courses on repairing aircraft wings, to flight simulators, to air shows with fireworks and drones, to inside access to new aviation technology and so much more.

“I feel like the grandparent,” Suzy Eickhoff says with a chuckle when asked what it’s like to reflect on what the expo has become. “With SUN ’n FUN, if you’re passionate and have an idea, if it’s a good one, then you do it. Everybody has a part in it.”

If you take a peek at hotel prices in Lakeland for early April, you’ll find that the event is an economical boon for the area, which makes sense when you’re talking about hosting the second largest airshow in the country.

The steady ascent of Lakeland’s power and prowess in the aviation world thanks to SUN ’n FUN means that top performers like the United States Air Force Thunderbirds—who are flying at this year’s event—and U.S. Navy Blue Angels are the norm; it also has paved the way for major spotlights, like one by Good Morning America recently at Lakeland Linder Airport, and for premiere entertainers like country stars Dylan Scott and Sara Evans, who are scheduled to cap off opening night of the 50th fly-in with an electrifying concert.

Highley says partners like the City of Lakeland and Visit Central Florida have been essential to the event’s exponential growth because of the marketing, the funding and the long-term relationships, but he says Sun ’n Fun would be nothing without the volunteers.

Today, more than 3,000 volunteers are needed annually to help Sun ’n Fun fly at its constantly increasing altitude.

One Lakelander who was a catalyst for growing Sun ’n Fun from its humble beginnings to its global fame was Billy Henderson, executive director of the expo from 1975 to 1999.

Most of the pioneers have at least one story about how Henderson listened to a suggestion from them about how to improve the event and then empowered them to go figure out how to implement it.

“First job they had me on here…they had me stringing fence, and they saw that my truck had a two-way aircraft radio in it, and [Henderson] said, ‘Hey, I’ve got a better job for you,” SUN ’n FUN pioneer Calvin Arter recalls. “‘When it starts, how about you sitting out in the middle and talking to the airplanes as they come in and ask for help?’”

The Eickhoffs’ experience is similar, and is a testament to how using people’s talents and passions is a near surefire way to accelerate growth.

The couple has never missed a fly-in, and they have been incredible philanthropists who financially supported the Skylab Innovation Center, The Lakeland Aero Club, the Able Flight project and other initiatives.

Bill served as chairman of the board for 28 years, and the couple is honored to have played a role in a journey that has allowed them to make lifelong friends and memories.

“We are just really proud of how it’s kept its quality and its family atmosphere, and it’s very safe,” Suzy says. “

As Highley says, the one-time small gathering of friends has now garnered a reputation worthy of the sacrifice and selflessness that has been the norm of Lakelanders and Sun ’n Fun regulars for decades.

“With the Air Force I was all over the world, and if you were to say Gainesville to someone in Germany, no one would know where you were talking about,” he says. “But if you said Lakeland, nine out of 10 times if you’re around aviation people, they would say, ‘Oh that’s where SUN ‘n FUN is,’ even if you’re standing on a street in Frankfurt.”

SUN N’ FUN TIMELINE

**1975**

The first-ever weekend fly-in is held in January. It is called Mid-Winter SUN ’n FUN, and 1,980 guests and 365 aircraft were present.

**1977**

It snows! Even with the low temperatures, more than 2,000 aircraft from five countries fly-in and more than 7,000 people enjoy the week-long event.

**1980**

SUN ’n FUN moves from January to March and the decision pays off. More than 17,000 guest from 11 countries attend the event and the opening of two commercial buildings on site.

**1983**

People from all 50 states attend SUN ’n FUN for the first time and more than 87,000 people and more than 5,000 planes come in and out of Lakeland Linder.

**1992**

The SUN ’n FUN Air Museum held its grand opening.

**1998**

At this stage Lakeland is actually “The World’s Busiest Airport” based on aircraft operations during the weeklong expo.

**2002**

The Florida Legislature decreed the Florida Air Museum as the “Official Aviation Museum and Education Center of the State of Florida.”

**2008**

In partnership with the Polk County School District, the Central Florida
Aerospace Academy opens its doors.

**2011**

SUN ’n FUN celebrates the opening of Central Florida Aerospace Academy (CFAA), a career and technical STEM public high school.

**2014**

SUN ’n FUN introduces the Aerospace Center for Excellence (ACE), a 14-building aerospace STEM facility on its campus. ACE boasts an impressive array of STEM learning environments and operates year-round, including aerospace summer camps, field trips and outreach programs that reach more than 20,000 students annually.

**2021**

The Skylab Innovation Center opens. This educational extension of the Florida Air Museum offers an interactive laboratory and classroom space for formal and informal Aerospace and STEM learning.Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

FUTURE OF FLIGHT

Flight simulators are just one way that people of all ages can get a hands-on feel for what it’s like to fly, and experience for themselves the joy of aviation at SUN ’n FUN.

The future of the next generation is up in the “air”—and the Aerospace Center for Excellence’s (ACE) goal is to keep more young people up in the air and working in fields directly connected with aviation and aeronautics.

Through the Future ‘n Flight Plaza, this year’s event will show off emerging technologies, offer a wide array of simulator experiences, connect people to career opportunities and celebrate and encourage up-and-coming aviation enthusiasts.

Jane Winter, Vice President of Strategic Partnerships for ACE, said this plaza showcases the organization’s absolute commitment to educating young people.

“There are so many paths to attaining a career in aviation. Pilots, maintenance, air traffic controllers, airport management and so much more. We’ve taken it upon ourselves as an organization to spark the interest of the next generation and show them the pathways.”

Located directly inside the main admission gates of SUN ’n FUN, the Future ’n Flight Plaza has a number of exciting exhibitions and immersive experiences for all ages:

Flight Sim Experience:

It’s game-on all day long thanks to FlightSimExpo providing hands-on flight simulators that put you in the virtual cockpit and allow you to fly numerous aircraft in a variety of locations and weather conditions. Participating organizations and exhibitors include Dogfight Dynamics, Flight Velocity, FS Academy, Jetline Systems, MSI Computers, Propwash Simulation, SimFab, Thrustmaster, X-Plane, Yaw VR, and many more.

Career Fair:

What began years ago as a single day affair at SUN ‘n FUN has become an integral part of every single day of the expo. More than 20 companies and organizations will have representatives on hand to talk about career paths and even schedule meetings and interviews with potential candidates. The employers vary from organizations like Frontier Airlines to Mission Aviation Fellowship to Southwest Airlines.

“Although the aviation industry is thriving, there is a shortage of pilots and mechanics, and everyone from the big companies to the little companies are trying to hire,” Winter said.

Junior Aces:

Throughout the week there will be activities to especially engage with the 7 to 17 year-old audience. The Junior ACES program will host an array of STEM activities, “build a plane” workshops, air traffic controlling exercises, simulators and more across three buildings: the Junior ACES Tent in Future ‘n Flight Plaza, the Buehler Hangar and in the Skylab Innovation Center.

“There are so many little kids who don’t even know that there’s an avenue for them in aviation….so if we can get them to look into the future and realize, ‘I could actually do this myself,’ that’s success to me,” Winter said.

Celebrating Women in Aviation:

On Wednesday, April 10 SUN ’n FUN is hosting the Women ACE’s Breakfast to showcase talented women who led the charge in the aviation industry to provide opportunities to current and future generations of girls and women. “We’re so proud to honor the women who have paved the way in commercial and military aviation careers,” Winter said.

International Oasis:

Visitors, vendors and volunteers from more than 80 countries can check-in and find someone who speaks their language to share stories with and have their event questions answered.

Family Oasis:

Sponsored by Carilly and Badcock Furniture, the Family Oasis is designed to give your family a welcoming place to chill while enjoying the grounds of SUN ‘n FUN. Young families will especially enjoy an escape from the sun along with comfort stations, nursing areas, and more.

And don’t miss Kids Club at the Family Oasis at Night, which allows parents to enjoy the SUN ‘n FUN nightlife while their kids are engaged in a fun-filled night of their own! Every night is themed to the activities happening at the show. Each Kids Club ticket includes professional child care, dinner, snacks and activities.

Innovation Showcase:

On February 23, the race toward personal air transportation was on display for all the world to see when “Good Morning America” crew filmed live at SUN ’n FUN the historic launch of Lift Aircraft’s HEXA, a vertical takeoff and landing vehicle that resembles a giant drone and is powered by 18 separate electric motors. It classifies as an ultralight aircraft and requires just an hour of training before an adult can go up and pilot the experimental vehicle.

Lift will be on site during SUN ‘n FUN to let people get up close and personal with the technology as one of more than a dozen exhibits in the Innovation Showcase.

Also being featured is a company who does drone deliveries—who Winter said be doing some “pretty interesting deliveries” during the expo—as well as a German company who has built an app that creates personal co-pilots that can assist individuals in flight.

Keep Your Eyes on the Sky

“It’s a bird… it’s a plane…it’s superman!”

In the case of SUN ’n FUN it’s really a combination of the last two as some of the most talented pilots in the world put on aerial shows that delight the masses with their precision and skill.

Dennis Dunbar, Director of Airshows and Attractions, said every day has airshows that combine history, creativity and high-octane entertainment.

He encourages locals who get amped up to go to Saturday night’s “premiere” show to consider the Wednesday night show, which is the exact same show that mesmerizes the crowd, often leaving them speechless.

Here are some of the highlights of the daily airshows. The schedule for all the airshows can be found by scanning the QR code below.

THUNDERBIRDS

The elite pilots flying the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds show off the incredible capabilities of the F-16 Fighting Falcon, an elite multi-role fighter jet. And this year is the 50th anniversary of this iconic group.

The demonstration is a mix of six aircraft performing formation flying and solo routines. The four-ship Diamond formation showcases the precision and training of Air Force pilots, as well as the gracefulness of the F-16. The two solos display the power and maximum capabilities of the supersonic jet.

TORA TORA TORA!

Flying a number of iconic warplanes, Tora Tora Tora is a living history lesson that has been taking people back to December 7, 1941 since the group’s inception in 1972.

“You will learn about what happened on December 7th, 1941 in Pearl Harbor…but you’re also going to be entertained by the precision in the flying and the pyrotechnics,” Dunbar says. “You’ll feel like you were there in Pearl Harbor.”

The show features the following aircraft: Mitsubishi A6M, Nakajima B5N, Aichi D3A, Curtiss P-36 and Curtiss P-40.

“Each performer is going to bring their airplanes and crew chiefs out, and they’re just going to interact with the public...””

— Dennis Dunbar - SUN ‘n FUN Pioneer

Ghost Squadron

Did you know you could find astronauts in training at SUN ’n FUN? In a high-G, dynamic and high-consequence environment this group of men and women dreaming of space are able to gain invaluable real-world experience including crew resource management and navigation skills.

This group is part of the Polaris Dawn space mission, which operates out of Kennedy Space Center, and the initiative is also raising money for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Sun n Fun marks Ghost Squadron’s global debut.

“They’ve been practicing in Montana and some other places already…but their public debut is gonna be on Tuesday,” Dunbar says. “They have really cool airplanes and are wonderful people.”

Meet the Pilots

For the first time in its history SUN ’n FUN is hosting a “performer experience” where fans can meet the men and women piloting their favorite aircraft.

“Each performer is going to bring their airplanes and crew chiefs out, and they’re just going to interact with the public, kind of like a Gasoline Alley experience at the Indy 500. You know, get your selfies and actually have one-on-one conversations with these folks.”

**DON’T MISS**

Military tactical demonstrations
One-of-a-kind warbirds
World class civilian performers
Daily airshows 1 to 5 p.m.
Check out a full schedule of the daily airshows at
Sun ’n Fun.

SOMETHING FUN FOR EVERYONE

DESIGNED BY BRIANA CHENOT

SUN ’n FUN was built by aviation enthusiasts for aviation enthusiasts, but also with the intent to strike a chord with the general public in such a way that just maybe others would become captivated by aeronautics.

One way to draw people in is through entertainment by air and land, and never has the lineup of fun been stronger.

**April 9, 6 p.m.**

**Dylan Scott & Sara Evans in Concert**

Once the high-pitched whistling and steady hum of jet and plane engines has kicked off the expo, a couple of country music stars Dylan Scott and Sara Evans will put an exclamation point on the opening day.

Scott has notched four No. 1 radio singles: “My Girl,” “Nobody,” “New Truck,” and “Can’t Have Mine (Find You a Girl.) The latter became a viral hit on TikTok, and his star has continued to rise as he has toured with the likes of Garth Brooks, Luke Bryan, Chris Young and others.

Evans is a country music veteran who has five No.1 singles to her credit including “Suds in the Bucket.” “A Real Fine Place to Start” and “A Little Bit Stronger.”

Evans and Scott will be performing from sunset into the night at the warbird ramp.

All general admission pass holders for the opening day of SUN ’n FUN will be able to enjoy the concert.

**April 9, 11, & 12,**
**7 to 8:30 p.m**

**Sunset Aerial Circus**

Prepare to be wowed by a host of innovative and concept aviation performers that light up the night sky. This includes colorful flyovers, the Airythmia Paramotor Team, the Patriot Parachute Team, RC trick planes, short take off and landing aircraft and more.

**April 10 and 13,**
**following the**
**nightly airshow**

**Mesmerizing Fireworks**

Amazing sights in the sky are the norm at SUN ’n FUN, and this year the fireworks display is leveling up to be more spectacular than ever before. On Wednesday and Saturday the fireworks will serve as the night cap to the incredible evening airshows.

**April 11, 6 to 9 p.m.**

**The BASH Fundraiser**

There’s no better way to support the next generation of aviation professionals at the Aerospace Center for Excellence (ACE) than by throwing a massive party.

Attendees of the BASH at the Florida Air Museum enjoy a cocktail reception and delectable food offerings, and silent and live auctions raise funds for ACE and the Florida Air Museum.

Tickets are $150, or tables for eight can be reserved for $1,500. Find out more or purchase tickets at

flysnf.org/activities/the-bash

GET READY FOR FIRST CLASS FLEET

DESIGNED BY JON SIERRA

The collection of aircraft you can experience at Sun ’n FUn Is unlike any other in the world. Whether you’re into history, do-it-yourself One-of-a-kind projects, military power OR SOMETHING ELSE—there are planes to explore and memories to make.