Ricardo von Puttkammer
CONTENTS
When I look back on SUN ‘n FUN 2026 I am flooded with gratitude for so many reasons. First, we had a very safe year, the changes we have implemented with ATC over the last three years to the arrival procedure have allowed us to accommodate a 16+ year record number of fly-in aircraft safely and efficiently in a manner that keeps the stress down to manageable levels for pilots flying in. Amongst other things, we believe some of this had to do with the additional arrival and departure times available by testing the new Composite Show format on Wednesday. This was such a big hit with exhibitors and fly-in guests that we are going to add another Composite Show on Friday as well in 2027.
Second, our on-site feedback and after-action surveys all indicate that our record setting number of 220,000 individual guests all greatly enjoyed their time at SUN ‘n FUN. Our goal isn’t to be the largest air show in the world, but it is absolutely our mission to be the most fun! As far as entertaining goes, I believe we have accomplished that already. However, we are not letting up off the accelerator! Our Night Airshows have raised the bar in the industry and will continue to innovate with new elements each year that other shows seek to emulate. Our musical acts, either on the main concert stage or at our various social hubs such as The Island, The Swamp and The Sandbar have been wonderfully received by our guests and each of those areas provides an environment to make new aviation-minded friends and enjoy the camaraderie.
Third, we were able to meet our fundraising goals to support our parent organization, the Aerospace Center for Excellence. I think people are just starting to understand that SUN ‘n FUN is primarily the fundraising mechanism for what happens the other 51 weeks a year on our Lakeland, FL campus where we continue to engage, educate and accelerate the next generation of aerospace professionals through the Central Florida Aerospace Academy, a four year aviation centric high school with over 400 students, the Lakeland Aero Club, where our students learn to build, fly and maintain our club aircraft, the recently refreshed Florida Air Museum and so many more tools we utilize to reach over 30,000 students annually.
None of this could be possible without the over 3,200 wonderful volunteers that work together to ensure that the 8,000+ aircraft operations supporting the 4,000+ aircraft in attendance happen safely, that vehicular traffic flows smoothly, the thousands of campsites are accommodated, our admissions process is flawless, quality food and beverage distributed, our exhibit halls and space are ready to accommodate the almost 600 exhibitors, the trash is just miraculously gone, and our grounds are maintained in that signature “Vintage Florida” ambiance that personifies the charm of SUN ‘n FUN itself. I am so grateful for these amazing people, which work tirelessly to ensure the heart of SUN ‘n FUN is conveyed to our guests from all 50 states and over 80 countries from around the world.
Writing this, I just can’t help but become even more excited for what our guests will experience in 2027 as our annual theme takes on a more international flair and we are working towards bringing new international acts to SUN ‘n FUN that our crowds may have not seen before!
Finally, I want to say thank you to all the photographers out there that make the trek from all over the world to capture not the just the aircraft, but the moments that make SUN ‘n FUN so special. You help turn those moments into memories that last a lifetime!
It’s good to be us!
EA-6B PROWLER - 40
SOAR & SHORE AIRSHOW - 66
Atlantic City, NJ
YUMA AIR SHOW - 116
Yuma, AZ
WINGS OVER NORTH GEORGIA - 138
Rome, GA
LUKE DAYS AIR SHOW- 178
Glendale, AZ
2005 NAS OCEANA AIR SHOW - 200
Virginia Beach, VA
VIDALIA ONION FESTIVAL AIR SHOW - 230
Vidalia, GA
GEORGE CLINE RETIRES - 246
FIDAE - 250
Santiago , Chile
COCOA BEACH AIR SHOW - 264
Cocoa Beach, FL
OHIO TRANSPORTATION CELEBRATION FLYOVER- 282
Denison, OH
WINGS OVER MERIDIAN AIRSHOW- 290
Meridian , MS
WINGS OVER THE ROCKIES MUSEUM - 312
Denver, CO
ADVERTISERS LIST - 329
Cover: Ricardo von Puttkammer
Contributing photographers: Matt Geleske - Kelley Hammond - Kendall Hammond - Madelyn Hammond - Aaron Hasse - Kyle Newsom - David R. Robinson - Marcio Souza - Tanner Williams
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Issue No. 44
Ricardo von Puttkammer
Haagen Klaus
Marc Farb