Sun ‘n Fun Kicks Off in Florida

Sun n’ Fun opened under cloudy skies and light rain on Tuesday as aviation enthusiasts began streaming into the show grounds at Lakeland Linder Airport in Lakeland, Florida.

In its 45th year, the weeklong event has cemented its place behind EAA AirVenture Oshkosh as the second-biggest airshow of the year. Highlights of this year's Sun 'n Fun are appearances by the Blue Angles – always a crowd favorite – beginning on Thursday afternoon, as well as a nighttime mass drone demonstration as part of the night airshows on Wednesday, April 3, and Saturday, April 6.

For lovers of interesting airplanes, this year’s show marks appearances by an XP-82 “Twin Mustang,” a rare prototype aircraft built during the Korean War, as well as a Pilatus PC-6 Porter on floats at the Waco booth.

Sun ’n Fun serves as an annual fundraiser for the Aerospace Center for Excellence at the Lakeland Airport, which provides educational opportunities and scholarships for students interested in aviation, including those at neighboring Central Florida Aerospace Academy. More than 3,500 volunteers have donated their time to preparing for the event.