Sun 'n Fun International Fly-In and Expo 2014 - Celebrating 40 years this week!

The annual Sun 'n Fun International Fly In and Expo is celebrating its 40th birthday this week April 1 - 6! Held every year at Florida's Lakeland Linder Regional Airport (LAL). It is one of the largest airshows in the world. If you plan on flying in, don't worry about the airport being full, they have never had to turn airplanes away. 

The theme for this year is "A Fair in the Air to Remember". Some of the highlights include:

• Airshow performers everyday this week
• A performance by the Blue Angels - Fri., Sat. & Sun. - April 4-6 (4pm-6pm)
• Historic and current aircraft static displays
• Take a flight in the world's first mass produced airliner the 1929 Ford Tri-motor ($75)
• Attend the 1st annual Dinner with Legends Banquet
• Visit 100s of exhibitors including, AOPA, EAA, Pilatus, Beechcraft, Soloy Aviation, Cessna, Piaggio, ForeFlight, Garmin, Flying Magazine, Quest Aircraft, SiriusXM just to name a few.
• See one the few Night Airshows in the world. Includes a fireworks show - Sat. April 5  7pm-9pm
• Attend the job fair. Recruiters from major, regional and corporate flight departments will be there.
• Fly in a B-17 Flying Fortress. 1 of only 11 still flying! ($475)
• Hot Air Balloon launch - Sat. April 5 (rides available)

General admission ticket prices are: Adults - $37, Youth (11-17) - $15, 10yrs and under - Free. Preferred seating is an additional $20. Well worth it I think. It gives you seating on the flightline, bag storage, a shade tent, access to bathrooms and free water all day. You can purchase your tickets online here.

If you're flying there and have an extra seat or two or if you need a seat, Sun 'n Fun has a page/forum to help you out. Here is the link.

Unfortunately I will not be able to make it out there this year. But I hope some of you can!

When Blades Creep

What happened to the Caravan pictured below?  Turbine Blade Creep - the movement of a turbine blade from its normal alignment, causing it to strike the casing.  Caused by stress from high temperatures and high centrifugal forces.

When Blades Creep!  It sounds like the title of some horror movie, doesn't it?  Well, if you don't know what it is... it just might become the title of your very own horrific day.  Read on and study more.

On June 1st, 2008 Grand Caravan N102VE operated by Skydive Greensburg in Indiana experienced a total loss of engine power.  On its second load of the day, it was climbing through 7,000 feet MSL with 14 skydivers on board when there was a CT (compressor  turbine) failure caused by blade creep.  The pilot reported hearing a loud explosion followed by a metal grinding noise coming from the engine.  The aircraft began to vibrate and then smoke filled the cabin when the pilot began emergency shutdown procedures.

He leveled off at 5,000 feet so that the skydivers could exit, which they all did.  He attempted a forced landing at the airport, however he was too high and fast (a common problem during such situations) and landed in an adjacent cornfield upside down, after the left wing and propeller struck the ground first.  Luckily the pilot and all skydivers survived.

The engine manufacturer, Pratt & Whitney Canada had issued Service Information Letters (SILs) recommending borescope inspections of the CT blades to look for blade creep and fatigue cracks.  However, the owner of this aircraft said that he was unaware of the SILs and did not perform the inspections.

We as pilots can all learn from this accident.  Do not ever assume that the owner of the airplane that you're flying is in compliance with all of the required Airworthiness Directives AND recommended Service Information Letters.  I know a lot of you had never even heard of a SIL.  Stay sharp.... fly safe!

Shark spotted at Skydive the Beach!

Skydive the Beach in Wollongong Australia and their Caravan with the cool paint job takes skydivers to the highest altitudes in all of Australia.  In case you're wondering that's 15,000 feet high!  This company that started out with just two guys and a Cessna 206, now has 10 drop zones all over Australia with more openings planned! 

If you're ever out near their drop zones (especially if you've never gone skydiving) do yourself a favor and be sure to get in the airplane, enjoy the ride up and then.... SHUT UP AND JUMP!

Photo credit Phillip Higgins

Caravan vandalized at Skydive Byron Bay Australia

I don't know about you, but this is the very first airplane that I have ever seen that has been vandalized with spray paint. This incident happened at Tyagarah airport in Byron Bay NSW Australia to a C208 Caravan operated by Skydive Byron Bay.  

Apparently some airport neighbors that don't like the supposed "noise" armed their 9 year old kid with some spray paint and a knife.  I say a knife because the fuel tanks were found to have been punctured as well.  I'm hoping that the local police find the kids and their parents that are responsible for this disgusting act and throw them straight in jail and order them to pay back what it cost to fix it.  Which will be well into the tens of thousands of dollars, which for an uneducated low life family could take a decade or more to pay back.  

I am also hoping that the Caravan owner has since installed cameras and a lot of lighting on and around the ramp and tie down area. Ideally the owner would like the airplane hangared, but that would be a much greater expense.

Mississippi River sunset from a Grand Van

I took this photo from a C208B Grand Caravan while ferrying it from Houston Texas to Atlanta Georgia.  I was trying to get the sunset over the Mississippi River... key word was "trying " lol  

That flight was boring and exciting at the same time.  It can get very boring flying by yourself for many hours.  However it was also exciting knowing that I was flying a beautiful $2 million dollar aircraft by myself halfway across the country into unfamiliar airspace at night time with cloud activity in the forecast.  

Happily I can tell you that the flight ended successfully and uneventfully.  After tucking her away in the hangar for the night, I checked into the local Hilton and ordered room service paid for by the client.... pilot perks!

Should December be Caravan Month?

The month of December is a significant month in aviation history. On December 17th, 110 years ago, the Wright Flyer became the first heavier than air powered machine to achieve controlled sustained flight at Kitty Hawk North Carolina. On the 5th day in December 1879 Clyde Cessna was born in Iowa.   

The very first Cessna Caravan flying over Wichita, Kansas

In December the first around the world flight without refueling was piloted by Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager onboard "Voyager". A mostly plastic aircraft, propelled by push and pull propellers. They departed Edwards Air Force Base and after 216 hours and 24,986 miles they landed back where they began.  

For all of our Cessna C208 fans, don't forget that the first Caravan prototype, tail number N208LP (pictured below) first flew on December 9th 1982!

~ CaravanNation.com

Molokai C208B Grand Caravan Crash

A C208B Grand Caravan crashed 1/2 mile off of the north shore of the island of Molokai after experiencing a catastophic engine failure shortly after take off.  An extremely rare event for one of the worlds most reliable turbine engines ever, the Pratt and Whitney PT6.  

The pilot and 8 passengers survived.  Sadly one passenger did die in the accident.  She was the Director of Hawaii's State Health Department.

Below is a picture of the exact airplane that crashed.

Seair Pacific Caravans at Hervey Bay Airport Australia

A couple of Seair Pacific Caravans on the ramp at Hervey Bay Airport Australia with a beautiful sunset. 

Seair Pacific was founded in 1985, they are a charter air service company and keep a hub at Gold Coast Airport and fly to 7 destinations including: Redcliffe, Bundaberg Airport, Rockhampton, Maroochydore, Hervey Bay Airport and Lady Elliot Island.  

They offer charter services in Queensland with a fleet of 5 Caravans, 2 Islanders, 1 Beech King Air, 1 Piper Seneca and 1 Cessna 210. Find out more about this company at seairpacific.com.au 

Photo by Nathan Turner