2023 Sun ‘n Fun Aerospace Expo

Lakeland, Florida: The airspace above Lakeland Linder International Airport came to life during the annual Sun ‘n Fun Aerospace Expo. The annual week long airshow is the season opener for the airshow season and attracts world class pilots and hundreds of thousands of enthusiasts to Central Florida for a week of fun in the sun. 

The Sun ‘n Fun Expo got its start in 1974 as a fly-in event for sport plane enthusiasts. Today the show has grown to one of the largest events in the world. It features over 500 exhibitors, static aircraft from both the civilian and military field, the top names in aerial aerobatics and demonstrations from the military top teams all for a good cause. 

This year’s show took place from March 28th through August 2nd and was headlined by the US Navy Blue Angels. No two shows are alike during Sun ‘n Fun, each day provides different entertainers and different aircraft. We attended Saturday’s edition of the Sun ‘n Fun. 

Saturday’s show kicked off with the US Special Operations Command Para-Commandos. The USSOCOM Para-Commandos are the premier aerial parachute demonstration team and are composed of special operators from the Army Special Forces, Army Rangers, Navy SEALs, Air Force Combat Controllers and Marine Raiders. They took to the skies on the US Marine Corps C-130 “Fat Albert” and kicked off the show by jumping in the American Flag during the National Anthem. 

Next up in the air was Hall of Fame aviator Patty Wagstaff. Patty danced through the skies in her Extra 300, tumbling through the air with ease while dazzling the crowds below. She demonstrates why she is a 3-time national aerobatic champion. And you if you ever have the desire to learn how to fly aerobatics, she can teach you through her aerobatic academy in nearby St. Augustine. 

Then it was time for two iconic military warbirds to take to the skies. The Class of ‘45 demo showcases two aircraft that, while built the same year, served two separate wars. First off is the P-51 Mustang piloted by Scott “Scooter” Yoak. The P-51 initially saw action in World War II as bomber escorts in the European theater. It’s wingman is the F4U-4 Corsair piloted by Jim “Torc” Tobul. The Corsair was a carrier based fighter that served during the Korean War. Both of these aircraft were manufactured in 1945 and together showcase the US air superiority of the 1940’s. 

Jim Peitz then pushed the limits of the Beechcraft Bonanza as he performed an aerobatic performance in the Bonanza. Primarily a passenger plane designed for touring the countryside, Jim takes his Bonanza vertical and upside down, not something you would expect to see in a Bonanza. In fact, there are only two aerobatic Bonanza in the world, and Jim owns both of them. 

After a quick break to land and launch a couple Amazon Prime flights, it was time for a discovery flight for an aviation fan. As part of the Sun ‘n Fun, one lucky fan, Ben Whabnoski was going to take a flight over show for his very first plane ride. But before his flight instructor Liz could take to the air, Ben had other thoughts and took the aircraft for a joyride filled with stalls, wingtip scraped on the runway and much more. But wait, this isn’t just any aviation fan, this is the comedy routine of second generation airshow pilot Kyle Franklin. Part of the famed Franklin’s Flying Circus, Kyle performs his wing tapper comedy act on the air show circuit. 

The high energy routine of Kevin Coleman was next to tear up the skies over Lakeland. Sponsored by Red Bull, Kevin uses his wings to Extra 300 to perform a high energy routine. The second generation performer is one of the younger pilots in the industry and in addition to flying an aerobatic routine, Kevin competed in the Red Bull Air Races. 

From Red Bull Racing to an air racing legend. During the golden age of air racing, there was not bigger superstar than Mister Mulligan. Mister Mulligan was a Howard DGA-6 that pioneered air racing in the 1930’s. The Bendix award winning aircraft suffered a cash in 1936 that destroyed the aircraft. Today, a reproduction of the aircraft flown by Doug Rozendaal brought the golden age of air racing to the crowds of Sun ‘n Fun. 

There was one last civilian act left before the military took over the sky and there is no one better to end the aerobatic flying than Michael Goulian. With thirty years experience and an award shelf that consists of some of the biggest accolades in the industry, Michael pushes his Extra 300 and his body to the limits. 

Following a quick break to dispatch a few more Prime Air flights, it was time for the military to shine. To kick off the show case of military muscle, a pair of F-35 demos. The first F-35 demo was the US Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II. This next generation fighter is capable of short take off and vertical landing. Major Nathaniel “Bobbit” Keegan showed off the capabilities of the F-35B topping it off with a hover at show center to end the performance. Then it was time for the US Air Force’s F-35 demo flown by Kristin “Beo” Wolfe who showcased the impressive speed and maneuverability of the F-35A conventional take off/landing variant of the F-35. 

Saturday afternoon’s show concluded with a performance of the US Navy Blue Angels. The premier demonstration team of the US Navy, the Blue Angels are one of the top jet teams in the world. The routine began with the performance of the Fat Albert, a C-130J Super Hercules piloted by the US Marine Corps and serving as the logistical transport of the team. The C-130J is a brand new aircraft for Fat Albert, replacing the smaller C-130 used before. After a few passes over the airshow, Fat Albert gave the skies over to the Blue Angels. From there the F/A18 Super Hornets of the Blue Angels took to the sky in a performance that features high speeds, tight formations and full adrenaline. 

But the show was not finished yet, this was just the afternoon show. Closer to sunset, a whole second evening show took to the skies over Lakeland. While we did not stay for the evening show due to another obligation, the amazing aerial demonstrations continued with twilight performances and an amazing fireworks show. 

While Sun ‘n Fun 2023 winds down, plans are already in motion for the 2024 edition of the expo. The 2024 show will be the fiftieth anniversary of the Sun ‘n Fun Aerospace Expo and will take place April 9th through the 14th, 2024 at the Lakeland Linder International Airport.

Click on the photos above to view the entire gallery of photos from 2023 Sun 'n Fun Aerospace Expo.