iPad pilot’s guide to Sun ‘N Fun 2018
The flying season’s unofficial kick-off is next week, as the gates open for the 2018 edition of the Sun ‘N Fun Fly-in at the Lakeland airport. There will undoubtedly be new products to see and spectacular airshows to take in. But for iPad pilots, there will also be some great opportunities to learn about the latest iPad models, latest iPad tips, apps and accessories.
Here are our top tips to help you get the most out of the event this year.
1.) Download the Sun ‘N Fun Air Show schedule app
Sun ‘N Fun took a different approach to their app this year and partnered with We Love Aero to showcase the event information. The We Love Aero app primarily features detailed information about various air shows and performers around the world. For Sun ‘N Fun it includes schedules, information about forums and educational sessions, and an interactive show grounds map.
Since the app is primarily air show focused, you won’t find any fly-in information for pilots – you’ll have to visit the Sun ‘N Fun website for that.
Download the We Love Aero app for iPhone – when searching on iPad, make sure to select the Filter option at the top left and choose the option for “iPhone only” since the app was not specifically designed for iPad.
Download the We Love Aero app for Android
Tip: the 2017 Sun ‘N Fun app is still available for download in the App Store, which can cause confusion since it is not immediately clear that is for last year’s event and includes outdated information.
2.) Attend an iPad seminar
The iPad has become such an integral part of general aviation that the Sun ‘N Fun organizers have again created a dedicated iPad forum track at the event this year. Topics include iPad basics, ForeFlight and Garmin Pilot tips, weather flying and common iPad mistakes. Head over the to schedule section of the We Love Aero app or visit the event website and search for “iPad” to find one of the over 20 iPad-related seminars to attend.
The editors of iPad Pilot News will also be presenting a new seminar “iPad Proficiency Check: How to fly like a pro with your iPad” seminar Tuesday morning at 10 am in room #11 of the Florida Aerospace Academy, and then again on Thursday afternoon at 2 pm at the AOPA exhibit tent.
3.) Download the NOTAM
We hear you can drive your car to Sun ‘N Fun (and they may even have parking lots), but the best way to arrive at the event is by landing on runway 9L or 9R at the Lakeland airport. Start your planning by visiting the Arrival Procedures section of the Sun ‘N Fun website and download the official NOTAM. This contains all the information you need to plan your trip by airplane to arrive safely at the Lakeland airport.
Tip: Open the NOTAM link on your iPad and tap the send-to button (located directly to the right of the web address field in Safari) to save the PDF to an app on your iPad that supports documents, like Notes, iBooks, Kindle and even some aviation apps. ForeFlight users can also download the 2018 NOTAM directly from the Documents section of the app.
4.) Demo the latest iPad gadgets and accessories
Have you been looking for a better way to mount your iPad in the airplane, or want to see the latest Garmin ADS-B and SiriusXM portable accessories? There’s no better way than to walk the exhibit halls and tents and visit the companies that offer the latest in iPad gear.
iPad GPS, ADS-B, mounting, power and accessories: Appareo, Levil, MyGoFlight, SiriusXM and Sporty’s Pilot Shop
Aviation apps: ForeFlight, FlyQ (Seattle), Garmin, iFly, Jeppesen and WingX Pro (Hilton)
Connected panel hardware: Aspen, Avidyne, Dynon, FreeFlight, Garmin, Guardian, L-3 and uAvionix
The editors of iPad Pilot News will be in the Sporty’s Pilot Shop exhibit tent throughout the week, located on the main aisle between Sunset Grill and the main runway, ready to answer all your iPad questions. Stop by and say hello!
