Centerline

Flying to the Sun ’n Fun International Fly-In and Expo at Lakeland, Florida, has become my springtime ritual since I moved to the United States a dozen years ago. It’s a great way to shake off the winter flying cobwebs, meet old friends, make new ones, and experience all the sights and sounds of one of the world’s great airshows.

The best flying adventure I’ve ever had was taking my 1946 clipped-wing J–3 Cub to Sun ’n Fun in 2008. It was a 2,800-mile round trip, with 24 fuel stops, camping under the airplane wing every night. Flying “low and slow,” I don’t think the Cub made it above 1,000 feet agl the whole trip. Just me, a simple old airplane, and a handheld radio.

This year’s flight felt a lot more sophisticated as my friend Charlie and I cruised down to Florida at 7,500 feet and 150 knots. Our 1955 Cessna 180 was plenty old enough to be qualified to park in the Vintage Aircraft area at Lakeland. But, with an iPad in each lap, an iPhone in each pocket, and a portable ADS-B receiver on the dash, the technology at our fingertips was pure 2013.

We often hear about the rising cost of aviation, but it’s worth pointing out that prices have fallen dramatically in some areas. The iPad has been a revolutionary development, bringing immense technical capability into our cockpits at a very attractive price. For a little more than $1,000 we have access to features that previously cost tens of thousands of dollars. This is exactly the kind of progress that aviation needs! It has also made flying easier, safer, and more enjoyable.

More affordable, too. My ForeFlight app has a great little feature that overlays avgas prices on a sectional chart. This caused us to choose Allendale County, South Carolina (88J), as the first stopping point en route to Sun ’n Fun. Compared to an average of the 10 nearest airports, the price at 88J was 91 cents per gallon cheaper. So on a 37-gallon fill-up, that one app feature alone saved us $33.67.

We weren’t the only pilots attracted by low-cost gas. Among the small gaggle of airplanes gathered at the fuel pumps was a very pretty Cessna 177RG Cardinal. Chatting with its owner, Mike Sullivan, I learned he writes a popular monthly column in the Atlantic Flyer newspaper. It was clear from our conversation that Mike has a deep interest in the mission of the AOPA Center to Advance the Pilot Community. We exchanged contact details, and he later sent me several articles full of great ideas about how to market aviation and grow the pilot population. Serendipitous meetings at random airports are one of the things I love about the aviation community.

Heading home from Sun ’n Fun, we took another opportunity to pick up some cheap gas, this time at Peach State Aerodrome (GA2) in Georgia. Wow, what a place! It checks pretty much every box on my “perfect airport” list: grass strip, vintage airplanes, excellent restaurant, aviation museum, highly affordable flying club, even a fly-in community with hangar homes.

We had lunch with Ron Alexander, who has been the driving force behind much of the airfield’s development. A 2013 inductee into the Georgia Aviation Hall of Fame, Ron flew C–7 Caribous in Vietnam before a 33-year career with Delta Air Lines. His collection of vintage aircraft includes a DC–3 and an original 1918 Curtiss Jenny that will fly again this summer following a seven-year restoration.

Ron sees the flying club as a particularly important asset to the long-term health of the airfield. Formed in November 2009, Candler Field Flying Club puts a special emphasis on offering affordable flight instruction for young people. Aircraft rates are kept as low as possible ($90 per hour to fly a Cessna 172 or Citabria), and a program is in place that allows young people to exchange flying time in return for helping out around the airport. Flight instruction is often donated by a cadre of retired airline pilots who enjoy giving back through the club.

Although the outward appearance of Peach State Aerodrome is reminiscent of the past (the museum recreates Candler Field, the old Atlanta airport of the 1930s), the flying club’s vision could not be more forward looking. With a very healthy proportion of members under the age of 20, the club is well on the way toward building a new generation of pilots who will keep their local flying community strong for years to come.