The Hanger - Rocket Talk

Country Music Star Will Appear Saturday, April 21

SUN ’N FUN CAMPUS, LAKELAND, Fla. – (March 28, 2007) – Country music star Aaron Tippin, who is also a pilot and longtime aviation enthusiast, will feel right at home when he performs in concert at this year’s Sun ’n Fun Fly-In. Tippin will perform on Saturday, April 21 at 7 p.m. – right in the middle of the Fly-In, which will take place April 17 – 23 at Lakeland Linder Regional Airport.

The concert is included in Sun ‘n Fun’s daily admission price, which is half-price for Florida residents and military personnel with a current ID card on Saturday, April 21, and Sunday, April 22.

“Sun ‘n Fun is really excited about having Aaron Tippin here at Sun ‘n Fun,” said Sun ‘n Fun President and Fly-In Chairman John Burton. “The concert is a first for Sun ‘n Fun and, combined with the reduced admission for Florida residents on the weekend, should provide a great reason for those folks who may not have participated in the Fly-In yet to join us for a great concert that is part of a great event.”

Aaron Tippin is a strong supporter of American military forces around the world and was the first singer to entertain troops in the Middle East during the first Gulf War in the early 1990s. In 2002, he wrote “Where the Stars and Stripes and the Eagle Fly” and went to Afghanistan to perform for American troops there. Since 2003, Tippin has been making annual trips to entertain American forces in Iraq and has become the spokesman for the Paralyzed Veterans of America. In 2005, he was the first country artist to donate funds to the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

“When I’d sing ‘Where the Stars and Stripes and the Eagle Fly,’ I started sending five-gallon buckets out into the crowd that said, ‘Katrina’ on them,” Tippin said of his personal hurricane relief program. “People just poured out of the stands. I get all choked up watching that. I recorded the song right after 9-11, but it’s not about 9-11. It’s about Katrina. And the next time it will be about whatever catastrophe we Americans have to deal with. I wrote it to represent a feeling that we can always come back to: Be proud to be an American. That’s what’s most important when the chips are down.”

Tippin will perform at Sun ‘n Fun on Saturday, April 21, in the heart of the Fly-In’s outdoor aircraft display area. The concert begins at 7 p.m. and is included in the price of Saturday’s daily admission fee. The Main Admission gates will remain open until 8 p.m. that day only. In order to receive the half-price discount, Florida residents and military personnel must present valid photo identification. The discount is limited to immediate family members and is non-transferable.

“The fans are truly amazing,” Tippin concluded. “They’re the reason I still have a job. I’m a very lucky man. I’ve been fortunate enough to have written some songs that have had an impact on some people. After all the years of doing this, what means most of all to me is to have written a song and hearing people say, ‘Hey man, that’s neat.’”

Sun ‘n Fun, a 501(c)(3) not–for–profit organization based in Lakeland, Florida, is best known for its annual Fly–In held each April. The event draws more than 160,000 people and 4,000 aircraft to Lakeland Linder Regional Airport, creating an economic impact exceeding $27 million in Lakeland and Polk County. The Fly–In is the primary source of funding for Sun ‘n Fun’s expanding year–round aviation education programs. These include operation of the Florida Air Museum, the state’s “Official Aviation Museum and Education Center,” which is also supported through grants from the Division of Historical Resources and Division of Cultural Affairs, Florida Department of State.

In addition, Sun ‘n Fun has initiated education programs for aviation enthusiasts of all ages – especially young people – featuring valuable “hands on” learning experiences. A growing scholarship program provides financial support to ensure Sun ‘n Fun’s education programs are accessible to all.

For more information, access Sun ‘n Fun’s website (www.sun-n-fun.org) or call the Sun ‘n Fun offices (863–644–2431).

EDITOR’S NOTE: A complete biography and music timeline for Aaron Tippin follows.

Source: Sun 'n Fun News Archive Page - March 2007

Don't miss it... this is an incredible event for the whole family.

Related articles: Sun ’n Fun Ramps Up For April 17 Opening

Rocket Johnson reporting
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SUN ’N FUN RAMPS UP FOR APRIL 17 OPENING
SUN ‘N FUN CAMPUS, LAKELAND, Fl. – (March 21, 2007) – Every April, tens of thousands of aviation enthusiasts “take off” to Lakeland, Florida, for the annual Sun ’n Fun Fly-In. Sun ‘n Fun is a week-long aviation extravaganza that is the second largest aviation event of its type in the world.

This year’s Sun ‘n Fun Fly-In will be held April 17-23 at Lakeland Linder Regional Airport. Its 2007 theme - “Living the Dream” – will be featured throughout the Fly-In’s various programs and events. They include a daily air show featuring the world’s premier aerobatic performers; more than 500 commercial exhibitors; a Friday night air show that concludes with a spectacular fireworks display; other evening programs and entertainment; admission to the Florida Air Museum – Florida’s “official aviation museum and education center”; kids activities; and nearly 450 educational forums, seminars and workshops led by recognized experts in a variety of aviation-related fields.

Sun ‘n Fun is recognized as the largest festival in the state of Florida, generating more that 35,000 hotel room nights and creating an economic impact in Polk County of nearly $30 million.

As in years past, education is the core around which all other activities are built. Sun ‘n Fun’s educational forums and hands-on workshops offer pilots, aircraft owners and future aviators an opportunity to learn critically important information on the basics of aircraft design, construction, maintenance and restoration.

“Education is the hub around which the Sun ‘n Fun Fly-in is built,” said Sun ‘n Fun President and Fly-In Chairman John Burton. “The enthusiastic exchange of information between exhibitors, participants and aircraft owners – plus the educational activities offered by the Federal Aviation Administration through their year-round facility here on the Sun ‘n Fun campus - combine to create an unsurpassed aviation experience.”

This year, three big events will combine to make 2007 the best year ever. First, Sun ‘n Fun has opened the flightline (where all the airplanes are parked) to all Fly-In guests. Previously, the flightline area was restricted to pilots or members of the Florida Air Museum (FAM) or the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA). Second, Florida residents and active duty military will be admitted to the Fly-In for half price on Saturday, April 21, and Sunday, April 22. Third, country music star Aaron Tippin will perform in concert Saturday, April 21 at 7:00 p.m.

“All three of these will combine to introduce our guests – especially those from Lakeland and Polk County - an unforgettable and affordable aviation experience,” said John Burton, Sun ’n Fun’s President and Convention Chairman. “That is part of our mission: to introduce people of all ages to aviation and we believe our new Flightline policy will help accomplish that. We invite all of our guests to experience firsthand the amazing aircraft on display that span virtually every chapter of aviation history. The discounted weekend admission rate makes it more affordable than ever. And the Aaron Tippin concert appeals to people of all ages and interests. When you combine all this with everything else Sun ‘n Fun offers throughout the week of the Fly-In, you won’t want to miss being part of all the action.”

The airshow performer lineup includes aerobatic performers such as the AeroShell team, Red Barons Pizza squadron, Patty Wagstaff, John Mohr, Bill Stein, and many more, who will dazzle guests during the daily airshow that begins at 2:00 p.m. An additional show on Friday night beginning at dusk features incredible pyrotechnics routines, and will be followed by fireworks to round out the evening. In addition, anticipated weekend performances by military jet-teams demonstrating the A-10 “Warthog” and F-18 Super Hornet will impress even the most experienced Sun ’n Fun attendees. Military static display aircraft includes: F-16’s, a KC-135, C-130H, T-45’s, A-10’s, and the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) AC Shrike Commander as well as a scheduled fly-by by both the B-1B and the B-2 “Stealth” bombers.

Approximately 160,000 people participate in the seven-day event, which traditionally heralds the start of the aviation year.

Sun ‘n Fun, a 501(c)(3) not–for–profit organization based in Lakeland, Florida, is best known for its annual Fly–In held each April. The Fly–In is the primary source of funding for Sun ‘n Fun’s expanding year–round aviation education programs. These include operation of the Florida Air Museum, the state’s “Official Aviation Museum and Education Center,” which is also supported through grants from the Division of Historical Resources and Division of Cultural Affairs, Florida Department of State. In addition, Sun ‘n Fun has initiated education programs for aviation enthusiasts of all ages – especially young people – featuring valuable “hands on” learning experiences. A growing scholarship program provides financial support to ensure Sun ‘n Fun’s education programs are accessible to all.

For more information, access Sun ‘n Fun’s website or call the Sun ‘n Fun offices (863–644–2431) contact:Donna Gabriel
863-644-2431 x112

Source: Sun 'n Fun News Archive Page - March 2007

Don't miss it... this is an incredible event for the whole family.

Rocket Johnson reporting
Over & Out

Good news for the future of general aviation. We should be striving to get more groups involved in aviation

A few more students might be added to the ranks of prospective future pilots. Arizona Girl Scouts between the ages of 13 and 18 recently completed the six-day "Girls Can Fly" Discover Aviation Camp in Prescott, Arizona. The camp culminated with each of the seven girls taking a 30-minute flight lesson in a Cessna 172 with an Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University instructor. The teenagers learned about aerodynamics, navigation, and careers in aviation; practiced air traffic control skills; built model airplanes; and toured the ERAU accident investigation and aerodynamics laboratories. This year, campers also enjoyed a special treat—flying Guidance Helicopters' new helicopter simulator. "This camp is a true example of how pilots come together to inspire future generations," said Stacy Howard, AOPA Western regional representative and founder of the program. "The entire Prescott-area aviation community gets involved." More than 100 girls have attended the camp during the program's eight-year history.

Source: AOPA e-Pilot Volume 8, Issue 25 • June 23, 2006

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Here is a quick post because I have to Rocket over to Orlando this weekend to cover the BASS Masters Classic that is already underway down in the Sunshine State's ultimate playpen. I'll be working diligently to get this new "Audio/Video HotBlog Forum" LAUNCHED into CyberSpace! PLEASE, Please, please leave me some feedback. I know some of the content is raw... afterall it is an unscripted video journal that I will be taking from my vehicle of choice as I go through my daily travels. Updates and new material should be arriving daily!

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