Sun 'n Fun opens for 51st annual show in Lakeland

Opening day for Sun 'n Fun

FOX 13's Carla Bayron highlights what is featured at this year's Sun 'n Fun Aerospace Expo, which is officially underway at Lakeland Linder International Airport.

LAKELAND, Fla. - It's Opening Day at Sun 'n Fun! The 51st edition of the annual event will draw hundreds of thousands of aviation enthusiasts to the Swan City over the next week.

What they're saying:

Pivotal, a light aircraft manufacturer based in California, designed what they're calling the world's first electric vertical take-off and landing ultra-light aircraft. It's their first time at the 51st Sun 'n Fun Aerospace Expo at Lakeland Linder International Airport.

"We've got a number of flights we're doing, including at 7 p.m. and virtual reality we use for flight training, and we give people demos in our simulators," said Greg Kerr, Pivotal's director of product marketing.

They're one of many companies in the "Future and Flight Plaza" showcasing the latest innovation and technology in aviation.

"Wing Aviation is actually the leading commercial and drone delivery company in the United States," said Tom Kuhn, the head of communications at Wing Aviation.

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Need over-the-counter medication, groceries, or Door Dash meals right at your front door? Wing Aviation operates with Walmart and Door Dash out of Dallas-Fort Worth and makes hundreds of deliveries a day within six miles of a store.

"In the areas we have been operating, people love it, and they find use for it and are ordering multiple times a week," said Kuhn. "Because it fits well in their day-to-day and how they operate, you'll see more and more of it as we're able to scale and be in more places."

Dig deeper:

The expo is also about inspiring the next generation and generating careers in aviation.

ATP Daytona's flight school in Jacksonville is one of the largest in the nation and specializes in people flying commercial airlines or private jets.

READ: Plane passengers will soon scroll the internet for free after airline gets green light

"From a personal level, I think flying is the coolest profession in the world and I wouldn't want to do anything else," said Graham Purvis, the managing flight instructor. "The fact that I can give my excitement and energy to someone else and have them pursue their dreams. A lot of people think I can't become a pilot – yes you can."

For Pivotal, it's about sharing their passion and excitement, and showing guests what's possible.

"These are sophisticated aircraft, and a lot of computing is involved," said Kerr. "That's a lot of what we'll see in the future. A lot of simplified control systems and all sorts of new configurations of aircraft and electric of course."

Local perspective:

The event also features daily air shows, night air shows, an opening night concert and hands-on activities for kids. It is a major fundraiser for the Aerospace Center For Excellence, which involves the Youth Education Programs.

More than 200,000 people from 50 countries are expected to attend and more than 1,000 airplanes are expected to fly in and out of Sun 'n Fun throughout the week. The event lasts until Sunday, April 6.

The Source: The information in this story was gathered from different companies at this year's Sun 'n Fun Aerospace Expo.

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