U.S. Navy's Blue Angels coming back to Lakeland for 2023 Sun 'n Fun

LAKELAND — The U.S. Navy's Blue Angels announced themselves as the first headline act of the 49th annual Sun 'n Fun Aerospace Expo by roaring through Lakeland's skies on Wednesday morning.

Lt. Commander Thomas Zimmerman and Lt. Commander Brian Vaught arrived at Lakeland Linder International Airport for site planning visit ahead of the 2023 expo, scheduled for March 28 to April 2. It will be the Blue Angels' second airshow in Lakeland performing in their Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornets.

"We're super excited to be here," Vaught said. "We have a lot of work to do. This is the first big step toward next spring's airshow."

The Blue Angels swapped out their Boeing FA-19 "Legacy" Hornets after 34 years for the Super Hornets in 2021. The Super Hornets are about one-third larger in size, Vaught said, with a louder, more powerful engine, increased fuel capacity and upgraded avionics. Sun 'n Fun was selected as the first civilian site for a performance in their new aircraft.

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Zimmerman said the Federal Aviation Administration had a few complaints when the Blue Angels started using the Super Hornets.

"It looks lower to the ground, it looks like we're closer to the crowd," he said. "I think we've worked it out."

The safety of the pilots and the onlookers watching Sun 'n Fun's air shows is a top priority, according to Dennis Dunbar, Sun 'n Fun's director of airshows and attractions. Dunbar said a series of planning meetings held Wednesday will ensure a "safe and dynamic" demonstration while maximizing the time Blue Angels crew can spend interacting with the attendees.

"The show is always evolving and weather sometimes drives the show, so every show is different.," Vaught said. "You'll see a lot of the classic maneuvers we’ve come to love and sprinkling in some new maneuvers."

Among the expo's 2023 demonstration team is Lt. Amanda Lee, who is the Blue Angels' first female pilot. Lee flies in the No. 3 position as left wing. She joined the team in early September with Zimmerman and Vaught and will serve in the position for two years.

Sun 'n Fun upgrades ticketing, parking

Gene Conrad, president and CEO of the Aerospace Center for Excellence, which is the parent company of Sun 'n Fun Aerospace Expo, said there are several major changes in the works for 2023.

"We are really focused on the customers and guest experience this year," he said. "Hopefully these changes will be great, people will recognize it and make it much easier for them to have a great time. We want them to be happy as they are coming in - not frustrated."

Conrad, the city's former airport director, said he believes its important residents know there is a new online ticketing system allowing attendees to pre-purchase their parking pass. He used to hear complaints when local roadways backed up on Friday and Saturday, sometime sitting in line to park for up to two hours.

"It's an effort to get people off the roads as quickly as possible and into the parking lots," he said.

Conrad said people will get a confirmation email when they pre-purchase tickets online and should receive a QR code. The QR code will be linked to all tickets purchased from admission and parking to preferred seating for the air show.

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Conrad said there's been work to upgrade to the airport's WIFI network to handle the expected increase in demand. There's been a new backbone and fiber installed to improve reception across the airfield, which has been well known for having spotty reception.

ACE and Sun 'n Fun will launch a new website next week, Conrad said, keeping the same branding while hoping to make it easier for visitors to find information.

There will be several site changes for longtime attendees of the expo. Conrad said the line of white tents usually along the War Bird Ramp will be shifted to the west to open up additional space for people to watch the air shows. Similarly, the preferred seating section will be moved slightly east, further from the announcer's stand.

"We don’t want these big, huge tents there," Conrad said. "We want the public to have a great viewing opportunity and have a great time."

For more information on the 2023 Sun 'n Fun Aerospace Expo, visit flysnf.org.

Sara-Megan Walsh can be reached at swalsh@theledger.com or 863-802-7545. Follow on Twitter @SaraWalshFl.

This article originally appeared on The Ledger: 2023 Sun 'n Fun: U.S. Navy's Blue Angels return with Super Hornets