The big story after Sun ‘n Fun 2022 was the announcement that the fly-in campus would be reconfigured significantly, resulting in a full portion of fear and trepidation. Most affected was Homebuilt Camping (HBC), which was moved from a perimeter taxiway to a large grass field next to the VOR antenna. Now that the move has actually taken place, and all of the new camping area has been cordoned off, the new location has proven to be a great success.
Homebuilt camping now has enough quality space to host over 100 camping homebuilt aircraft, up from the 60 or so in the old location. More importantly, the new field is higher and better drained than the old location, where a rain shower would convert a large percentage of the camping field into a swamp. Best of all, the new HBC digs have their very own shower house. In years past, campers had to trudge quite the distance through dusty fields for a shower. HBC also now has its own wifi system. SNF management made campus wide WiFi a priority last year and the new system appears to be up and running.
The queen of Homebuilt Camping is Heidi Mogg, legendary for the hospitality that she and her team have heaped upon homebuilt campers. Homebuilt pilots will plan their whole SNF experience around HBC events. Bill Harrelson, who holds several FIA records for world circumnavigation and long distance flights in his Lancair IV, postponed his scheduled date for leaving the show so that he can attend the Grilled Steak and Salmon dinner set for Friday. Grill master Adam Sullivan is scheduled to do his magic with the steaks and Dana Wheeler’s secret salmon sauce.
HBC’s communal space (in a huge tent) and communal meals are the factors that have coalesced homebuilt campers into a strong fraternal group. The big white tent is their living room. Heidi is their den mother. For one week each spring, they are truly a family.
