Despite Coronavirus Fears, Sun ‘n Fun Full Speed Ahead. Right?

Some aviation events, however, have been canceled. A sport aviation expo in Germany, Aero Friedrichshafen, that was running concurrent to Sun ’n Fun, has been postponed, and there has been no announcement of a replacement date.

In fact, large gatherings around the world, some much bigger than Sun ’n Fun, are getting shut down. In Austin, Texas, the annual South by Southwest (SXSW) festival, which attracts around half a million visitors a year, has been canceled, and not by the organizers but by the city, which has the final say in such discussions. In fact, up until the day that the organizers announced that SXSW was canceled, it was saying the event was going ahead as planned. So Sun ’n Fun saying that its event is going on as planned is reassuring, but it is no guarantee that the gathering will in fact take place.

Though other large gatherings are going on as planned. The annual Women In Aviation International get together attracted thousands to the Orlando area just last week and went off without a hitch. The Aircraft Electronics Association convention in tornado-battered Nashville, Tennessee is a go, and Disney and other theme attractions in Florida have stayed open, as well. For the time being. Circumstances surrounding the virus are fast changing, so what is true today might not be true tomorrow. 

And Sun 'n Fun says not only that it's full speed ahead, but that that ticket sales and exhibitor reservations are coming in a record or near record pace. 

In order to address the health concerns attendees and exhibitors might have, Sun ’n Fun is stressing all the things it will to do to help keep its attendees, workers, and volunteers safe. All of them fall right in line with the Center For Disease Control (CDC) guidelines. Bravo. As is the case with other major events, those precautions are basic things, and pretty much fall under the categories of "keeping things clean" and "providing sanitation supplies" to attendees and workers. 

At the same time, Sun ’n Fun, like every major aviation event, caters to an older and, therefore, more at-risk audience. The CDC says that such events should "Consider alternatives for event staff and participants who are at high risk for complications from COVID-19." This is because, the CDC stresses, that "! older adults and persons with underlying health conditions are considered to be at increased risk for severe illness and complications from COVID-19." It's safe to assume that a high percentage of Sun ’n Fun attendees would be at higher risk of infection and would be more likely to suffer serious health consequences if they were to contract the illness.

All of this makes sense, and at this writing, March 10, 1 pm Eastern Time, there were fewer than 20 reported cases of the virus in the state of Florida and two deaths, both of people who had traveled abroad.

If you're planning to attend Sun ’n Fun, or anywhere else, for that matter, be sure to take common sense, CDC recommended precautions for your trip. Wash your hands, wear a mask if you're around sick people, and avoid touching your face. The CDC guidelines for safer travel are here.  And once you're at the show, be sure to follow recommendations avoiding the risk of contracting the disease. If you are at greater risk based on your age or having underlying health compromises, the CDC is recommending avoiding large gatherings.

Plane & Pilot is planning to be at the show. We are making our airline reservations on a carrier that offers no-cost credits for cancelations, and we are planning to carry supplies with us, such as masks and hand sanitizer, as per the CDC guidelines. We're also instituting a no-handshaking policy for the length of the show (and for our travel to and from it).

So the bottom line is, at this point, Sun ’n Fun is a go. And if you're going, as we plan to, please take all reasonable precautions. And check back with us for regular updates on the status of Sun ’n Fun and other aviation events.