The Orlando, Florida aviation experience Fantasy of Flight, is set to close its doors as a public attraction on April 6, the final day of Sun ‘n Fun, which takes place about a half hour’s drive away at Lakeland’s Linder Airport.

 

Fantasy of Flight opened in 1995 and housed a fine collection of Weeks’ aircraft, including the Sunderland that was brought to flying condition in the UK and then flown across the Atlantic by a crew that included Weeks, a good collection of WW1 aircraft and a quite extensive collection of inter-war ‘Golden Age’ types, including three replica Gee Bees, a 1934 Cierva C.30-A Autogiro and a 1934 Pitcairn Autogiro PA-18. Many of the aircraft are maintained in flying condition and fly on an irregular basis at the site, which has its own grass airstrip. The Pitcairn is one of many Kermit Weeks’ aircraft that has flown at Sun n Fun.

Although situated alongside the I-4 Interstate, only 20 minutes from the Disney complex, owner Kermit Weeks cites insufficient business as the reason for the closure.
The facility will remain as a restoration centre and continue to host events; the Sun n Fun Splash-in has been held on the Lake Agnes, which forms part of the site, for the past few years and is schedule to take place on April 3 this year.