Teachers’ Pre-Flight Experience

Teachers’ Pre-Flight Experience

Teachers, you are invited to join us at the SUN ‘n FUN Aerospace Expo for a non-standardized day designed especially for you! The day begins with a hot catered breakfast and Keynote Speaker from the aerospace industry, followed by special activities in the Skylab Innovation Center. The morning will continue with focused visits to our Flight Sim Experience in the Buehler Restoration Center and the Junior ACEs and Career Fair tents in the Future ‘n Flight Plaza. Your experience culminates at noon with a drawing for three teachers to receive $150 each for a Discovery Flight to be taken on a future date. You are then free to join your family and enjoy the remainder of your day at SUN ‘n FUN! Be sure to start at Innovation Showcase in Future ‘n Flight Plaza and end with our Night Airshow & Fireworks.


Teachers’ Pre-Flight Experience tickets are available at a low rate of $30.00.  All pre-K to college educators are eligible.

In addition to the activities listed above, registration includes the following:

  • Regular admission to the SUN ‘n FUN Expo for Saturday, April 5th
  • 1 free Parking Pass
  • 1 Fly-in Survival Goodie Bag
  • 1 Lunch Voucher
  • $5 off up to 2 adult Saturday daily tickets*
  • $5 off up to 2 youth Saturday daily tickets*
  • All children 12 and under receive free tickets.

Note: Only teachers may attend the Pre-Flight Experience breakfast and activities.  Your family may explore the Expo during the activities or come separately and join you at lunchtime.  If they come later, they will need to purchase a separate parking pass.

*Tickets must be purchased at the same time as Teachers’ Pre-Flight tickets for discounts to apply.  Discounts are automatically applied.

Ray Lien was reputed as an excellent aviation educator. He envisioned an Aerospace Educators Workshop in 1988. Ray was introduced to aviation in 1925 by his Platte, South Dakota, neighbors. Ray enlisted in the US Army Air Corps in January 1942. Throughout WWII, Ray served as a Maintenance Officer in various locations, but predominantly in North Africa with B-26 and B-25 aircraft. After the war, Ray joined the Air Force Reserve, where he continued to serve in the maintenance field until his retirement as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1970.

Ray Lien earned a BS in Agricultural Engineering from South Dakota State College in 1941 and an MS in Agricultural Engineering in 1958. He actually began teaching at Purdue University in 1953, which he continued until 1987. He was one of the few Purdue University faculty to ever rise from an Instructor to Full Professor without earning a Ph.D. In 1988, he became Coordinator (and later Chairman) of Educational Project for SUN ‘n FUN and started the first Aerospace Educator Workshop.

In Ray’s honor, we proudly present the Ray Lien Award annually during the SUN ‘n FUN Aerospace Expo during the Teachers’ Pre-Flight Experience. This award is given to recognize an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to aviation education.

Click to submit a nomination!

Nomination Procedures – Deadline March 1, 2025.

  • The award will be presented at the SUN ‘n FUN Aerospace Expo in Lakeland, Florida during the Teachers’ Pre-Flight Experience. We request the recipient be present to receive the award.
  • Anyone can nominate a teacher, include self-nominations. The nominator must submit a letter of recommendation for the candidate by describing his/her contributions to aviation education.
  • The nomination letter of support should be submitted no later than March 1, 2025.

Spirit of an Educator – “Knowledge is the key to aviation’s future.”

1998 Paul Poberezny1999 A. Scott Crossfield2000 Lyle R. Flagg
2001 Billy Henderson2002 Gene Olson2003 Dr. Charley Rodriguez
2004 Dr. Carol Denicole2005 Barbara Walters-Phillips2006 Greg Harbaugh
2007 Marie Grein2008 Richard Ortega2009 Chad Smith
2010 Barry Scharf2011 Lori Bradner2012 Bill Yucuis
2013 Joseph Oliver2014 John Iskra2015 Not Awarded
2016 George “Gabe” Gabrielle2017 Thomas J. Sarko2018 Mary Catherine Vaughn
2019 Marie Hill2021 Jessica Strauss2022 David Cohen
2023 Jeri Martin2024 Kevin Strickland

Come experience the SUN ‘n FUN Aerospace Expo with us and leave feeling inspired to help your students to reach for the stars!  
After all, the Sky is Just the Beginning!

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