Piper Jay: Tiny Aviator Charms Clinton County Aviation Leaders at SUN ‘n FUN Aerospace Expo

Record Editor6 days agoLast Updated: April 9, 2025

2 minutes read

By Emily Wright

FLORIDA— The SUN ‘n FUN Aerospace Expo, a hallmark event in the aviation world, buzzed with activity from April 1 to April 6, 2025, with an estimated 200,000 aviation aficionados and visitors attending each year. Two volunteers from the Piper Aviation Museum and Sentimental Journey Fly-In attended this year’s expo in Lakeland, FL, eager to share information about Clinton County’s rich aviation roots.

Ron Dremel, President of the Piper Aviation Museum, and Cal Arter, Vice President of the museum and Director of the Sentimental Journey Fly-In, stayed busy at the expo, speaking with over 1,200 visitors and spotlighting the famed Sentimental Journey Fly-In, the Piper Aviation Museum, and promoting Clinton County as a whole. Their booth ignited interest in the county’s aviation history and its contributions to the industry.

At the expo, volunteers from Clinton County met a little girl named Piper Jay, a four-year-old resident of Val Rico, FL, who has aviation running in her blood. Her grandfather, Jeff Chinlund of Greenville, NC, owns a 1939 Piper J-3 and has previously flown to Lock Haven for the Sentimental Journey Fly-In.

While speaking with expo attendees, Dremel and Arter met a four-year-old girl named Piper Jay from Val Rico, FL, who beamed with excitement when she was given a Cub sticker from the Piper Aviation Museum, charming both attendees and volunteers alike. Piper Jay happens to be a little girl with a strong connection to aviation.

Piper is the daughter of Andrew and Whitney Chinlund. Dremel and Arter learned that Piper Jay’s grandfather, Jeff Chinlund from Greenville, NC, owns a 1939 Piper J-3 and has flown to Lock Haven for the Sentimental Journey Fly-In in prior years.

Since its inception in 1974, the SUN ‘n FUN Expo has grown to become one of the largest and most successful aviation events on earth, and it has the distinction of being Florida’s largest annual convention of any kind. Often referred to as “Aviation’s Season Opener” or “Spring Break for Pilots”, the expo features aircraft displays, a trade show with over 500 exhibitors, hands-on workshops, and exhilarating airshows that showcase military and civilian performances during the daytime and at night, appealing to aviation enthusiasts and families alike.

Supported by a grant from the Clinton County Visitors Bureau, Dremel and Arter attended the expo to spotlight the county’s aviation heritage and boost tourism through both the Sentimental Journey Fly-In and the Piper Aviation Museum.

“Piper, along with her mom, dad, and brother Trip, hope to visit the Sentimental Journey and Piper Aviation Museum soon,” Dremel told The Record. Their visit will add to Lock Haven’s enduring aviation narrative that continues to bring people of all ages together.