Spirits take flight

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Spirits take flight
January 30, 2010
By WALT BELCHER
TBO.com

TAMPA - Is it possible that vintage aircraft on display at a Central Florida attraction are "haunted?"

Officials at Fantasy of Flight in Polk County don't like to use the word "ghost," but for years there have been stories, from visitors and employees, of unexplained occurrences such as unidentifiable noises, temperature changes and the detection of mists and shadows.
Paranormal investigator Cliff Kennedy of Apollo Beach said that he met a man whose late wife had seen what she believed was the ghost of man sitting in one of the airplanes.

The attraction located near Auburndale houses 40 restored vintage aircraft such as a World War II-era B-17, which seems to generate some the stories.

One legendary account recalls a family who was touring the facility. When they reached the room housing the B-17, they met an elderly man who knew details about the history of the B-17s.

As they were leaving, they turned back to thank him, but he had vanished. He was not an employee.
Fantasy of Flight General Manager Kim Long said that there has been so much interest from the paranormal community that the attraction wants to see if the general public is interested, too.

In what may be Florida's first paranormal attraction event, Fantasy of Flight is presenting "nightFlight," a chance for guests to experience a professional paranormal investigation.

On Feb. 13, Feb. 20, Feb. 27 and March 6, Kennedy and a team of his volunteer ghost hunters from Apollo Paranormal Investigations (API), will guide a limited number of guests in paranormal investigations from 9:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. It costs $75, plus tax, per person to participate.

Long said this is not a traditional ghost tour.

"We won't have fog machines or people in costume or anything like that," she said. "It will be something that believers and skeptics can enjoy if they are interested in the paranormal. It will be as scientific as these investigations claim to be."

Long said the idea for the paranormal nights came after numerous requests from paranormal investigative teams to check out the facility.

There has been a boom in local and regional paranormal groups apparently inspired by the popularity of TV series such as "Ghost Hunters" on Syfy and "Paranormal State" on A&E.

Kennedy and his wife, Lisa, once were skeptics, but after ghostly encounters at Fort DeSoto Park a couple of years ago, they started API.

By day, the Kennedys run Alley Cat Pest Control. By night, they scope out potential haunts.

"We have done about 40 investigations and found four that had signs of unexplained paranormal activity," Kennedy said.

He said that they have been to Fantasy of Flight before and have found unexplained activity.

He said that "nightFlight" will include 60 to 90 minutes of orientation and paranormal investigation training.

Guests will take a haunted hangar tour and learn investigation techniques and equipment use.

Kermit Weeks, Fantasy of Flight founder and owner, said that they have had "a number of very interesting paranormal occurrences since we opened in 1995."

Long said that the "nightFlight" events are popular and a few nights are almost sold out.

"There is a tremendous interest in the paranormal right now," Long said.

For information, visit www.fantasyofflight.com/nightFlight. To make a reservation, call (863) 984-3500.