Amy Laboda
Contributing Editor Amy Laboda is a freelance writer and editor of Aviation for Women magazine. She's an ATP-rated pilot and instrument and multi-engine Flight Instructor with a passion for teaching and flying in light aircraft. Her steady rides these days are a 18-year old Kitfox IV and a fresh Van's RV-10.
You CAN Take It With You
"My son designed this," says David Shelton, father of David Shelton, who was convinced that the best way to use his general aviation aircraft would be to take his ground transportation with him. "He saw the roadable aircraft," says Shelton, " and he thought, there has to be a simpler way."…
Amy's RV-10: That Ole Paint
It turns out, ole silverback, as I was beginning to deem 9AB, our newly hatched and DAR-blessed RV-10, was going to get a new...
Designer Spotlight: John Thorp
John W. Thorp has had a profound influence on both homebuilding and on aviation in general. If you've flown Piper Cherokees or know of the all-flying tail, you're familiar with his design principles, and his T-18 is still a favorite worldwide.
Down to Earth
A month after the engine was first started on the RV-10, author Amy Laboda and her husband, Barry Marz, scheduled a visit from DAR Ray Howell, received the airworthiness certificate, and commenced ground runs. It sounds simple, but so much effort went into getting that little piece of paper.
New Product: SVT for G900X Is Like G1000
EFIS in light aircraft is approaching its eight-year anniversary, and all I can say is, you’ve come a long way, baby. Just this past...
Amy's RV-10: ADs Already
The dreaded letter. Every airplane owner (practically) has gotten one at some point. A problem has been detected with a particular part or piece...
Amy's RV-10: Cutting Costs Without Cutting Corners
If there is anything I've learned this year, it is this: The aviation stuff we do can be a little pricey. We've been breaking...
Amy's RV-10: High Flight
Eventually the day comes when your project morphs from a project to a full-fledged airplane. If you built it and got it certified, you...
Down to Earth
When it came to choosing a kit aircraft to build, columnist Amy Laboda and her husband opted for a metal design, in part because it would be resistant to destruction by lightning strike and also because fatigue is easier to detect in metal than it is in a composite plane. However, new nanotube technology, if integrated into composite construction material, could not only help identify wear problems, but also potentially heal them.
Red Bull Air Races: What the Old, New and Experimental Can...
It's race day on San Diego Bay in Southern California. I look around at the more than 70,000 people (120,000 over two days) assembled...
In Case You Missed it
Lancair ES-P
Robert Simon had the distinction of building the first Lancair ES-P to fly. But the process wasn’t without its challenges. The ES-P employs the cabin design and structure of the pressurized, retractable Lancair IV-P, but has a larger wing and fixed gear. During the build, Simon also deviated from the base design with changes that required factory support to accomplish. Not only did he learn much, he ultimately got the plane he needed; by Dave Higdon.
Around the Patch
Editor-in-Chief Marc Cook takes note of the good, bad and the uncapitalized in public reactions to a recent aircraft accident. He encourages knowledgeable pilots, builders and enthusiasts to counter the public rantings of armchair crackpots with kindness and courage. Also, a tip of the buttonless cap to Omar Filipovic, KITPLANES.coms new webmaster, for his savvy work to create a more lively and flexible web site.