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.
New Online Aircraft Management System
Sun n Fun 2011 was a big stop on Sporty's Pilot Shop's 50th Anniversary tour. To celebrate, the company announced a new, no-cost service...
SNF: Reflections on the Day After
April 1, 2011, dawned clear and cool on the Lakeland Linder Airport, but for a few pilots and vendors, it had probably been a...
Aircraft Spruce Debuts New Pilot Catalog
Aircraft Spruce & Specialty took Sun n Fun as an opportunity to debut its new PilotShop.com catalog of products. "The products are a little...
Zenith Wings for the Word Aircraft Destroyed
In the hot morning sun of Friday, April 1, Zenith Aircraft's Sebastien Heintz surveyed the area around what was supposed to be his display...
Dakota Cub Shows Off Super 18 Kit Aircraft
The Dakota Cub Aircraft Company displayed its Super 18-LT-EXP kit aircraft, described by Marketing Manager Amy Gensch as her Little Bird.
The Super 18 kit...
Android Apps for Pilots
Sportys Pilot Shop announced at Sun n Fun that it is developing six new Android apps for pilots who use Android-based phones and tablets....
Line of Storms Tears Through Sun n Fun
A line of severe thunderstorms moved through the Sun n Fun Fly-In at around noon on March 31. There is no official report on...
One Builder’s Headache is Another’s Project
Sometimes picking up a project that needs a little work is just the ticket for (re)building satisfaction.
Down to Earth
Two German globetrotters are flying their Vans RV-7 around the world to promote aviation. By Amy Laboda.
Down to Earth
Amy Laboda has watched her first homebuilt (Kitfox) aircraft and her second daughter come of age in a way that illustrates some parallels between the two.
In Case You Missed It
Fuel Cap Dipstick (and Always Chock Your Wheels)
Before I delve into this month’s project, here’s the backstory on where it came...
![An Aerotrek A220 perched resolutely on the grass and ready for flight. [Credit: Aerotrek]](https://www.kitplanes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/IMG_2719.jpg?w=324&h=160&crop=1 "Aerotrek")
Firewall Forward: Exhaust Systems
Besides venting engine exhaust, an exhaust system must heat the cabin and warm the carb. Some crucial rules must be heeded, no matter what kind of system you choose.
Down to Earth
When something doesn’t feel (or sound) right, trust your gut and stay on the ground. A stuck valve recently demonstrated this lesson to Amy Laboda.