All airplanes have a lifespan. Some fade quietly into retirement, others leave behind scars, stories, and a pile of memories on the shop floor. This winter marks the end of one chapter for me — the Extra 300 is no more. It served well, flew hard, and did exactly what it was built to do. But nothing in this hobby stands still for long.
What has come into my life is something special.
A Laser 200.
Big. Red. Loud in presence even before it ever flies. And wearing one of the most iconic paint schemes in aerobatic history — Bud Light.
At first glance, it’s just another winter build. But the deeper I dug, the more this airplane started to feel like a continuation of something much bigger than my own flying.
This Laser 200 is a replica of the full-scale aircraft flown by Leo Loudenslager, one of the true legends of aerobatics. His Bud Light Laser wasn’t just an airshow crowd-pleaser — it was precision, energy, and innovation rolled into aluminum and composite. That very aircraft now lives in the Smithsonian Institution, preserved as a piece of aviation history.
Knowing that adds weight to every decision in this build.
The Laser 200 isn’t just replacing the Extra — it’s raising the bar. Bigger airframe, more authority, more presence in the sky. This is a winter project that demands patience, intention, and respect for what the design represents. Every servo install, every linkage, every setup choice feels like part of honoring the airplane’s lineage.
Winter builds are funny that way. They’re equal parts therapy and anticipation. Cold nights in the shop, music playing, epoxy curing — all while imagining that first clean pull to vertical when spring finally breaks. The Extra had its run. It earned its retirement.
Now it’s time for something bold.
Something classic.
Something that carries history on its wings.
The Laser 200 has entered the hangar — and winter just got a whole lot more interesting.
