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Paul Dye

Paul Dye
903 POSTS 26 COMMENTS
Paul Dye, KITPLANES® Editor at Large, retired as a Lead Flight Director for NASA’s Human Space Flight program, with 50 years of aerospace experience on everything from Cubs to the Space Shuttle. An avid homebuilder, he began flying and working on airplanes as a teen and has experience with a wide range of construction techniques and materials. He flies an RV-8 and SubSonex jet that he built, an RV-3 that he built with his pilot wife, as well as a Dream Tundra and an electric Xenos motorglider they completed. Currently, they are building an F1 Rocket. A commercially licensed pilot, he has logged over 6000 hours in many different types of aircraft and is an A&P, FAA DAR, EAA Tech Counselor and Flight Advisor; he was formerly a member of the Homebuilder’s Council. He consults and collaborates in aerospace operations and flight-testing projects across the country.

Shhhh – I’m Blending In

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Walking the pits at Reno, you pass through a few rows of RV’s, Lancairs, and Glasairs, then a couple of aisles of T-6’s. Next,...

Morning Brief

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If you think that Reno Racing is just a bunch of guys that hop in their planes and go ripping around the pylons, then...

Reno From Home

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We all know that the best way for an aviation enthusiast (especially a homebuilder) to watch the Reno Air Races is in person, with...

RARA and Other Trivia

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Wednesday morning greeted the assembled racers and spectators with smoke. Lots of smoke. And not the kind smoke that comes from smoke oil on...

Oil Filter Anti Drainback Valve

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For those of you using 48108-2 oil filters on an angle adapter, here’s a bit of trivia for you. Not everyone knows that these...

The Slow Failure

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Mechanical fuel pumps are pretty reliable, in general. I know folks who will disagree, having replaced them early in the life of an engine,...

Fighter Squadron

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An RV Builder by the name of Charlie Derk posted this opioid online, and when I looked at it, I realized that it looked...

Wrapped

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RV builder/owner Tony Kirk took no chances when the predicted storm came though on the first Saturday night of AirVenture. He followed the lead,...

Van’s on Top

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A utility-first airplane turns Van’s design chops upside down.

Trying on the Two-Seater

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I am probably one of the higher-time SubSonex JSX-2 pilots around, so it was with great interest that I dropped in at the Sonex...

In Case You Missed It

A Newbie’s View

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Can the Zenith CH 750 Cruzer be the gateway airplane to Experimentals? We attempt to find out.

Checkpoints

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Three common discrepancies.

Ask the DAR

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Previously certified aircraft, ultralights, motorgliders and N-numbers.

Free Flight

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Filing IFR gives you the flexibility to take advantage during fluctuating weather conditions rather than being at the mercy of them.