Paul Dye
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.
Oil Filter Anti Drainback Valve
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
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
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
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,...
Trying on the Two-Seater
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...
We Owe Paul Better
I rarely, if ever, do public service announcements, but I was on the AirVenture grounds early the other morning, and saw something that would...
Let’s be Careful Out There
We get it folks—its been a long week, you’re tired, and you are ready to put Wittman Field in your mirror and head for...
Beer, Brats, and Curds
When you’re visiting a foreign country, I believe it is important to eat the local food—and as a born-and-bred Minnesotan, I am bound by...
My Favorite AirVenture Hideaways
If you have been to AirVenture before, you know it is immense. If you haven’t, and this is your first time, prepare to be...
In Case You Missed It
Product Review: BrightLine Pilot Bag
The BrightLine Bag is the ideal accessory for pilots who like a place for everything and everything in its place. By Marc Cook.
It’s Toy Season!
Because few new products get announced at Sun ’n Fun, there’s often a dead zone between April and the big intros at AirVenture in July. But that doesn’t mean it’s total dullsville. A couple of new bits have caught my eye recently.
Buying a Used Homebuilt: A Serious Consideration
For someone considering aircraft ownership, used Experimentals deserve serious consideration.
Aero ‘lectrics
Jim Weir continues his series on digital logic (CMOS), and makes the little logic circuits do things that their inventors never considered.