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Paul Dye

Paul Dye
908 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.

No Charge – No Kidding!

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Crimps are important, and as much as we hate it, you need special tools to do them right.

Ready for Main Engine Start!

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That’s a phrase I haven’t heard since my space shuttle days, but it ran through my head yesterday as my wife got ready to...

How to Save 24 Pounds – and Look Great Doing It!

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Our loyal RV-8, the Valkyrie, is rapidly approaching the 2000 hour mark on the Hobbs, and all of that time, she has been flying...

Puttering in the Shop

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The dog days of August means that its hot in the shop in the afternoon! Out here in the Nevada hinterlands, it doesn’t pay...

Fly It Like You STOL It!

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With 300 hp, Steve Henry’s incredible Just Highlander is too much fun!

Leaking Lycs

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In truth, all engines can leak. Here’s how to deal with it.

Fun With Part Numbers

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As I'm getting ready to re-assemble my wife’s O-360-A1A, I have spent a lot of time looking up part numbers. Not, as it turns...

Building and Flying an RV-8

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For pilots brought up with standard certified aircraft, the RV-8 will plaster a grin on their face that can’t be washed off and rarely fades.

Hate It When I Do That!

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First things first - this is in no way Aircraft Spruce’s fault! Nope, this is totally on me - they sent exactly what I...

Out with the Old

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Yes,  know that I have written numerous times over the years about being careful about “while I’m in there…” syndrome—starting out on a simple...

In Case You Missed It

Highly Evolved

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The Lancair Turbine Evolution might be the ultimate Experimental kit aircraft. By Doug Rozendaal.

Get a Grip on It!

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Adding wing-walk tape to slippery keyless drill chucks.

Backcountry Fox

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Learning the secrets of mountain flying with Paul Leadabrand.

Heads Up!

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GRTs new inexpensive HUD option.