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.
Sunshine Clipper
We at Kitplanes are always looking for new and different airplanes to review, and we found this one right under our noses at the...
Belite Altimeter App – with Humidity!
Sharp-eyed readers will figure out quickly that I am no longer at Sun 'n Fun in Florida - while I might have taken the...
Wingbug
In our search for the new and interesting at Sun 'n Fun today, we found a fascinating little gadget that could make flight testing...
What a Difference a Day makes!
The second day of SnF dawned bright, cool, and calm a great change from the flooding rains of Tuesday! We watched a steady flow...
Merlin Magic
When we last few the single-seat Merlin PSA, it featured a two-stroke Rotax engine and we enjoyed the heck out of it. It's a...
Kyle's Ride
You never know what you'll run in to when you get to a major airshow early, but there is no doubt that if you...
Come on down!
While Sun 'n Fun 2018 opened to a day with significant thundershowers and rain, the forecast is for better weather starting on Wednesday, and...
Homebuilder's (Brief) Guide to Sun 'n Fun
There is a lot to see and do at Sun 'n Fun, and even a lot NOT to do - just sitting and watching...
Florida vs. Wisconsin
No matter where you go for a big aviation fly-in, expect to see lots of RV's. Sure, there are going to be hundreds of...
Season Opener
When I was a young pilot back in Minnesota, it was clear that there was an off-season for flying. Despite having access to a...
In Case You Missed It
Wind Tunnel
Barnaby Wainfan offers an explanation of how tail surfaces can be subject to flutter and how to avoid the potentially disastrous result.
Prop Blade Effects
We often treat the propeller as a uniform “actuator disc” and the slipstream as...
Safety Is No Accident: Fatality Rates for Homebuilt Aircraft
The accident fatality rate for homebuilt aircraft is higher than the GA rate, but why?
Building With a Partner
Building an aircraft with a partner can be a rewarding experience. Dave Prizio discusses his relationship with longtime building partner Ed Zaleski, and how to go about forging your own successful building partnership.