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.
Learn to Wire Well
Way back in my career as a NASA engineer, I spent most of my time training. You see, I wasn't a design engineer -...
Tricked-Out Tailwheel
T3 suspension system eliminates relaunches when touchdowns are a bit too firm.
Now… With Bikes!
I've done this before, last year when I flew the new Murphy Radical, so it wasn't completely an unknown feeling when I lifted off...
Always More to Learn
I love solving problems--it is just hard to find the time to work on the little ones. I have been wiring avionics for more...
Foolin’ Around with Design and Fabrication
It's a quiet week between Christmas and New Year's, since my outstanding magazine staff guys got ahead of the schedule and made it that...
The Tundra in Winter
Flying through the holiday season has its challenges - climatically, winter is blowing in and that means fast-moving systems with lots of cold. In...
Applied Research – the Search Process
I have always found that the success in a highly technical endeavor that encompasses a vast sea of knowledge is not about memorizing everything...
In Case You Missed It
17 Kits For Under $25K
Building economically can be done, but you’re going to be part of the cost savings.
Free Flight
Perfection is unattainable for most builders, yet it is what many strive for. Paul Dye posits that sometimes “good enough” may be just what you need to finally get out of the shop and into flying.
Light Stuff
The dream of flying cars remains alive and well, and several companies are taking on the challenge. By Roy Beisswenger.