Paul Dye
Paul Dye, KITPLANES® Editor at Large, retired as a Lead Flight Director for NASA’s Human Space Flight program, with 40 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.
Basking in the Sun
You know that summer is here when you see shy fuel tanks, basking in the sun!
In this case, we were able to capture the...
A Collection of Engines
Poring over press releases from all "Big Three" piston aircraft engine manufacturers got me thinking about the engines I have out in my own hangar, hanging off our stable of airplanes.
The ATC Privatization Proposal – A Bad Idea for General Aviation
President Trump's characterization of the United States Air Traffic Control system was a statement, unsupported by evidence, that listeners are supposed to believe...
Field Fixin'
We had everything but a jack- all the tools we needed to change a tail wheel on our Tundra were a set of pliers,...
Back Country!
Ahhhh... this is what utility planes are for! They're not about getting halfway across the country in a day, not about aerobatics, and not...
A Secure Feeling
I like harnesses - especially ones that make me feel secure. Our Tundra came with standard lap and shoulder belts that used the age-old...
Yup, its an Oshkosh Plane
How can you tell this plane has been to Oshkosh (or, to be fair, maybe Sun 'n Fun)? By looking in the passenger side...
In Case You Missed It
Give Me a Brake
When his Zenith CH 701 wouldn't stay put during runup and tended to roll on an incline, builder Chuck Deiterich came up with a do-it-yourself solution.
Chemysteries
All machined things (parts, tools, etc.) eventually have to be “finished” in one way...
You and the Tube
For some builders, the prospect of flaring hard-line tubing is daunting. Ishmael Fuentes demystifies the process, and shows you how to get good results every time.