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.
Eating the Elephant
Everyone has heard it before, expressed in various ways - you build an airplane the way you eat an elephant, one bite at a...
Leaving Lakeland
Sun 'n Fun is rapidly receding into the rearview mirror as the first major fly-in of the year draws to a close. We hope that you've enjoyed the coverage by our intrepid group of contributors - regular pilots and builders like yourselves, peering into the nooks and crannies of the show for those who couldn't fit it into their schedules, or who couldn't make it past the weather in northern Florida.
Tail Chase!
I've ben watching these two airplanes chase each other around and around on top of the EAA trailer now for two days - every...
Clever New Gascolator
Flyboy Accessories is showing a new fuel filtering device in their booth at Sun 'n Fun - a gascolator/fuel strainer that mounts into the...
Playing Hooky – Going to Class!
I'm sure I won't get much sympathy from readers, but after four days at a show like Sun 'n Fun, I've sort of had...
Meet the New Lancair
Mark and Conrad Huffstutler, the new owners of the Lancair brand addressed a forum room full of owners and builders - along with the...
A Clever Engine Mount Solution
When engine maker UL Power decided to retrofit an RV-4 with one of their engines, they faced an interesting problem, brought about by the...
Garmin 470 Touchscreen Portrait Displays – First Look
When Garmin introduced the G3X Touch displays as an upgrade to the original G3X a few years ago, they did so with a large...
Belite Chipper – First Look
The flying public got its first look at Belite's first licensed E-AB aircraft at the Sun 'n Fun Fly in today. As we reported...
Mitch Lock Named President of Van's Aircraft
Mitch Lock, one-time east coast representative for Van's aircraft, has been chosen as the successor to retiring president Scott Risan. Lock has ben an...
In Case You Missed It
Roll Your Own Control Locks
A lightweight, inexpensive alternative to wrapping a seat belt around the stick. By Axel Alvarez.
