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.
Oshkosh Diary: Practice Day
AirVenture itself is officially two days away, but that doesn’t mean that Wittman Field isn’t humming and full of people and airplanes.
It’s Ready For You!
They’ve updated the date under the Brown Arch, so it must be time for annual gathering in “the little drinking town with an airplane problem.”
Oshkosh Diary: Departure Minus One Day
Dye plans multi-day flight to Oshkosh AirVenture, navigating weather and fuel stops.
Oshkosh Diary: The Pre-Game
AirVenture offers relaxation for some, but for media, it's a whirlwind of presentations, connections, and story-chasing.
Let There Be (Baggage) Light!
The F1 Rocket has an ultra-deep baggage compartment, why not light it up a bit?
Switch Wrench
It can be a royal pain to get any sort of a wrench onto the rear nut of a toggle switch.
Ya’ Gotta Do what Ya’ Gotta Do
Common tools occasionally prove to be the solution to an obscure problem.
In Case You Missed It
Aero ‘lectrics
Make the scene at your next airshow with a homemade aircraft band antenna, state and national flags, and an aircraft data sheet that gives spectators the vital statistics on your aircraft.
Aero ‘lectrics
The FAA provides a wealth of user-friendly information on its web site. Jim Weir takes us on a tour of the highlights.
Ask the DAR
Can a homebuilt whose core is a certified airplane fuselage ever be seen as an Experimental?
