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.
Building a Backbone
Building the “spinal cord” from panel to tail is far easier (even when you use conduit) before the floors are nailed down, so think about it early.
Hide the Comm
Someone asked me (after seeing the panel photo of our nascent Rocket front office) why there are circuit breakers underneath the IFR Nav/Transponder on...
Panel Tricks… and Cheats
Even if you’re only off a small fraction of an inch, the eye sees that the air vent isn’t concentric in the hole.
Old, New & Old Again!
We are seeing more talk of people rebuilding cores found in barns or the back of hangars.
Pick a Little, Build a Little
Our twenty (plus) year old quick-build F1 Rocket kit came covered in a variety of twenty (plus) year old vinyl and plastic.
In Case You Missed It
Kitfox Super Sport Series 7
Marc Cook flies the capable ready-to-fly Kitfox Super Sport Series 7 SLSA, and spotlights owners John and Debra McBean’s deft handling of the company in a crowded market and rocky economy.
The Art of Corner Blocking in Wood Aircraft Construction
Tips for working smarter when making these small, critical parts.