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.
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.
(Un)Boxing Day
Everyone knows that “Boxing Day” is December 26th (an old-world holiday that few celebrate on our side of the pond). This year, we celebrated...
Stewart Delivers
About ten days before Christmas, we fell into an incredible deal on an F1 Rocket kit (and a motor!) that was located in central...
Machine, Weld… Repeat!
The project was certainly educational, and those of you with lots of experience welding will chuckle at my expense.
How to Calibrate Angle-of-Attack on Garmin’s G3X Touch System
For pilots who fly with modern electronic flight instruments, having access to accurate, repeatable angle-of-attack (AoA) information can be transformative. But before you can...
In Case You Missed it
Tools for Homebuilders, Part 2
Terry Edwards continues his discussion of some of the less-often covered aspects of airplane building, this month looking at how to manage your project and stay motivated.
What’s a Nice Guy Like You Doing in a Plane Like This?
Making the transition from certified aircraft to Experimentals.
Contributors
Julia DownieOnce a year we take the opportunity to publicly thank the hard-working Julia...
Light Sport Repairman—Maintenance
Have you ever thought about becoming a licensed airframe and powerplant (A&P) mechanic, but...