Paul Dye
Paul Dye has been the Editor-in-Chief and Editor at Large. He 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.
Carving Fiberglass the Easy Way
Shaping fiberglass parts might be messy, but it doesn't need to be hard. When I need to cut back an edge, I find that...
Homebuilts Well Represented at Pylon Racing School!
Reno's Stead Field, home of the National Championship Air Races every September, is alive with the sounds of fast airplanes this week as the...
Opening Aluminum Angle
It is not uncommon when building an aluminum airplane to need to adjust the finished angle of an aluminum extrusion a bit. Closing up...
First Flight -"Risky Business" Columnist Sid Mayeux
When one of our regular columnists here at Kitplanes finishes and flies a new airplane, we like to celebrate a little! We received word...
Editor’s Report from SnF – Day 4 – Tuesday, April 24
Any day that starts in a Cub is a good day! This morning we had the chance to do a sunrise flight in the...
Editor’s Report from SnF – Day 3 – Tuesday, April 23
Day 3 of the annual Sun 'n Fun Fly-in dawned with ominous dark clouds on the western horizon. Kitplanes got in a couple of...
Editor’s Report from SnF – Day 2 – Tuesday, April 22
From Powered Parachutes to Jets!
Great weather greeted Day 2 of the Sun 'n Fun 2015 fly-in in Florida today. Early morning high clouds broke...
In Case You Missed It
To Launch a Light Sport
This month builder Bob Fritz searches for a better alternative to last-century circuit technology for his panel and finds it in a Polyfuse.
A New Name on the Alternative Engine Block
When NSI went under in 2005, builders who had an engine or were waiting on parts for one might have found themselves in a world of hurt. But seeing an opportunity, John and Gwen Maxwell acquired the assets of the company and have endeavored since to make a sound product even better; by Marc Cook.
The Home Machinist
Home Machinist Bob Fritz had been looking for a way to compare the effectiveness of various screw extractors he had accumulated in his toolbox, and he found a willing test subject in a Cessna 170s 60-year-old gas tank.