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Paul Dye

Paul Dye
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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.
marc cook kitplanes van's

Change Is a Constant

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Marc Cook steps away again, passing KITPLANES’ reins as we invite fresh voices from the homebuilt aviation community.

Magnet Trick for Precise Hole Placement

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Use magnets to mark precise hole locations through metal or composite firewalls—no guessing, no misaligned holes.
subaru alternative engine

Why Alternative Engines Rarely Save Money

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You can try it, but don’t expect to come out ahead—or airborne—without a fight.
edge tool for bending sheet metal

DIY Edge Tool for Canopy Skirts

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A simple DIY tool puts a sharp crease into canopy skirts when edge-breaking tools fall short—just bring some wrist strength.
Main EarthX battery in the aircraft

Internal Power Milestone—EarthX Battery for the F1 Rocket Project

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The F1 Rocket project hits a major milestone—electrical and avionics systems now run independently on EarthX batteries.
co monitor radiant

USB-Powered CO Monitor from Radiant

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Radiant's new $29.95 USB CO monitor lights up red if danger's in the air—and might just beat those old stick-on cards for reliability.

Canopy Done—For Now: F1 Project Progresses

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With the canopy fitted and systems checked, our F1 project moves closer to mounting the engine and firewall-forward work.
flexible fastener assembly parts

Flexible Canopy Fasteners

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Flexible mounts help prevent canopy cracks caused by thermal expansion and contraction. Let me know if you'd like this in a format ready for WordPress or need image tags added.
Finished egress handle with striping, fastened in place with #8 screws.

Easy Egress Handle

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Add an easy-egress handle to your canopy with a simple drawer pull and heat-shrink tubing—quick, stylish, and builder-approved.
NX Cub on dirt runway

Fun with a Cub

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CubCrafters let us loose with the first kit-built NX Cub—here’s what we found exploring backcountry strips and dry lake beds in Western Nevada.

In Case You Missed It

2012 Kit Aircraft Buyer’s Guide

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The 2012 Kit Aircraft Buyer's Guide features a stunning 316 designs.

RV Maintenance by the Book

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Vic Syracuse’s latest guide is a must-have for RV owners.

Evaluating Aircraft

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How to test-fly an airplane and decide if it’s right for you.

Kit Stuff

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Drawing on experience; by cartoonist Robrucha.