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.
Shhhh – I’m Blending In
Walking the pits at Reno, you pass through a few rows of RV’s, Lancairs, and Glasairs, then a couple of aisles of T-6’s. Next,...
Morning Brief
If you think that Reno Racing is just a bunch of guys that hop in their planes and go ripping around the pylons, then...
Reno From Home
We all know that the best way for an aviation enthusiast (especially a homebuilder) to watch the Reno Air Races is in person, with...
RARA and Other Trivia
Wednesday morning greeted the assembled racers and spectators with smoke. Lots of smoke. And not the kind smoke that comes from smoke oil on...
Oil Filter Anti Drainback Valve
For those of you using 48108-2 oil filters on an angle adapter, here’s a bit of trivia for you. Not everyone knows that these...
The Slow Failure
Mechanical fuel pumps are pretty reliable, in general. I know folks who will disagree, having replaced them early in the life of an engine,...
Fighter Squadron
An RV Builder by the name of Charlie Derk posted this opioid online, and when I looked at it, I realized that it looked...
Wrapped
RV builder/owner Tony Kirk took no chances when the predicted storm came though on the first Saturday night of AirVenture. He followed the lead,...
In Case You Missed It
Cables and Pulleys
Even though many planes have most of their flight controls actuated by pushrods and...
Starkey’s Custom Spark Plug Adapter Lock Wrench
Make spark plug changes easier with a custom spark plug wrench for auto plug adapters on aircraft engines.
Turbine Moose: The Ultimate Amphib
Its said that sailors make good floatplane pilots because they understand the nature of wind on the water. Sailboat racer and pilot Rick Orchard took that sentiment to heart in a big way when he decided to pump up an already large homebuilt (the Murphy Moose) by adding Aerocet amphibious floats and a 550-horsepower Pratt & Whitney PT6A-20 turbine engine.