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.
Build, Maintain, Inspect
One of the big reasons that people build their own airplane is the flexibility afforded by the FAA when it comes to maintenance and...
Spirit of Flight
Every year the Society of Experimental Test Pilots present the Spirit of Flight Award in recognition of outstanding work in the field of homebuilt...
They’re Only Slightly Off
You’d think that an organization as large as the EAA could reliably count something like conventions, so we have been slightly amused over the...
The Perfect Getaway
It had all the makings of a great caper movie - two guys opening a hangar in the dark with a surreptitiously obtained key,...
Nose(Gear) Job
If you find yourself at AirVenture, wandering around the Van’s Aircraft booth, make sure to take a look at the fuselage they have tucked...
Thinning The Herd
Walking the AirVenture grounds of Wittman Field on Friday afternoon, it was apparent that the departure process of homebuilts has begun - and in...
The Letter
You’ve spent many hours lost in your workshop and brought your homebuilt to fruition. You spent many enjoyable hours testing it in Phase 1....
Following the Sun
Dale Fanning knows that the mid-afternoon sun can be brutal in Oshkosh Wisconsin in the summertime, especially when you find yourself out in the...
It’s Da Bom!
Levil Aviation’s BOM puts pitot-static, AHRS, GPS, ADS-B In, and its own power source right under your wing.
So That’s How You Do It!
Quick tip for those with small airplanes that have no tie-down rings (and here at Oshkosh, we proved last weekend that EVERYTHING needs to...
In Case You Missed It
Ask the DAR
SLSA max empty weight, sailplane condition inspections, licensing a RANS S-7LS as an ELSA.
Pie in the Sky
Now that the wedding is behind us and house projects have slowed, Brian and I have more time to focus on what matters most—airplanes.
2013 Engine Buyer’s Guide
For homebuilders, power is a top-of-mind issue, and engines are among their most important decisions. From the familiar Lycomings and Continentals to the options in radials, here’s what the traditional aircraft-engine market offers.