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.
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...
Masked Men
Why are these two men from The Airplane Factory wearing masks? Because they were on their way to AirVenture in a Sling TSi... at...
A Flying Tale
As everyone should have heard by now, AirVenture 2019 got off to an interesting start, with a number of severe thunderstorms dumping several inches...
Red Flight
Dr. Kraft passed away today, the 22nd of July, 2019—just two days after the 50th anniversary of man’s first setting foot on the moon.
Jetting To Oshkosh
I know (or have met - I really don't have a lot of good friends in that economic class) a number of folks that...
In Case You Missed It
Build It Better: What’s Your Backup Plan?
The word “redundancy” is often heard in aviation, and with good reason. But a well-thought-out backup plan involves more than just having two of everything.
What’s New
New landing lights from AeroLEDs, a lightweight headset from MGL, the electric Waiex makes its first flight, and FatBoy offers throttle quadrants for Vans RV kit aircraft. Edited by Mary Bernard.
Experimotive
Jess Meyers of Belted Air Power continues to refine auto-engine conversion firewall-forward packages for homebuilt aircraft. By Rick Lindstrom.