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.
Belite Altimeter App – with Humidity!
Sharp-eyed readers will figure out quickly that I am no longer at Sun 'n Fun in Florida - while I might have taken the...
Wingbug
In our search for the new and interesting at Sun 'n Fun today, we found a fascinating little gadget that could make flight testing...
What a Difference a Day makes!
The second day of SnF dawned bright, cool, and calm a great change from the flooding rains of Tuesday! We watched a steady flow...
Merlin Magic
When we last few the single-seat Merlin PSA, it featured a two-stroke Rotax engine and we enjoyed the heck out of it. It's a...
Kyle's Ride
You never know what you'll run in to when you get to a major airshow early, but there is no doubt that if you...
Come on down!
While Sun 'n Fun 2018 opened to a day with significant thundershowers and rain, the forecast is for better weather starting on Wednesday, and...
Homebuilder's (Brief) Guide to Sun 'n Fun
There is a lot to see and do at Sun 'n Fun, and even a lot NOT to do - just sitting and watching...
Florida vs. Wisconsin
No matter where you go for a big aviation fly-in, expect to see lots of RV's. Sure, there are going to be hundreds of...
Season Opener
When I was a young pilot back in Minnesota, it was clear that there was an off-season for flying. Despite having access to a...
On Your Mark… Get Set…
Two days to go before Sun 'n Fun 2018 takes of in Lakeland, Florida, and the exhibit area is full of trucks delivering all...
In Case You Missed It
Carburetor Maintenance
Neglect is the biggest enemy of your carburetor. Take care of it and it will take care of you.
The Home Machinist, Part 9
If parts that don't quite fit are grinding you down, author Bob Fritz has a solution: Use a lathe to create a smooth finish on a precisely proportioned piece. While hes at it, hell demonstrate two ways to use the machines calipers to measure necessary offsets.
Good Vibrations, Bad Vibrations
Mating a prop to an engine requires more than a big wrench and some safety wire. Follow along on a real propeller vibration test.