Paul Dye has over 40 years of aviation experience as an engineer, builder, and pilot. He earned his degree in aeronautical engineering with a specialization in aircraft design and flight testing from the University of Minnesota in 1982. He continued to work in increasingly responsible roles within the U.S. manned space program, both as a technical expert in spacecraft systems and eventually as the overall lead of many missions to space. He retired from NASA in 2013 as the longest-serving Flight Director in U.S. history. “I had an amazing opportunity to serve mankind getting into space. Commercial space is coming back, and I am happy about that,” he said.
Dye has won many prestigious awards throughout his career, and he delights in bringing the lessons learned from the most advanced flight operations back to the general aviation community to understand. “I learned that no one is going to take away from me what I am in charge of.” As a risk-management specialist, Dye continues to advise designers, builders, and pilots on ways to build and operate aircraft with greater margins of safety. “As air traffic controllers, you are charged with safety, which is integral in the NAS. Thank you for all that you do daily to keep those who operate aircraft safe,” he concluded.
After the conference, Dye answered four questions from attendees who heard his presentation:
Did the space shuttle have the capability to orbit the moon?