Jun 19, 2008 11:00 AM

Tron Guy Takes Flight in Custom-Designed Aircraft

Jay Maynard, better known as Tron Guy, bought a $140,000 aircraft custom designed to match his hand-painted, green-and-blue unitard. Maynard (pictured above) had a two-seater, light-sport aircraft built to his specifications — which included a custom graphics and a paint job designed to match his signature electroluminescent bodysuit. "I wanted a design that would leave […]

Jay Maynard, better known as Tron Guy, bought a $140,000 aircraft custom designed to match his hand-painted, green-and-blue unitard.

Maynard (pictured above) had a two-seater, light-sport aircraft built to his specifications -- which included a custom graphics and a paint job designed to match his signature electroluminescent bodysuit.

"I wanted a design that would leave no doubt in anyone's mind that it was Tron Guy's airplane," Maynard said in a phone interview Thursday.

So far, Maynard said, he's extremely happy with how the aircraft turned out, even though the manufacturing company wasn't able to rig the exterior to glow neon blue -- like his helmet and gloves. It's a decision he can live with: "I wanted [the plane] to be tasteful and not too out there," he said.

Though a light cycle -- the futuristic vehicles used in Tron -- might seem more appropriate, the 47-year-old Minnesota resident said he's had his eye on purchasing an airplane for nearly 20 years, since he first obtained his pilot's license.

Maynard picks up the keys for his custom craft before taking it on a test spin.

Maynard designed the exterior of the two-seater carrier himself, and sent the manufacturing company samples of the paint he uses on his costume to get the color scheme exactly right. "The green color on the plane is a direct match for the color on the costume," Maynard said.

Overall, the tricked-out aircraft ran Maynard roughly $140,000, a bill he footed with his earnings as a computer consultant. Maynard maintains that outside of a few television cameos, he's only ever made a few hundred bucks off his costumed appearances.

The instrument panel of Maynard's AMD-Zodiac cost him roughly $35,000.

Maynard first shot to internet fame in April 2004, when tech blog
Slashdot linked to a photo gallery of Maynard modeling his skintight spandex costume at science-fiction and open source software convention Penguicon.

Maynard, whose most recent full-bodied appearance included the internet culture conference ROFLCon, can't wait to show off his new ride. "I'm still in training, so I have to stay close to home," he said. "But if I can, I absolutely will."

Photos: Tron Guy's LiveJournal____