Engine Maintenance Tips

At the heart and soul of every FlyPower project is the "engine". Without our hairy little power plants, there would be no kits, no clubs and no FlyPower whatsoever. Likewise the care and maintenance of your engine is crucial to a successful flight and continued enjoyment.

Fly "engines" come in all sizes dependent upon your skills at catching the little critters and of course the area of the world in which you live. Some of us have been blessed with a larger natural selection than others, not dissimilar to life itself. In spite of what your girlfriend may have told you...SIZE DOES MATTER.

Throughout the decades of design on FlyPowered aircraft we have sifted through the materials available to strike a balance between a sturdy frame, aerodynamics properties and weight. The paper and wood materials supplied with the FlyPower kit may at first glance seem like inferior products, but indeed they are the result of thousands of man hours of research and development. The only variable we do not control is the "engine displacement".

Dependent upon your selection of the fly, your aircraft may be under powered or HYPER powered. The resulting thrust and lift capabilities may change the flight characteristics of your plane. We suggest you keep a log during you trial flights to find the best match for stability, endurance and speed based upon the local "engine " availability.

Your basic house fly of average size should be @ 12.5 mm in length. Beating his/her wings at approximately 200 beats per minute will generate 1FP or one Fly Power unit of thrust. Based upon our calculations, with each additional millimeter in length, your engine generates an additional .20 FP., so a 17.5mm fly will actually generate 2FP of thrust, and so forth.

Several of the tips presented below come from our combined experience with trial and error. Use the information to your advantage, but don't abuse it. FlyPower will not be responsible for the results.

1) Use your engine as quickly after capture as possible. Engines are very difficult to store safely. They tend to degrade after an hour or so, and almost become useless within 10 hours. Use it or lose it.

2) Talk to your engine during the mounting process. It seems to calm them down somewhat, and sets the mood for the rest of their day. They also seem to be partial to classical music and/or the Doors. We don't understand why but its true.

3) The Cryogenic process is an acquired talent and has so many variables that it is almost impossible to establish a uniform protocol for it's application. We strongly suggest you keep detailed notes as to the size of your engine, ambient temperatures and length of chilling to establish your own time factors.

4) The tip of your engine mount should be as flat as possible where it makes contact with the engine. Shave it down as much as practical while still maintaining structural integrity. No less than 1/10 of an inch

5) Do not apply super glue to the engine and then attempt to mount it. Dip the engine mount in the smallest amount of glue necessary to do the job, and then attach the mount to the middle of the engine. Make sure not to come in contact with any other engine parts during this procedure.

6) Never attempt to remove the engine mount from the engine once it has been attached. This is sure fire way to have your engine seize up. If you follow the Catch and Release Policy of FlyPower, only separate your engine from the mount with a small pair of scissors being careful not to injure the engine. You may find this procedure is more successful if you put the engine to sleep again.

7) Never attempt to refuel your engine ( feed it ). It's messy, unpredictable and can lead to serious complications and loss of flight control. Best to release your engine and replace it.

8) Early morning flights seem to produce the best results, when the air is cool and still. We would suggest you avoid mid day sun and certainly not attempt any night flying. The recovery process is almost impossible.

9) Finally, we recommend that you wash and sterilize you hands and all instruments both prior to and after handling of your engine. This is a precautionary measure meant to insure the safety of your engine. God only knows where your hands have been.