by Jeff Goin | May 11, 2019 | Mx: Motor
The Top 80 (and others) clutch is held in place by pressure against a conical shaft. No spline. It gets locked into position pretty hard and can be a pain to get off. There is an easier way than trying to pry it off with a screwdriver, not that anyone would try that...
by Jeff Goin | May 10, 2019 | Reviews: Engines
In 2008 this was one of the most popular powerplants in the 25 hp class. It has earned a reputation for reliability, plentiful thrust and good support. It can be be a bit challenging to start without doing things just right. Fortunately there is enormous expertise...
by Jeff Goin | May 10, 2019 | Reviews: Engines
This motor was based on the RDM 100 and so shares most of the same characteristics. My experience is that it has slightly less thrust although that was from some time ago (2003) and the motor has enjoyed numerous improvements over time. Specs: by Compact Radial...
by Jeff Goin | May 10, 2019 | Reviews: Engines
This elegant clutched motor has only slightly more thrust than the Top 80 but is easier to work on in most regards. The tradeoff is that it’s heavier, by maybe 3 pounds. Instructors seem to have slightly better results with maintenance issues. It behaves much...
by Jeff Goin | May 10, 2019 | Reviews: Engines
This tiny, lightweight motor first became popular in Europe, especially with competition pilots. It’s light weight and low fuel burn for the power produced made it perfect for competition pilots and everyone else. It can get over 100 lbs of thrust with a...
