The Fly Products Power 95   Ok, so its not new, in fact it's about 2 years old. But it is a relatively current model, and anyway, this is as well a looked after machine that I've seen in a long time. History of the Company Started in the early 90's, Enrico Vignini and his family already had over 50 years of experience in the field of aviation. He himself, had trained over 3000 pilots in both hang gliding and paragliding in one of Italy's most prestigious flying schools before taking the decision to make the jump into manufacturing. Now, a small staff of 40, are responsible for having made Fly Products one of the worlds most successful by selling thousands of machines in over 20 countries world wide. The Mechanics The Solo 210 engine must be, by now, one of the most successful and popular small motors around on the planet. Over 30 years old the engine was originally designed for crop sprayers and water pumps and was used extensively in the third world due to the fact it was reliable and cheap. Since then it has been seen on Go karts, microlights, snow mobiles and finally paramotors. So as you can see we are probably the last in a long line of people who have prodded, poked, adapted, tuned and generally messed about with this engine. 210 cc's, air cooled with a Nikosil lining (that just means it lasts longer and cools better) in its normal state produces about 12-14 hp and is very reliable if looked after and cared for. This particular model of paramotor is almost the most basic that "Fly Products" do. The pull start engine has no extras what so ever, a basic exhaust and a sponge air filter on the Walbro carb. A poly-V belt reduction drive connects the engine to 2 x two bladed props, one on top of the other making a four bladed 95cm wooden prop. A 10 litre fuel tank, the newer ones are now 16 litres, is primed with the popular fist sized fuel pump that you squeeze before start. A nice touch is the breather tube that comes from the fuel tank via a plastic on and off valve and then very neatly disappears into the frame. In fact so neat looking that its quite easy to miss it and so either not switch it on before flight, causing a vacuum in the fuel tank during flight and so fuel starvation problems, or forgetting to switch it off after, and so if you lay it down in the car on the way home then the fuel seeps out into the frame creating a smell in the car that you can never find. But as long as you remember that, I think it's a really good idea. Over the years I have seen students or newly qualified pilots trying to take off and falling over for one reason or other. With other machines the breather tubes come out behind the pilots shoulder blade, meaning that when tipped up the fuel starts leaking out over the pilot, harness and engine. I have seen this a few times and its never funny with the pilot being pinned to the ground, sometimes with the engine on full power, and the smell of petrol getting stronger and stronger. Although, I am reliably informed that, the petrol wouldn't ignite even if in contact with a hot exhaust it's difficult to tell yourself that while panic is setting in. So, anything that can reduce that is a good idea in my book.

All this is then mounted on a tubular aluminium chassis which fits into a three part tubular painted aluminium frame. The only gripe I've got with this design is the gap over the engine between the left and right sections of the frame that has no safety netting on it. So many times I have seen paramotors not properly supported with the engines on and it doesn't take a lot for the engine to blip or simply fall over and the pilot's or bystanders hand reach forward and slip through a similar type gap and reach the spinning prop with dire results. Now I know it wouldn't be easy but I would be a lot happier if that gap were a lot smaller or better still covered with strong netting.

Flying the machine.
First of all let me say that even "Fly Products" say that the max recommended pilot weight for this motor should be 85kg's. Ok, so I'm a little above that so I knew it wasn't going to be the fairest of tests but I flown machines like this before quite successfully. So here goes.

Getting into the machine I noticed the harness and weight shifting system is quite a bit different from most others on the market. Over the years Fly Products have been developing this system of side bars that push into special brackets on either side of the frame at one end, then on the other attach to runners that allow the webbing on the harness slip through. The point of the whole system is so that the thrust of the engine is transferred to the webbing of the harness and not directly to the pilots back while with the aid of the runners allowing weight shift.

Looking at the manual the adjustment and measurements of all these straps is quite critical to get the system to work properly and it could be that I just didn't have it set quite right. But to me, once in the air, it didn't seem work half as well as others that I had flown in the weight shift department and I couldn't feel any difference in the removal of the thrust from my back to the webbing. Also the critical measurements meant that the Karabiners needed to be quite high so …………to be quite honest, the whole thing seemed very fussy for very little benefit if any.

So after getting strapped in I strapped the very ergonomic plastic throttle to my hand. Very nice looking and it work well but it was a little bigger than the ones I was used to. So, when I tried a forward launch and put the throttle, brake, and two risers of the glider into my right hand it seemed a little crowded. And so it was, as I launched and tried to release the risers one of them got caught in the throttle and stopped a launch. Nothing major but a little practice would be needed to get it right every time. Luckily a little breeze had come and after a reverse launch using the last three fingers to hold the A risers I was off the ground in about 6 steps.

Getting into the harness was simplicity itself and the whole thing felt very comfortable and secure, the climb rate wasn't startling but then as I mentioned I was slightly over the recommended max weight. There was also a lot of damp in the air with a fog bank coming in so it would have been very unfair to try and treat this as a like for like test. Anyway with that said the engine worked a treat and was smooth and problem free. The now regular low flight past (one day I'm going to get it wrong and come crashing down) proved effortless. A smooth delivery of power and easy throttle control meant that keeping a couple of feet off the ground for about 50 yards was easy.

After gaining a bit of height and with no compensation built into the harness or frame I noticed there was quite a bit of torque and although I did manage to get a degree of weight shift it didn't seem comfortable to use it to counter the torque. So a little bit of left brake was needed to fly straight under full power, this is where a canopy with trimmers on would have been nice.

With some paramotors taking off and flying the things is easy but when you come in to land if the balance is exactly right then there is a serious tendency to fall over backwards as your feet touch the ground. Landing the Power 95 was so easy, the balance perfect. Sadly, the kill switch on the throttle needed a little searching for with the thumb. No big deal really, just something else to get used to. Hot news from the factory though is the development of a new simpler metal i.e. practically unbreakable, throttle.
Hmmmm, nice.

What I love about the Power 95
Ok, so there are a few things I'm not terribly keen on with the Power 95 but on the other hand there are points about this machine and the way "Fly Products" design their machines that I love.
If you are working on a budget and are used to fiddling with motor bikes etc then finding an old and cheap one of these could be the answer to your prayers. With "Fly Products" every single part or nut and bolt of the unit can be bought separately from them making repairs and upgrades easy and affordable. The forever adaptable Solo 210 can be upgraded as much as you want. Whether it's an electric start to make starting easier or a power exhaust kit to boost the power from 14-18+hp and even a centrifugal clutch.
You can even change the Power 95 into a Power 130 bit by bit and still fly it at the same time.

Firstly, you could buy a 130 frame then the existing 95 chassis would fit straight into it and fly it as is. Then when you had a bit more money you could buy the power exhaust and fit that and then fly it some more. Next comes the bigger 130 prop to realise all that extra power, then the powered ignition system which will make starting an absolute doddle. This device increases the power of the spark to the spark plug and brings the starting speed of the engine from 400 revs down to 70 revs per minute. Believe me, every one who has a Solo 210 should have one of these. The list just goes on and you could end up with the ultimate 210 machine all at a pace that you can afford.

Conclusion
The Solo 210 is such a good, reliable and adaptable engine its hard to say anything bad about it. But to be honest I don't think I could honestly recommend buying a new one to a friend when there are so many newer, lighter, smaller and more powerful alternatives around. And to be fair Fly Products have them in the rest of their range, even an exciting new 102cc 18hp engine called the Sky 100. I hope I can test one of those soon.
But on the other hand if you already have one or can't afford new, then there are so many extras available that there is a lot you can still do with the Solo 210 to give it a fighting chance so don't throw it away just yet.
I really enjoyed flying the Power 95 again and even though the harness was a bit fiddly it wouldn't take long to get used to it. For me, I would definitely go for a bigger prop version with more power but for the smaller pilots among us it would be more than fine.

Thanks
Finally, many thanks to Adrian Bloomfield and Lucy Underwood for the loan of their immaculately kept machine and Martin Mosley for permission to use the Headon Microlight Strip for the test flights. Thanks guys I had a great time.
For more information on this or any other paramotors in the range please contact Fly Products at www.flyproducts.com or their dealer, Airways at Darley Moor Airfield on 01335 344308
If you have a paramotor or even wing that you think I might like to test and feature or any other questions about paramotoring then you can write to me at edi@welshhairsports.com

Wishing you all tight lines and clear horizons till next time, Edi.

Specifications.
Diameter of prop 95cm
Type of prop 4 Blade (2 piece) wood (new model=2 blade)
Frame material Aluminium
Electric start No but optional
In flight battery recharge No but optional
Engine Solo 210
Cylinders, Cc, hp ,coolant Single, 210cc, 14hp, air cooled
Fuel economy 2.5 - 3 Ltr/hr
Reduction drive Poly-V belt. Rate 1 / 2.5
Dry weight 21kg
Price £2,809

© Edi Geczy 2004