Aircraft engine controls

This article describes controls used with a basic internal-combustion engine driving a propeller.

Jet turbine engines use different operating principles and have their own sets of controls and sensors.

If the aircraft is equipped with a fuel pump: In an aircraft with a fixed-pitch propeller, there is no direct control over the propeller rotational speed, which depends on the airspeed and loading.

Therefore, the pilot has to pay attention to the RPM indicator and adjust the throttle/power lever in order to maintain the desired constant speed of the propeller.

When the airspeed increases and the loading decreases (e.g., in a dive), the RPM will increase and the pilot has to decrease the throttle/power in order to prevent RPM from exceeding the operational limits and damaging the motor.