Minecraft Flying Machines Guide

What is a Flying Machine?

A flying machine is a redstone-based contraption that moves in a direction by pushing itself using pistons, observers, slime blocks, or honey blocks.

Key Components

• Slime Block / Honey Block - Sticky blocks that drag/push other blocks.
• Observer - Detects block updates and sends a redstone signal.
• Piston - Pushes blocks one block forward.
• Sticky Piston - Pushes and pulls blocks.
• Obsidian / Terracotta - Immovable blocks used to stop machines.

1. Simple One-Way Flying Machine

✅ Java | ✅ Bedrock

How to Build:

• Place a sticky piston facing forward.
• In front of it, attach a slime block.
• Attach a regular piston to the side of the slime block, facing the opposite direction.
• Place two observers: one facing the piston on each end.
• Add blocks or a boat to ride on top.

Start it: Place a block to update one observer or break and replace an observer.

2. Two-Way Flying Machine

✅ Java | ⚠️ Bedrock (Unreliable due to different observer behavior)

How to Build (Java):

• Sticky piston → slime block → regular piston.
• Observer on each piston facing inward (toward slime).
• Place slime blocks between both pistons.
• Add a block to ride on top.
• Add a button to start movement both ways.

Bedrock Tip: Observer behavior is slightly different and may require more testing. Consider using flying engines from the technical Minecraft community built for Bedrock.

3. Flying Machine with Player Seat

✅ Java | ✅ Bedrock

• Add a solid block or slime block seat on top of the slime structure.
• You can place a minecart on top of a slime block in Java or ride a boat in Bedrock.
• Start with a flint & steel or block update.

4. TNT Bomber (Java Only)

✅ Java | ❌ Bedrock (TNT duping doesn't work)

• Attach a TNT duper module to a flying machine.
• Use coral fans, slime blocks, and minecarts to dupe TNT.
• Use for breaking bedrock, mining, or griefing (only in testing worlds).

Important: TNT duplication only works in Java and is subject to change in updates.

5. Vertical Flying Machine (Elevator)

✅ Java | ✅ Bedrock

How to Build:

• Build a vertical stack: Sticky piston → slime → observer (facing downward).
• Stack multiple segments to make an elevator.
• Trigger the lowest observer to start ascent.
• Use walls or guide blocks to control direction.

Tips and Notes

• Honey blocks and slime blocks don’t stick to each other — use this to separate sides.
• Bedrock edition has more limitations — slime mechanics are stricter.
• Observers in Bedrock update differently; test every flying machine in creative before survival.
• Use Obsidian or Terracotta to block flying machines from going beyond a certain point.