Many variations of aircraft engine starting have been used since the Wright brothers made

their first powered flight in 1903. The methods used have been designed for weight saving,
simplicity of operation and reliability. Early piston engines were started by hand, with geared
hand starting, electrical and cartridge-operated systems for larger engines being developed
between the wars.
Gas turbine aircraft engines such as turbojets, turboshafts and turbofans often use air/pneumatic
starting, with the use of bleed airfrom built in auxiliary power units (APUs) or external air
compressors now seen as a common starting method. Often only one engine needs be started
using the APU (or remote compressor). After the first engine is started using APU bleed
air, cross-bleed air from the running engine can be used to start the remaining engine(s).

Piston engines[edit]
Hand starting/propeller swinging[edit]

A 1918 sketch of ground crew receiving instruction on hand starting

Hand starting of aircraft piston engines by swinging the propeller is the oldest and simplest
method, the absence of any onboard starting system giving an appreciable weight saving.
Positioning of the propeller relative to the crankshaft is arranged such that the engine pistons
pass through top dead centre during the swinging stroke.
As the ignition system is normally arranged to produce sparks before top dead centre there is a
risk of the engine kicking back during hand starting, to avoid this problem one of the two
magnetos used in a typical aero engine ignition system is fitted with an 'impulse coupling', this
spring-loaded device delays the spark until top dead centre and also increases the rotational
speed of the magneto to produce a stronger spark. When the engine fires the impulse coupling
no longer operates and the second magneto is switched on. [1] As aero engines grew bigger
in capacity (during the interwar period), single-person propeller swinging became physically
difficult, ground crew personnel would join hands and pull together as a team or use a canvas
sock fitted over one propeller blade, the sock having a length of rope attached to the propeller tip
end.[2][3] Note that this is different from the manual "turning over" of radial piston engine, which is
done to release oil that has become trapped in the lower cylinders prior to starting, to avoid
engine damage. The two appear similar, but while hand starting involves a sharp, strong "yank"

on the prop to start the engine, turning over is simply done by turning the prop through a certain
set amount.
Accidents have occurred during lone pilot hand starting, high throttle settings, brakes not applied
or wheel chocks not being used, all resulting in aircraft moving off without the pilot at the controls.
[4]

"Turning the engine" with the ignition and switches accidentally left "on" can also cause injury,

as the engine can start unexpectedly when a spark plug fires. If the switch is not in start position,
the spark will occur before the piston hits top dead center, which can force the propeller to
violently kick back.

Hucks starter[edit]
Main article: Hucks starter

The Shuttleworth Collection's working Hucks Starter positioned with their Bristol F.2 Fighter

The Hucks starter (invented by Bentfield Hucks during WWI) is a mechanical replacement for the
ground crew. Based on a vehicle chassis the device uses a clutch driven shaft to turn the
propeller, disengaging as the engine starts. A Hucks starter is used regularly at theShuttleworth
Collection for starting period aircraft.[3]

Pull cord[edit]
Main article: Recoil start
Self-sustaining motor gliders (often known as 'turbos') are fitted with small two-stroke engines
with no starting system, for ground testing a cord is wrapped around the propeller boss and
pulled rapidly in conjunction with operating decompressor valves. These engines are started in
flight by operating the decompressor and increasing airspeed to windmill the propeller. Early
variants of the Slingsby Falkemotor glider use a cockpit mounted pull start system.[5]

Electric starter[edit]
Main article: Starter (engine)
Aircraft began to be installed with electrical systems around 1930, powered by a battery and
small wind-driven generator the systems were initially not powerful enough to drive starter
motors. Introduction of engine-driven generators solved the problem.[6]
Introduction of electric starter motors for aero engines increased convenience at the expense of
extra weight and complexity. They were a necessity for flying boats with high mounted

inaccessible engines. Powered by an onboard battery, ground electrical supply or both, the
starter is operated by a key or switch in the cockpit, the key system often combining switching of
the magnetos.[6][7]
In cold ambient conditions the friction caused by thick engine oil causes a high load on the
starting system, another problem is the reluctance of the fuel to vaporise and combust at low
temperatures. Oil dilution systems were developed (mixing fuel with the engine oil), [8]engine preheaters were used (including lighting fires under the aircraft) and a Ki-Gass priming pump system
was used to assist starting of British engines.[9]
Aircraft fitted with variable-pitch propellers or constant speed propellers are started in fine pitch to
reduce air loads and current in the starter motor circuit.[citation needed]
Many light aircraft are fitted with a 'starter engaged' warning light in the cockpit, a mandatory
airworthiness requirement to guard against the risks of starter motor failure. [10]

Coffman starter[edit]
Main article: Coffman engine starter
The Coffman starter was an explosive cartridge operated device, the burning gases either
operating directly in the cylinders to rotate the engine or operating through a geared drive. First
introduced on the Junkers Jumo 205 diesel engine in 1936 the Coffman starter was not widely
used by civil operators due to the expense of the cartridges.[11]

Pneumatic starter[edit]
In 1920 Roy Fedden designed a piston engine gas starting system, this was in use on the Bristol
Jupiter engine by 1922.[3] A system used in early Rolls-Royce Kestrel engines ducted highpressure air from a ground unit through a camshaft driven distributor to the cylinders via nonreturn valves, the system had disadvantages which were overcome by conversion to electric
starting.[12]

In-flight starting[edit]
In the event of needing to restart a piston engine in the air the electrical starter motor can be
used, this is normal procedure for motor gliders that have been soaring with the engine turned
off. During aerobatics with earlier aircraft types it was not uncommon for the engine to cut during
manoeuvres due to carburettor design, with no starter system engines could be restarted by
diving the aircraft to increase airspeed, 'windmilling' the propeller.[13]

Inertia starter[edit]
An aero engine inertia starter uses a pre-rotated flywheel to transfer kinetic energy to the
crankshaft, normally through reduction gears and a clutch to prevent over-torque conditions.
Three variations have been used, hand driven, electrically driven and a combination of both.

When the flywheel is fully energised either a manual cable is pulled or asolenoid is used to
engage the starter.[14]

A Supermarine Spitfire at readiness with a trolley accumulator connected

Aircraft began to be installed with electrical systems around 1930, powered by a battery and
small wind-driven generator the systems were initially not powerful enough to drive starter
motors. Introduction of engine-driven generators solved the problem.[6]
Introduction of electric starter motors for aero engines increased convenience at the expense of
extra weight and complexity. They were a necessity for flying boats with high mounted
inaccessible engines. Powered by an onboard battery, ground electrical supply or both, the
starter is operated by a key or switch in the cockpit, the key system often combining switching of
the magnetos.[6][7]
In cold ambient conditions the friction caused by thick engine oil causes a high load on the
starting system, another problem is the reluctance of the fuel to vaporise and combust at low
temperatures. Oil dilution systems were developed (mixing fuel with the engine oil), [8]engine preheaters were used (including lighting fires under the aircraft) and a Ki-Gass priming pump system
was used to assist starting of British engines.[9]
Aircraft fitted with variable-pitch propellers or constant speed propellers are started in fine pitch to
reduce air loads and current in the starter motor circuit.[citation needed]
Many light aircraft are fitted with a 'starter engaged' warning light in the cockpit, a mandatory
airworthiness requirement to guard against the risks of starter motor failure. [10]

Gas turbine engines[edit]

Starting of a gas turbine engine requires rotation of the compressor to a speed that provides
sufficient pressurised air to the combustion chambers. The starting system has to overcome
inertia of the compressor and friction loads, the system remains in operation after combustion
starts and is disengaged once the engine has reached self-idling speed. [15][16]

Electric starter[edit]
Main article: Starter (engine)

Two types of electrical starter motor can be used, direct-cranking (to disengage as internal
combustion engines) and starter-generator system (permanently engaged). [17]

Hydraulic starter[edit]
Small gas turbine engines, particularly turboshaft engines used in helicopters and cruise
missile turbojets can be started by a geared hydraulic motor using oil pressure from a ground
supply.[18]

Air-start[edit]
Main article: Air-start system

Cutaway view of an air-start motor of a General Electric J79 turbojet

With air-start systems gas turbine engine compressor spools are rotated by the action of a large
volume of compressed air acting directly on the compressor blades or driving the engine through
a small, geared turbine motor. These motors can weigh up to 75% less than an equivalent
electrical system.[15]
The compressed air can be supplied from an on-board auxiliary power unit (APU), a portable gas
generator used by ground crew or by cross feeding bleed air from a running engine in the case of
multi-engined aircraft.[19]
The Turbomeca Palouste gas generator was used to start the Spey engines of the Blackburn
Buccaneer, the de Havilland Sea Vixencarrying its own Palouste in a removable underwing
container to facilitate starting when away from base.[20] Other military aircraft types using ground
supplied compressed air for starting include the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter and variants of
the F-4 Phantom using theGeneral Electric J79 turbojet engine.

Combustion starters[edit]
AVPIN starter[edit]
Versions of the Rolls-Royce Avon turbojet engine used a geared turbine starter motor that
burned isopropyl nitrate as the fuel. In military service this monofuel had the NATOdesignation of
S-746 AVPIN. For starting a measured amount of fuel was introduced to the starter combustion
chamber then ignited electrically, the hot gases spinning the turbine at high revolutions with the
exhaust exiting overboard.[21]

Cartridge starter[edit]

Mass cartridge start of Hawker Sea Hawk aircraft

Main article: Coffman engine starter

Similar in operating principle to the piston engine Coffman starter, an explosive cartridge drives a
small turbine engine which is connected by gears to the compressor shaft. [22]
Fuel/air turbine starter (APU)[edit]
Main article: Auxiliary power unit
Developed for short-haul airliners and military aircraft requiring self-contained starting systems
these units are known by various names including Auxiliary Power Unit (APU), Jet Fuel Starter
(JFS) or Gas Turbine Compressor (GTC).[21] Comprising a small gas turbine which is electrically
started, these devices provide compressed bleed air for engine starting and often also provide
electrical and hydraulic power for ground operations without the need to run the main engines. [23]
Internal combustion engine starter[edit]
An interesting feature of the German Junkers Jumo 004 turbojet engine was the starter system,
which consisted of a Riedel 10 hp (7.5 kW) two-stroke motorcycle engine hidden in the intake,
and essentially functioned as a pioneering example of an auxiliary power unit(APU) for starting a
jet engine. A hole in the extreme nose of the centrebody contained a manual pull-handle which
started the piston engine, which in turn rotated the compressor. Two small petrol tanks were fitted
in the annular intake.[24]

In-flight restart[edit]
Gas turbine engines can be shut down in flight, intentionally by the crew to save fuel or during
a flight test or unintentionally due to fuel starvation or flameout after a compressor stall.
Sufficient airspeed is used to 'windmill' the compressor then fuel and ignition are switched on, an
on-board auxiliary power unit may be used at high altitudes where the air density is lower.[16]

During zoom climb operations of the Lockheed NF-104A the jet engine was shutdown on
climbing through 85,000 ft (26,000 m) and was started using the windmill method on descent
through denser air.[25]