Ignition System

A. Principles of Ignition
How Does it Work?
 The function of the ignition system is to provide an electrical
spark to ignite the fuel/air mixture in the cylinders. ... Modern
airplane engines are required by to have a dual ignition
system - that is, two separate magnetos to supply the electric
current to the two spark plugs contained in each cylinder.
Why is it Needed?
 n case one system fails, the engine may be operated on the
other until a landing is safely made. Consequently, it is
extremely important for each magneto to be checked for
proper operation before takeoff.

 More complete and even combustion of the mixture, and

consequently improved engine performance; i.e., the fuel
mixture will be ignited on each side of the combustion
chamber and burn toward the centre.
 B. High Tension Ignition System
It is electrically complicated but mechanically
simple. A set of contact points opens or closes
at the correct time in an engine’s operating
cycle, completing a circuit and causing a field
collapse in what is basically a transformer. That
field failure is accelerated by a condenser,
causing a secondary winding to generate a
high-voltage surge. That high voltage jumps
across a gap on a spark plug mounted in the
combustion chamber, thus igniting a fuel/air
charge in the combustion chamber. The result of
that ignition is the rotational power of the
engine.
C. Types of Magnetos
D. Ignition Boosters

 Booster Coil (ignition System

Component) is an induction
coil excited by pulsating DC
supplied by the aircraft
battery and a vibrator.
Booster coils produce a high
voltage, which is directed to
an auxiliary trailing finger on
the rotor of the magneto
distributor.
E. Bendix High Tension
 Bendix, TCM, CMI magnetos are commonly referred to as “Bendix
Mags” or Bendix Magnetos. Since 1947, Bendix Magnetos have
been in continuous production. Bendix Magnetos are known for
light weight, compact design, reliability, and high output. There
are four different series of Bendix Magnetos offered currently S-20,
short cover, S-200, and S-1200 series. The S-20 series Bendix
magneto can be impulse coupled or direct drive. This series will
have a feed through capacitor that filter out radio noise from the
Bendix Magneto. The variation from S-20 series is the “short cover”
Bendix Magneto which is easily distinguished by the rear contact
cover, where the feed through style condenser is mounted. When
looking at a Bendix Magneto model number such as “S6RSC-25”,
the underlined portions means it is a short cover magneto.
Another type of Bendix Magneto is a S-200 series which use ignition
vibrator along with a retard breaker assembly to start the engine.
The last series is the S-1200, these Bendix Magnetos can be impulse
coupled or use retard breaker contact assembly. This Bendix
Magneto series is able to reach higher voltages to allow for higher
altitude of flight. All of these types of Bendix Magnetos are able to
be serviced by Quality Aircraft Accessories.
F. Magneto System for Light Aircraft
 Aircraft piston engines are designed with two
independent ignition systems—that is to say,
two spark plugs per cylinder. Likewise, there
are two magnetos, left and right. The
left aircraft magneto fires one plug per
cylinder, while the right aircraft magneto fires
the other.
G. Slick Magneto for Light Aircrafts
 The function of the aviation piston engine ignition system is to
provide an electrical spark to ignite the fuel/air mixture in the
engine cylinders. The ignition system of the engine is a
separate system and is not part of the airplane’s overall
electrical system. The magneto type ignition system is used on
most reciprocating aircraft engines. Magnetos are engine-
driven self-contained units that supply electrical current
without using an external source of current. Magnetos are
frequently not maintained to requirements specified in L1363
Manual- 4300/6300 Series Magneto Maintenance and
Overhaul Manual, probably because they’re so reliable and
all engines have a redundant magneto. Magnetos need
regular maintenance, and the consequences of neglect can
be devastating.
H. Other High Tension Magnetos
Revolving-armature or shuttle magnetos rotate a coil of wire within a magnetic field
generated by a horseshoe magnet. Some of the earliest magnetos were of the
revolving-armature type, but difficulties with routing high-tension current out of the
revolving armature led to a rise in popularity of other types with stationary coils.
Sleeve-inductor magnetos feature an iron sleeve rotating within a magnetic field
generated by a horseshoe magnet. The sleeve conducts the magnetic field to a
stationary coil, thereby generating the varying magnetic field. This type of magneto is
rare.
Polar-inductor magnetos feature iron poles rotating within a magnetic field
generated by a horseshoe magnet. The bar conducts the magnetic field to a
stationary coil, thereby generating the varying magnetic field. This type of magneto is
more common
Rotating-magnet magnetos feature bar magnets that rotate within fixed poles that
conduct magnetism to a fixed coil. These are smaller and lighter than magnetos
employing horseshoe magnets, and have generally displaced all other types over
time.
 I. Low Tension Ignition
 In the low-tension system, low-voltage is generated in the magneto and flows to
the primary winding of a transformer coil located near the spark plug. There, the
voltage is increased to high by transformer action and conducted to the spark
plug by very short high-tension leads.
 The low-tension system virtually eliminates flashover in both the distributor and
the harness because the air gaps within the distributor have been eliminated by
the use of a brush-type distributor, and high-voltage is present only in short leads
between the transformer and spark plug.
 Although a certain amount of electrical leakage is characteristic of all ignition
systems, it is more pronounced on radioshielded installations because the metal
conduit is at ground potential and close to the ignition wires throughout their
entire length. In low-tension systems, however, this leakage is reduced
considerably because the current throughout most of the system is transmitted
at a low-voltage potential. Although the leads between the transformer coils
and the spark plugs of a low-tension ignition system are short, they are high-
tension high-voltage conductor, and are subject to the same failures that occur
in high-tension systems. Low-tension ignition systems have limited use in modern
aircraft because of the excellent materials and shielding available to construct
hightension ignition leads and the added cost of a coil for each spark plug with
the low-tension system.
J. Low Tension System for Light Aircraft
 Dual magnetos generally use one
rotating magnet that feeds two
complete magnetos in one magneto
housing. Aircraft magneto-
ignition systems can be classified as
either high-tension or low-tension.
The low-tension magneto system,
generates a low-voltage that is
distributed to a transformer coil near
each spark plug.
K. Ignition Shielding
 Ignition shielding consists of so confining the electrical
fields of the ignition system that no interfering signal can
be set up in the radio receiving circuits.
 A metallic ignition manifold is employed with high
tension cable drawn through it in the usual way. The
leads from the manifold to the spark plugs and the
groups of leads from the manifold to the magneto
outlets are enclosed in liquid-proof flexible aluminum
tubing with copper braid on the outside to insure
effective shielding. Each flexible tubing is suitably fitted
to the ignition manifold and to the magnetos or spark
plugs, as the case may be. The magnetos are provided
with covers which completely enclose the distributor
blocks.
L. The Timing Light
 A timing light is a stroboscope
used to dynamically set the
ignition timing of an Otto cycle
or similar internal combustion
engine equipped with a
distributor. Modern
electronically controlled
passenger vehicle engines
require use of a scan tool to
display ignition timing.
M. Spark Plugs
 The function of the spark plug in an ignition system is to conduct
a short impulse of high-voltage current through the wall of the
combustion chamber. Inside the combustion chamber, it
provides an air gap across which the impulse can produce an
electric spark to ignite the fuel/air charge. While the aircraft
spark plug is simple in construction and operation, it can be the
cause of malfunctions in aircraft engines. Despite this fact, spark
plugs provide a great deal of trouble-free operation when
properly maintained and when correct engine operating
procedures are practiced.
 Spark plugs operate at extreme temperatures, electrical
pressures, and very high cylinder pressures.
 The three main components of a spark plug are the electrode,
insulator, and outer shell.
 N. Turbine Igniter
 The exciter uses input power from an airframe electrical bus
or an engine-mounted generator to convert relatively low
voltage to more useable, high-voltage energy pulses that
fire an igniter plug and in turn ignite the fuel/air mixture.
 An igniter for a gas turbine engine. An igniter generates a
plasma, or spark, somewhat similar to an automotive spark
plug. In the invention, an auxiliary electrode is provided,
which is embedded in and covered by a solid insulator.
During initial phases of operation, no part of the plasma
generated contacts the auxiliary electrode. However,
eventually, the covering insulation is eroded by the plasma,
and the auxiliary electrode becomes exposed and available
as a return path for the plasma. The igniter is constructed so
that, when this erosion occurs, the lifetime of the igniter is
near its end. Detection of this erosion, as by detecting the
new current in the auxiliary ground electrode, indicates the
approaching end-of-lifetime.
 O. Turbine Igniter Analyzer
 The TA500’s unique and proprietary technology
allows the user to perform quick and reliable
diagnostics of non-starts, misfires, fouled up or
damaged spark plugs and/or spark plug wires, by
comparing digital read-outs of the spark plug
voltage and spark burn time between cylinders on
engines using Coil on Plug, Coil near Plug,
conventional distributor/ignition coil, DIS (Distributor-
less) or waste spark and magneto technologies.
Simple to use, the TA500 requires no special
adapters, cables or a scope and is equipped with a
large digital display that shows spark plug voltage,
spark burn time, RPM, as well as Min/Max readings in
real time.