BAe146 Ground Ignition?

[MattBAe146]

The ground ignition switch lets the crew select which igniter shall be used during engine start.
One can use igniter A, B, or both. Usually this is down to the company rules.

So I was just wondering out of interest what various airlines used/still use on this aircraft per company.
It'd be good to hear from European airlines but any are welcome!

Many thanks,
Matt

[Lafyar Cokov]

Odd days of the month A - even dates B...

[avionic type]

I must confess I never worked on a 146 but surley Both ignitors would be used on an engine start to give a better start to the burners and prevent "Hot Starts" ? and the automatic sequence would switch them off , only in the air and in icing conditions would a ignitor box be selected for the duration of said conditions , but and "old dog" would stand corrected if this isn't so,though on the Vanguard the relight swiches were selected on during the start because the Tyne was a slow starter at times.

[avionic type]

Thank you for your info, I stand corrected, we live and learn but it does seem a bit odd using only 1 banger box for starting

[dhc83driver]

"I stand corrected, we live and learn but it does seem a bit odd using only 1 banger box for starting"

Better to have one fail down route with no engineering and be able to switch to the other than have both fail at the same time. (Cold starts etc have an extra selection on the start panel for more power and 2 can be used)

[dixi188]

The reason for only using one igniter at a time is to prove their individual operation. If you use both together you will not know if one has failed until the second one fails.

[Bye]

dixi188 is absolutely spot on.

the general idea is to use them alternately, then you know "it worked last start" and therefore should work this time but will elect to try the other one as its not a critical re-light situation.

so each time you do a nice safe start on the deck, you are testing the igniter. and no they don't generally just fail, they deteriate over time with spark quality getting worse each start due to carburising / fouling and metal loss. Other parts of the system may go from working to not working but not the igniter bit.

as stated, both selection is for rapid re-light and cold start etc.

GB

[Alloy]

All if the IAE, CFM and RR engines I've flown have had the same principle, using A or B igniter only on the ground for a normal start.

[AerocatS2A]

We use A on first flight of the day then alternate from there.