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Old 9th Feb 2011, 22:48
  #17 (permalink)  
stevef
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Station 42
Age: 69
Posts: 1,082
Received 97 Likes on 40 Posts
Sorry to say that the ignition timing is fixed on almost all piston-engined aircraft. The chain is: two gear-driven magnetos timed with each other (typically 20 or 25 degrees btdc on a Lycoming) with points & condensor in each, a rotor/distributor cap assembly, HT leads, then spark plugs. Some magnetos have retard points for easy starting but there's no facility for automatically advancing the ignition with rpm increase.
Rather Neolithic in comparison to automotive engines but simplicity is the key, even to the slight detriment of efficiency.
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