Gas Turbine Engine Starters
 

Gas Turbine Engine Starters

Early gas turbine engines had either electric motor starters or as with the ME-262, tiny internal combustion engines in the nose bullet of each engine.

Evolution developed cartridge starters as fitted to many Rolls Royce engines. Then there were many air turbine starters using high pressure air from ground or internal APUs.

Then there is the C-130A-E , but not the J, which can do a "windmill taxy start" or a buddy start if you have a broken starter and you really want 4 turning.

The Boeing B787, having no bleed engine air or ducting, has presumably reverted to electric starting.

The RAAF F-86 Sabres of the 50s/60s with Avon Mk26 engines initially had electric starters which considerably cutailed the aircraft's mobility until they were fitted with IPN starters. IPN = Iso Propyl Nitrate, a handle with care liquid which is believed to be still used for the thrusters on some space vehicles. This F-86 had a small tank of the stuff giving it 3 or 4 relaible and rapid starts spinning up the spool rapidly to idle RPM.

Questions are --- Were any other aircraft/engines fitted with IPN starters.? And who makes IPN these days?

Single engined Wesex (3s/5s etc) Belvederes - very nimble aircrew required!!!:( Ground crew needed good fire extinguishers and (for minor fires) berets!!
Avpin/Ipin etc was jolly good stuff to add to standard model aircraft fuel to boost performance - commercially produced as '5-10% nitro'.

Boeing 787 Dreamliner: Electrical Power Generating and Start System by Hamilton Sundstrand.

Due to no air bleeds, the GE and RR engines will have identical attachments and will be interchangeable.

But only because the prop is geared directly to the compressor & turbine (T56 single-shaft engine). A free-turbine (2-shaft) engine has no such direct connection.

just a quickie, the E/E Lightning had a IPN starter, the IPN Tank was on the spine on the top of the fuse and used approx 50cc for each start. me thinks