Why dont I see pull starts being used on nitro airplanes? Is it a weight thing or clearance issue? I was pondering putting one on my airplane.

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Weight of the spool, line, handle and ratchet. If you make one with a slip-line you could save weight, but how do you thread the line in unless it's an exposed engine. And then there is the problem of a hanging line in your hand whipping around a spinning prop for a sudden, unpleasant handshake.

Ok, but lets say I had to add weight to the front anyhow for CG. Can I find one for OS engines? I wont add one. Im just curious as to why I dont see them.
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I once saw a Nosen P51 with a spring loaded recoil starter !

I believe it was a converted saw engine possibly . The starter was on the back of the motor and back about 9-10 inches from the prop. It was something else to see the guys hand on the back of the cowl, pull starting that thing.

He wasn't having much luck that day, I remember thinking if you pulled that handle and the rope caught like they sometimes do, you might break the plane with you other hand.

In the 50s and 60s we had the Wen-Mac 1/2A engines with a pull starter, they worked but never caught on, flip starting was easier and there was no line to break. Haven't seen one on any other engines but I do have a spring starter on my Zinoah G-62 gas engine and love it. Just roll the prop back a turn or so and let it go. It creates enough RPM to fire the engine instead of flipping until your arm drops off. I have never seen the system for a glow engine. Back in the days of the pull cord Wen-Mac we didn't have electric starters yet. The electric starter is a much better idea. I have seen the pull cords on some of the RC cars and trucks so they are still made. For boats we had the pulley on the crank of the engine and the prop shaft connected to that. We would wrap a cord around the pulley and give it a pull. I'm sure that pulley is still made or you can machine one yourself to make your own pull starter but really, the electric starter is a better idea. The old TD 1/2A engines also had a spring starter. Lot of ways to do it, just not real practical.

There are many reasons why you don't see a pull starter on an airplane engines, some mentioned above and some have not been mentioned yet.<div>
</div><div><ul>[*]not needed. an electric starter is much easier to use. [*]weight of added mechanism[*]having a pull string near a spinning propeller[*]impossible to use if the engine is in a cowl[*]difficulty to use. I don't want to try and hold a plane and be pulling on a starter rope[*]dangerous. The position you would be in to use a pull starter would put in a dangerous position near the prop when the engine starts[/list]</div><div>
</div><div>These are just some that come to mind right off the top of my head. I have both planes and cars and personally I find pulling a starter cord to start a car engine much more difficult and tiring than starting an airplane engine.</div><div>
</div><div>Ken</div><div>
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Fair enough. Makes sense. Thanks.

I certainly would not purchase one. Electric starter on the nose cone is all I need. Less weight. More reliable. A lot safer. A starter rope and a prop would make a mess.

Probably safer then using fingers like I see many do

Just for giggles Engine OS Max .46F (not FX just F) onboard electric starter and generator its a home brew of someones as I pulled it from a 95 inch Telly. Total weight with the engine is 3.02 Pounds. Hmm A Telly's about the only thing that might fly with it on a cool day

I beleve it was Sullivan that has had a similar system for at least thirty years and I think it just dropped off the radar at Towers. Can't imagine why

John

I recall some small motors coming what I think was called a Quikstart Spring.

It was a spring behind the prop that you pulled forward to engage, wound backwards and let go.

Terry

Had one on my Cox .049 back in the early 70's. AKA a recoil spring. The put them on gassers now.

These are two interesting Half A's and less. The one on the left is a K&B Stallion .049 with an enclosed flat spring recoil starter and the one on the right is the little .010 with the Famous Cox recoil spring and the one in front is the I believe is the most mass produced engine ever and I cannot recall the numbers but is the leader by far - the little Baby Bee .049 with the simplest mass produced recoil starter ever and they worked great, also preventing the engines from starting backwards which the reed valve Cox were famous for.

Sorry I don,t have any of the Wen Macs with their recoil spring starter.

John


Sorry guys I screwed this up the pics are down at the bottom

not practal on planes, but i had a JR, heli once with a pull start just like a weedeater. it was a g-23 zenoah motor and the heli weighted 10-12 lbs. it was called a Z-230 gasser,not made anymore. they are still around and guys used to ask for parts on runryder site. the spring type was around for awhile until cdi ignitions took over....................RON

Great on boats. Not good for A/C.

Works on a car ! hahahahahhh

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEzpTuWRpQo[/youtube]

Now imagine that being a prop!

Naa we modelers had it right in the first place-
-or have you seen the newest offering from Sullivan:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=...ture=endscreen



John