Hi!

Has anyone ever seen or heard about an inbuilt starter that one could switch on from a TX and therefore start a plane's engine? No more fingers into propeller...

If I remember correctly Byron had one for there big models years ago. Problem is on most smaller models the starter simply adds weight.

The new jet turbines(Bhotec, i think) have a digital mix where once you blip the throttle to full and back to idle the turbine is automatically started. No fuss, No worries

You'll occasionally see them advertised in some of the magazines. They're novelty items for the most part, as they just add a lot of weight and complication. Besides the starter motor and the batteries to run it you've also got to have a shaft connecting the starter, and a gearing/clutch to connect that shaft to the engine. You've also got to provide an on-board glow driver. They're not practical for most conventional models.

My opinion, having done it for a freind's 1/4 scale Cub.. don't bother.

Weight of motor to start engine (big - required to move piston past compression).
Linkages / powertrain to connect motor to engine. Also need a support to hold motor.
Batteries to power said motor (again, big - need quite a few electrons to power that motor!)
and one channel & servo to turn on switch.

For anything less than a 90 sized plane. Over kill. over weight.

And the charge in the 4 'c' cells only allowed for about 3 or 4 starts.

You still need a metod of 'igniting' the glow plug, and priming the engine...

This is what you are looking for.
Would consider above comments wrt being worthwhile


www.hobby-lobby.com/fema.htm

Regards Steve