SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/pilot-magneto-independent
If the airplane's electrical system fails, what happens to the magneto ignition?
It keeps working, because magnetos make their own current.
- It keeps working, since magnetos make their own current ✔
- The engine quits immediately
- Only one spark plug per cylinder fires
Why: A magneto uses a permanent magnet to make current whenever the crankshaft turns. It needs no battery or alternator. Most airplanes have two magnetos, each firing its own spark plug in every cylinder.
Huh, didn't know that: Firing two spark plugs per cylinder burns the mixture more completely and gives slightly more power.
Why did the magneto have so many friends? It was naturally attractive.
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Sources
- FAA Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge (FAA-H-8083-25C), Chapter 7 https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/handbooks_manuals/aviation/faa-h-8083-25c.pdf
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