Aircraft & Engine
Save Your Starter Motor
Follow your starter's duty cycle – in ELA, crank no more than 10 seconds, cool 20 seconds between attempts, and rest 30 minutes after six tries.
1 min readKapiti Aero Club safety team
Understand and follow the duty cycle of your aircraft's starter to make sure it lasts as long as possible.
The duty cycle defines how many starting attempts the starter can handle and how long it must cool between each one. Ignoring these limits can overheat the starter and damage its internal components, leading to premature or even total failure. In some cases, just a few violations can make the starter inoperable.
Always follow the specific guidelines for your aircraft. For example, in ELA (C152):
- Don't crank the starter for more than 10 seconds.
- Allow 20 seconds to cool between attempts.
- After six tries, let it cool for 30 minutes.