Engine starting, seems like a crap shoot.

The long-awaited engine start blog. Thanks for your patience.

Over the past few years performing check rides, I have noticed a commonality with engine starting.

When I am sitting in the aircraft watching an applicant perform the before start checklist, from where I sit, sometimes it looks like a lot of guess work, and not a good understanding on what’s going on when you move the throttle and/or the mixture, as well as how much to move them, if at all.

When it comes to engine starting, you need to have a good understanding of what is happening then you prime, increase your mixture, increase your throttle especially with fuel injected engines, as well as how to perform a start on a hot engine.

I have attached a few articles to give you a little more insight on the art of engine starting.

I hope this is helpful to you.

https://www.lycoming.com/content/tips-start-your-engine

https://www.aopa.org/training-and-safety/students/presolo/skills/starting-a-hot-engine

For the cold weather flyers.

https://www.flyingmag.com/technique-tip-week-cold-weather-engine-starting/