Commercial pilot · ACS CA.II.C · Instructor lesson plan

Engine Starting

Student pack: Train: Engine Starting · Full lesson: Prepare guide

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1 · Objective

By the end of this lesson your student can explain engine starting in their own words, apply it in a realistic situation, and fly it to the ACS standard for CA.II.C.

Why it matters for safety: Propeller strikes are among the most preventable injuries in aviation, and a botched start can damage an expensive engine. On the ramp with passengers and line staff nearby, a disciplined start protects people first and the engine second.

2 · Assign before the lesson

Pre-work: the free Train pack, Engine Starting. Start any engine safely: cold, hot, flooded, fuel-injected or on external power, with the propeller area clear.

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Pack: pilotprep.pro/train/cpl/engine-starting · Full lesson: pilotprep.pro/prepare/cpl/engine-starting

3 · Teach sequence

Key points to land

Follow the POH start procedure for the condition: normal, cold, hot, flooded, and, for fuel-injected engines, the specific hot-start technique.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), Ground Operations)
Look around, turn on the beacon, call "Clear!" and wait before engaging the starter.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), Ground Operations)
Treat every propeller as live: a broken magneto ground wire can let the engine fire when the propeller is moved.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), Ground Operations)
Oil pressure must rise within the POH time limit: typically about 30 seconds in normal weather, and up to about twice that in very cold weather, when the oil is thick. If it hasn't risen by the POH limit for the conditions, shut down.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), Ground Operations; Your airplane's POH/AFM)
Respect starter duty limits: they vary widely (10-second bursts in some types, 30 seconds with minutes of cooling in others). Know your airplane's numbers and follow them.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), Ground Operations; Your airplane's POH/AFM)
External power: connect a ground power unit only as the POH describes, at the right voltage, and disconnect before taxi.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), Ground Operations)
Position the airplane so the propeller blast won't hit people, aircraft or buildings, and not over loose gravel.(Commercial Pilot ACS (FAA-S-ACS-7B), CA.II.C.S1)

Starting in different conditions

Normal start: by the checklist; brakes set or held, master on, beacon on, fuel pump and mixture as the POH says, "Clear!", starter, with one hand on the throttle to catch a surge. After start, set the POH idle (often about 1,000 RPM), don't let it race, and check oil pressure first, then the charging system and the other indications.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), Ground Operations)
Cold weather: preheat below the temperature the manufacturer specifies; cold oil is thick and batteries are weak.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), Ground Operations)
Hot fuel-injected engine: fuel vaporizes in the lines (vapor lock). The hot-start procedure is specific to the engine and airframe: many purge vapor with the fuel pump at idle cutoff; some crank at idle cutoff and advance the mixture only as it fires. Don't prime it like a cold or carbureted engine; use your POH's exact sequence.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), Ground Operations)
Flooded engine: usually mixture idle cutoff and throttle open while cranking, then mixture rich as it fires, per the POH.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), Ground Operations)
External power: when the battery is weak, a ground power unit can start the engine. Use the POH procedure and correct voltage, and have the unit disconnected and clear before taxi.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), Ground Operations)

Limits and when to stop

Crank for the POH time limit, then let the starter cool; repeated long cranking overheats it.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), Ground Operations)
No oil pressure within the POH time (often about 30 seconds; in very cold weather the POH may allow up to about 60, because cold oil is slow): shut down.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), Ground Operations)
If the starter stays engaged after the engine starts, shut down.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), Ground Operations)
Engine fire during start, as the POH directs: keep cranking to draw the flames in while cutting off the fuel (mixture idle cutoff, throttle open, fuel pump and selector off). If it starts, run it briefly, then shut down and inspect. If it doesn't, or the fire persists, stop cranking, finish the POH fire procedure, get everyone out, fight it from outside, and don't try another start.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), Ground Operations; Your airplane's POH/AFM)

Propeller safety

Never move a propeller casually: a broken P-lead means a magneto isn't grounded and can fire the engine with the switch off.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), Ground Operations)
Brief passengers to stay clear of the propeller arc when boarding and leaving, and never start with someone near the airplane.(Commercial Pilot ACS (FAA-S-ACS-7B), CA.II.B.S2)
Hand-propping is never done alone: two trained people who both know the airplane and the technique, one pulling the propeller and calling the steps, the other at the controls, who knows them thoroughly, with the brakes set and the airplane chocked or tied down. Agree the calls ("fuel on, switch off, throttle closed, brakes set"; "contact") before starting.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), Ground Operations)

Watch for in the airplane: Your instructor watches for a real look around and a loud "Clear!", brakes held, oil pressure checked right after start, and the correct technique for a hot fuel-injected engine.

4 · Ask your student

In order: recall, then understanding, then applying it. Move up only when the answer shows it.

Recall · What do you check immediately after the engine starts?
A strong answer: Oil pressure rising within the POH limit, then the other engine indications and that the starter has disengaged.
Understand · Why is a hot fuel-injected engine hard to start?
A strong answer: Heat vaporizes fuel in the lines and injectors, so liquid fuel doesn't reach the cylinders properly. The hot-start procedure purges the vapor first.
Apply · After a quick fuel stop on a hot day, the engine won't start with a normal procedure. What do you do?
A strong answer: Stop cranking, let the starter cool, and use the POH hot-start procedure. If it seems flooded, use the flooded-start technique, and respect the starter limits.

Scenarios to talk through

The battery is too weak to crank, and the FBO offers a ground power unit. How do you proceed?
Sound decision: Use the POH external-power procedure with the correct voltage. Afterward, consider why the battery was weak: an alternator problem could leave you without electrical power in flight.
Oil pressure is still at zero 30 seconds after a start on a mild morning. What do you do?
Sound decision: Shut down at the POH limit for the conditions (often about 30 seconds in normal weather; longer is allowed only in very cold weather if the POH says so) and have maintenance check it. Running without oil pressure can destroy the engine in minutes.
A line worker walks toward the propeller as you're about to start. What do you do?
Sound decision: Don't start. Wait until they're well clear and acknowledge you, look around again, call "Clear!", then start.

5 · Common student errors

Using a carburetor-style start on a hot fuel-injected engine.
Why it matters: It floods or vapor-locks the engine and overheats the starter.
How to correct it: Learn the POH hot-start procedure for that airplane.
Calling "Clear!" without looking.
Why it matters: People near the propeller may be outside your quick glance.
How to correct it: Look all around, call, and wait before engaging the starter.
Ignoring a weak battery after a ground-power start.
Why it matters: It may mean a charging-system fault.
How to correct it: Watch the ammeter after start and have it checked if charging is abnormal.

6 · Completion standard

Position the airplane considering structures, other aircraft, wind, and the safety of people and property nearby; complete the checklists.
Your student answers each "Ask your student" question in their own words, up to the Apply level, without prompting.
They talk through the scenarios and reach a safe, legal decision, explaining why.
They complete the pack’s quick check and can say what they flagged.

Area trained? Close out with a practice oral focused on CA.II.C: pilotprep.pro/exam?exam=CPL&focus=CA.II.C

7 · References

Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), Ground Operations; Transition to Complex Airplanes
Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge (FAA-H-8083-25C)
Risk Management Handbook (FAA-H-8083-2A)
Commercial Pilot ACS (FAA-S-ACS-7B), Area II
Your airplane's POH/AFM, normal procedures and checklists
Airman Certification Standards, task CA.II.C

PilotPrep instructor lesson plan, from the Engine Starting lesson (checked against current FAA sources 2026-11-13). A study and teaching aid, not FAA guidance; teach to your own judgment and the current ACS.