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Private pilot · ACS PA.II.C · lesson pack

Engine Starting

Why this one matters

Propeller strikes on the ramp are among the most avoidable and devastating accidents in aviation. A disciplined start (look, call clear, watch the oil pressure, know when to stop) protects people on the ground and the engine itself.

1 · Know these cold

  • •Follow the POH starting checklist for the conditions: normal, cold, hot or flooded starts each have their own procedure.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), Ground Operations)
  • •Look around, turn on the beacon, and call "Clear!" loudly before engaging the starter; wait for anyone nearby to move away.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), Ground Operations)
  • •Treat every propeller as live: a broken magneto ground wire can let the engine fire if the propeller is moved.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), Ground Operations)
  • •Oil pressure must rise to at least the POH minimum within the POH time (commonly about 30 seconds, about 60 in very cold weather); if it doesn't, shut down immediately.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), Ground Operations)
  • •Observe the starter's limits: the AFH guide is no more than 30 seconds of continuous cranking, then at least 30 seconds to a minute to cool (many trainer POHs are stricter). If it won't start within the limits, stop and troubleshoot.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), Ground Operations)
  • •Position the airplane so the propeller blast won't hit people, other aircraft or hangars, and not over loose gravel.(Private Pilot ACS (FAA-S-ACS-6C), PA.II.C.S1)
  • •External power: matching voltage, the POH sequence, and the cable confirmed disconnected and clear before taxi; then verify the alternator is charging.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), Ground Operations)

2 · The lesson

Starting in different conditions
  • Normal start: per the checklist, typically mixture rich, throttle open only the POH amount (often about 1/4 inch), prime as needed, master on, beacon on, "Clear!", brakes set and held, one hand on the throttle ready to retard it, then the starter. Right after it starts, set the POH idle (generally about 800 to 1,000 RPM) so oil pressure can build without wear at high RPM, and check the oil pressure.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), Ground Operations)
  • Cold weather: preheat the engine (and oil, as the POH says) at or below the POH temperature, and expect it as temperatures approach and drop below freezing. Use the POH cold-weather priming; thick oil and a weak battery make cranking slow, so respect the starter limits rather than grinding.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), Ground Operations; AC 91-13)
  • Hot engine: fuel vaporizes in the lines; the hot-start procedure usually uses little or no prime, because priming a hot engine is what floods it.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), Ground Operations)
  • Flooded engine is a different procedure: typically mixture idle cutoff and throttle fully open while cranking, per the POH; as it catches, mixture rich and throttle back.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), Ground Operations)
  • External power: confirm the ground power unit's voltage matches the airplane (12 or 28 volts; a mismatch can damage the electrics and avionics), follow the POH battery and master-switch sequence with avionics off as directed, and have the ground crew disconnect it and show you the cable is clear of the propeller before taxi. A GPU start can hide a dead battery or a charging failure: check the ammeter or loadmeter after start.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), Ground Operations)
Limits and aborting
  • Starters overheat: crank for the time limit in the POH, then let it cool before trying again.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), Ground Operations)
  • If oil pressure doesn't rise to the POH minimum within the POH time (about 30 seconds in most conditions, about 60 in very cold weather), shut the engine down immediately: serious internal damage is likely.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), Ground Operations)
  • Engine fire during start, per the POH: keep cranking with the mixture at idle cutoff and the throttle fully open (fuel pump or selector off as directed) to draw the fire in and starve it. If the engine starts, run it briefly as the POH says, then shut down and inspect. If it doesn't start or the fire continues: stop cranking, mixture cutoff, fuel off, master and magnetos off, get out, use the extinguisher, and don't restart until it's inspected.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), Ground Operations)
  • If the starter stays engaged after the engine starts (the warning light or the sound), shut down.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), Ground Operations)
Propeller safety
  • Never touch or turn a propeller as if it were safe: a broken P-lead means a magneto can fire the engine with the switch off.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), Ground Operations)
  • Look around, beacon on, call "Clear!" and wait. Watch for people approaching once the propeller is turning.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), Ground Operations)
  • Hand-propping is a last resort and never done alone: two properly trained people, both familiar with the airplane and the technique. The person at the propeller directs; the other, familiar with the controls, sits in the airplane holding the brakes (never an unfamiliar person). Chock the main wheels or tie the tail down, use firm ground free of gravel, wet grass, ice or oil, and agree the call-and-response commands beforehand.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), Ground Operations)

Want it all on one page, with scenarios? Read the full lesson.

On the flight

ACS standards

  • Position the airplane considering structures, other aircraft, wind, and people and property nearby; complete the checklists.(Private Pilot ACS (FAA-S-ACS-6C), PA.II.C.S1-S2)

What your instructor is watching for

Your instructor watches for a real look around and a loud "Clear!" before every start, the brakes held, an eye on the oil pressure right after the start, and the correct procedure for a cold, hot or flooded engine.

3 · Say it out loud

Answer each one out loud, then check yourself and mark how it went.

  1. Remember Recall it

    “What do you check right after the engine starts?”

  2. Understand Explain why

    “Why treat the propeller as live even with the magnetos off?”

  3. Apply Use it on a flight

    “You start the engine on a mild day and the oil pressure is still at zero after the POH time (about 30 seconds). What do you do?”

4 · Common mistakes

  • Calling "Clear!" without looking.

    People can be near the propeller where you didn't check.

    Instead: Look all around, call clear, and wait a moment before starting.

  • Over-priming a hot engine.

    It floods the engine.

    Instead: Use the hot-start procedure in the POH.

  • Ignoring the oil pressure after start.

    Running without oil pressure is likely to cause serious internal damage.

    Instead: Watch for it to rise within the POH time; shut down immediately if it doesn't.

5 · Quick check

Answer, then reveal. Flag anything you want to see again.

  1. 1. What should you do if the oil pressure doesn't rise within the POH time after start?

  2. 2. Why should you never move a propeller casually, even with the magnetos off?

  3. 3. Why are starter cranking times limited?

  4. Scenario4. You smell fuel and see smoke from the cowling during the start. What does the POH usually tell you to do first?

  5. 5. How should you position the airplane before starting?

Trained it? Now prove it: practice engine starting out loud with our examiner.

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Connect it

One situation that runs across this lesson and its neighbors in the same ACS area. Decide first, then check.

Connect it · Preflight Procedures

Your fuel sample shows water. Your passenger is in a hurry to make a dinner reservation. At the run-up, the left magneto drop is beyond the POH limit.

Walk through each decision and how the pressure connects them. Decide, then see the worked answer

Sample every drain point into a clear container. A little water that clears is drained until the samples come out clean. Water that keeps coming, or a large amount of it, means the fuel source may be contaminated: stop, keep the samples, report it, and don't fly until the system has been drained or purged and re-sampled clean. The rushed passenger is external pressure, the setup for a 'get it done' decision, so name it and tell them you leave when the airplane is ready. At the run-up, the magneto check fails on an excessive drop, an excessive difference between the two magnetos, roughness, or no drop at all (which can mean a magneto isn't grounding). A fouled plug is only one cause of a large drop: if the POH gives a clearing procedure, try it once, then re-check. If the check still fails, taxi back. You're responsible for the airplane being airworthy before every flight, whatever the schedule.

AFH (FAA-H-8083-3C), Ground Operations; PHAK (FAA-H-8083-25C), Aircraft Systems; Risk Management Handbook (FAA-H-8083-2A); 14 CFR 91.3, 91.7

Brings together: Preflight Assessment · Flight Deck Management · Before Takeoff Check

Teaching this? The instructor lesson plan →

Study aid, not FAA guidance. Sources: Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C); Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge (FAA-H-8083-25C); Private Pilot ACS (FAA-S-ACS-6C); Your airplane's POH/AFM. Checked against current sources 2026-11-12.