Aircraft magnetos are simple, reliable electrical generators responsible for creating the high voltage necessary to ignite spark plugs and start the engine.
Airplanes feature a redundant system with two magnetos, each firing one spark plug per cylinder, allowing the engine to operate at full power independently of the engine-driven alternator.
Magnetos generate voltage through a spinning permanent magnet and coils; a high-voltage spike (20,000-30,000 volts) is created in a secondary winding when breaker points open, causing a magnetic field collapse in the primary coil, which then ignites the spark plugs.
A quick turn of the key is all a pilot usually needs to start the engine and go, but have you ever wondered what’s really going on beyond the fire wall to excite those spark plugs? The aircraft components that make it happen, of course, are the magnetos — simple and highly reliable electrical generators. Here’s how magnetos work:
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