Aircraft magnetos are redundant, reliable electrical generators, with two units ensuring each cylinder's spark plugs fire independently of the engine's alternator.
They generate an initial voltage as a spinning permanent magnet induces changes in magnetic flux linkages within a primary coil winding.
A high-voltage spark (20,000-30,000 volts) for ignition is created when breaker points open in the primary winding, causing its magnetic field to collapse and inducing a powerful amplified spike in the secondary winding.
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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