Aircraft magnetos are reliable electrical generators that ignite spark plugs to start and run an engine.
Airplanes feature a redundant system with two magnetos, each firing one spark plug per cylinder, allowing full engine operation independent of the alternator.
Each magneto generates an initial voltage as a spinning permanent magnet creates magnetic flux linkages within primary and secondary coil windings.
A high-voltage spike (20,000-30,000 volts) is produced when breaker points open, collapsing the primary coil's magnetic field and inducing a powerful electrical current in the secondary winding that 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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