drdoom

My Feedback: (9)

Is Jet Cat the Only Turbine that has Kerosene Start? Do others have it on the way?

Ehab

My Feedback: (44)

There was a south African made Turbine (BMT??) that had a nice kero start, Gordon has it. Behotec has one now also that I will be trying soon...

schroedm

My Feedback: (1)

Graupner G-Boosters are Kero Start

GSR

My Feedback: (145)

Anti new idea Flame suit on-BUT- I just dont see the need for kero start. Looks to me like an answer looking for a problem. I have never had a problem with gas start, why should I trade it for a larger battery, more frequent charging and the possibility of no flying when the igniter fails ( of which I have seen twice happen to others lately) for one reason or another. But I am a bit of a Luddite in that I dont even use on board gas-see no need for that either. I just plug my propane bottel with Great Northern regulator into the festo hooked up to the solenoid. Scott

WrenTurbines

There are several people working with Gaspar Espiell on developing a Kero start version of his ECU, and prototype ones are being extensively tested at the moment - not just bench testing but flying.

Wren will not offer it to customers until we are completely happy with the system. There are disadvantages with kero start and we have heard that some ceramic igniters have not lasted long, but our real concern is the risk of hot starts.

We are proud of the quality of our engines but there is no point in having a good engine if you can't start it, so until we are sure that the system is totally reliable we will continue with propane start.

Sara Parish
Wren Turbines

Gordon Mc

My Feedback: (11)

The BMT Kero start system uses a SMALLER battery than the standard Jetcat turbine, doesn't use lots of current at start-up due to it being a mechanical atomisation rather than a pre-heat system, no "ignitor" issues since it just uses a regular glo-plug like your propane-start units do.

All in all, the BMT kero start is fantastic IMO, and is simply in another leauge altogether from the other systems that I have seen.

Problem is ... although Andre is a technical genius, he's not exactly there for you when you need support. I'm still waiting for a replacement RPM board and o-rings that he promised he would mail to me on Nov 13th ... exactly 5 months ago. I've chatted at length wiht him and he certainly seems like a nice guy ... but he just seems to take too much on, such that he has a hard time meeting his promises.

If we could get the BMT kero-start design implemented on a Jetcat engine with Jetcat support and service - then I doubt that many people would still be using propane starts.

BTW, Merlin kept promissing "kero start coming soon" for AGES; I gave up waiting for it, so don't know if they ever got around to selling it.

Gordon

jetjockey

My Feedback: (8)

Guys, Kero start may claim to be the greatest thing since sliced bread, but I'm with Scott (GSR). I've used both, and don't see any advantage for Kero start over propane. True, you have fewer things to carry to the flight line, but on the other hand, I'm not too happy with the Kero slow start, excessive flame on spin up, high battery currents, and not to mention the short lifespan of the ceramic heater. Propane always works for me, so I guess I'll stay with it (besides, I've already got the propane start, and don't have to buy anything like I would if I converted all my engines to Kero start). I don't think you need to fix stuff that ain't broken. Call me old fashioned, but the newest, latest/greatest gadgets aren't always the best way to go. Just my $ .02

Regards, Les

rhklenke

My Feedback: (24)

And there, ladies and gentlemen, you have it. I've seen several folks who have had this problem with kero starts (and seriously fried or destroyed airplanes) and I just don't think its worth the risk. Unless Powermax becomes unobtainable and there are no other alternatives, I'll stick with good old reliable gas start...

Bob

ossie

Have kero start on a P160 and two P70's, very nice...[8D]...no chance I'd go back to gas.
Why, smoother, cooler starts (for me anyway) and, well........this little MW44 I have is a dog of a thing to start, then was told it was the gas...[>:]
Where DO you get a can that say's "suitable for starting a MW44's".......

seattle_helo

My Feedback: (1)

I love the kero-starter on my JetCat PHT3. For me it's been 100% problem free, no hot starts or any issues for that matter and I've had the thing since they were first released. Only filling one type of fuel, simpler plumbing, and less clutter in the fuse are some of the major advantages IMO.

nick

djindivik

I'm with you GSR. I've got a JC P70 & a Behotec J66. I have no problem at all with Gas starts, the gas system is built into the airframe, & the ECU takes care of all the fiddley bits. Ray.

tahfiet

Hi guys!

I have seen a few "gas-explosions" inside jets, due to a leaking connector or a destroyed Festo-line somewhere hidden in the jet. If you pump-up your fuselage with gas and ignite it, you will love your kero-start. I see no reason for hot-starts, but one: Trying several start-ups without success. If it doesn't ignite in the first-time, you gotta look for the fault!

I have tried the kero-start on P-60, P-80. P-120 and P-160 and use a Graupner Booster. No problems at all. A minimum of flames, nothing to worry about and less than other turbines with gas-start and bad pump-settings.

I see that JetCat kero-burners are a bit weak, but in 2 minutes your engine is build and programmes back to gas-start, just in case you might need it. So that is no big deal. And the guys from Booster said, that there was no engine in service due to a broken kero-burner, because they use a bigger, more solid version, which seems to be just the right thing.

Best regards,

David