When starting a turbine engine, how do you know its started?

Some interesting Dart videos:

Fast forward this one to 0:45 to hear one starting up. Just the startup sounds complex...


And the guts of a cutaway. Whenever I see a cutaway of a turbine, I am always amazed at how all the parts fit together... that any of that could actually be assembled. It seems that all the parts interlock so much that it takes a small miracle to put all the pieces together. Amazing stuff.

 
Surprised this hasn't been covered yet in this thread, but why do pilots usually start the number two engine first? I found random answers online but still lost. Thanks in advance.
 
smack300 said:
Surprised this hasn't been covered yet in this thread, but why do pilots usually start the number two engine first? I found random answers online but still lost. Thanks in advance.
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In my particular aircraft, we do this because the right motor drives the hyd pump which powers the normal brake (as well as emergency brake) system. No idea if this is common among other airplanes however
 
smack300 said:
Surprised this hasn't been covered yet in this thread, but why do pilots usually start the number two engine first? I found random answers online but still lost. Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Usually depends on the airplane. On a lot of them you alternate for one reason or another. On of these reasons(on some airplanes) is to check the hydraulic pumps, that while both engines are running, one pump could be failed and you wouldn't know.
 
///AMG said:
In my particular aircraft, we do this because the right motor drives the hyd pump which powers the normal brake (as well as emergency brake) system. No idea if this is common among other airplanes however
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Same on the whale. #4 hydraulics is the normal brake source. The normal start sequence is 4,3,2,1.(At least on the classic)
This wasn't set in stone but you needed a good reason to vary the normal sequence.
 
When you get to the -400 or -8, you can gang start 4&1 then 2&3. No limitation to only taxi on the outboards, but everyone does anyway. Cheers.
 
Polar742 said:
When you get to the -400 or -8, you can gang start 4&1 then 2&3. No limitation to only taxi on the outboards, but everyone does anyway. Cheers.
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Do you do delayed engine starts on the 744? Or are you referring to shutting down the inbds after landing? The three carriers I plumbed on shut down #3 after landing conditions permitting.
If our apu was tu,and we had to do a crossbleed start,we pushed with #4 running and started the others after pushback.
 
smack300 said:
Surprised this hasn't been covered yet in this thread, but why do pilots usually start the number two engine first? I found random answers online but still lost. Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...

757, it was to check PTU operation (hydraulic pressure transfer to the left system). 767 doesn't have a PTU, but the right engine is started first for reasons of common procedure, and perhaps to power the normal brakes.
 
smack300 said:
Cool thanks for all the responses.
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On the DC-10 we started an outboard engine first. On one very hot night in a land far,far away , we showed up at an airplane without an operable apu. The ground power unit was shall we say less than suitable. The volts and freq's were all over the place.
Our fearless leader decided to start number two with the aircart. I suggested that it would be better to start an outboard just in case the ground power unit conked out at the most inopportune time. He elected to start two and wouldn't you know it the power unit kicked off line just as we went fuel in. The airplane went dark and the ground crew for reasons unknown to the flightdeck crew shut off the air.
The engine flamed out because #2 doesn't suction feed too well since it's thirty feet above it's fuel supply in the number two fuel tank.
So you can tell when the engine doesn't start in a spectacular fashion too.
The Flight Attendants were wondering why it got dark and all the emergency exit lights came on.
 
slemers I was referring to the normal start sequence: the APU has enough air to start 2 at a time. We follow the same guidelines as to delayed starts as on the classic. And we do shut down inboards on the taxi in.
 
Polar742 said:
slemers I was referring to the normal start sequence: the APU has enough air to start 2 at a time. We follow the same guidelines as to delayed starts as on the classic. And we do shut down inboards on the taxi in.
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I figured that you meant gang starting two engines at once. I did not know that you did a two eng taxi at light weights after landing conditions permitting . :)Thx
 
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