Super Constellation smoky start up

The SCFA Super Connie starts engines at Geneva on 5th June 2005

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• Propliner
• Aircraft
• airliner
• Lockheed
• Constellation
• Geneva
• airport
• propellors
• engine
• start up
• pistonliner
• piston engines
• L1049G
• airplane
• SCFA
• Super Constellation

[jamesmaners]

As a small boy my Mom and Dad would take us to the airport to watch the planes. Does anyone know why these large aircraft engines seem so reluctant to start

[Proplinerman]

See comments below for explanation of involved starting procedure.

[Proplinerman]

Yes, completely normal.

[MyNikolaas]

what airline is this?

[Proplinerman]

@MyNikolaas It's not owned by an airline, but by the SCFA-the Super Constellation Flyers' Association, a Swiss private organisation.

[buster757]

@bagelboi66 No the flight engineer is counting 12 blades to check for liquid lock (engine oil draining into the bottom cylinders) This oil is not compressible and will bend a connecting rod if the engine is started with this oil present. Counting the blades makes sure through a complete revolution of the crankshaft that all oil has been released.

[knuckey63]

@bagelboi66 With radial engines, the oil would collect in the lower cylinders. The props had to be "swung" to clear the oil out otherwise the enginge would be destroyed as the oil would not compress on firing. This also explains the smoke when the engine is first started. If you look up B29 start up, you will see ground crews doing this manually.

[legomaster772]

lol engine four spewed some fire :p

[The1dasha]

@Proplinerman Have you seen Australia's Historical Aircraft Restoration Society (HARS), where they have a restored Qantas "Connie", as she is known. She still flies at airshows, and to and from airshows from her home south of Sydney. There are a couple of great videos of her taking off at night, and a video of take off sitting next to the wing watching the engines. What a symphony!

[Squarerig]

During the war-WWII-I often observed USAAF personnel,prior to take off,turning over the Pand W engines by hand.I recall being told this is to remove the oil from the bottom cylinder.If not drained it could result in a smashed cylinder head.Am I right?

[BillyRosinet]

Good background music for this video would be the Platters singing "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes." :-)

[tubernation1]

Fill the oil and check the gas...

[twistedyogert]

Engine 4 backfired.

[MayoDK]

Naah, the oilleaking wasn't that bad; BUT on the R4360 engine in the Boeing 377, you would experience and oilburn rate of about 5 GALLONS per hour. Granted, the R4360 is a huuuge engine, and therefore it is also a big number.

But radials do eat quite a lot of oil. That's somewhat the charme of it aswell :)

[kinsley2108]

@Nza420 Oil leakage, 1 to 10 litres/min, leak within limits, lol.

[kinsley2108]

@Nza420 Oil leakage, 1 to 10 litres, leak within limits, lol.