BC12D-85 Starter

[Greg Guy]

A good friend would like to help me finish my project.
He wants to fly again under the new sport pilot regs.
Problem is, I'm not sure he could hand prop.
Do I have any options with the short motor mount.
I understand their are new short, small, and light starters.
Not looking to add an alternator.
And right, an STC would be wonderful.
Greg Guy

[VictorBravo]

Re: BC12D-85 Starter

I will guess that it is probably LESS effort to get a field approval for a smaller starter, or a custom made 90 degree offset starter drive, or even a custom made starter motor that fits...then it would be to replace the mount and cowl with the longer versions.

Look into the "brushless" and "outrunner" (external rotor) electric motor technology that is now all the rage in the R/C model airplane world. The large diameter brushless motors are "inside out" compared to traditional motors. But these big motors put out a huge amount of torque for their size. My guess is that having someone build a six or eight inch diameter external rotor motor coupled with a simple reduction gear will yield a very compact package that will spin the engine to start it, using less current and less battery capacity. This will not necessarily be cheap, but it WILL be smaller, lighter, and more efficient than any other starter available.

Bill

[Jim Herpst]

Re: BC12D-85 Starter

I have heard that the new lightweight startes can be found that are small enough to fit . It was actually Rob "Smokey" Ray that said he saw such on a clip wing T a few years back. He saw it I believe when he was attending the Taylorcraft Fly in (West Coast) at Columbus? California or some such place where they do or did have the annual flyin. Just something I remember because it seemed like a great thing. I have thought about doind something like that for my clip but I am hesitant to get ANY extra weight cost or complexity to such a simple airplane flown for sport.