A-65 starters

[n6346m]

A whole bunch of years ago there was an outfit on Lake Union in Seattle called Kurtzer's (sp) that gave seaplane ratings in Taylorcrafts. I was told they had several of them. The thing that sticks out in my mind is that someone who got his seaplane rating in one of them told me that they all had a unique starter arrangement so they wouldn't have to get out on the floats to hand-prop them. The airplanes had no electrical systems in them and used a recoil starter arrangement similar to a lawnmower engine. You would simply pull on the "T" handle located just under the panel and the thing would start. I understand that this may have been a factory accessory or aftermarket thing since they must have been CAA/FAA approved for a flight school to use them. I have never seen one of these contraptions and I have always been curious about how they worked and how they were hooked up. A picture or a drawing would sure be nice to look at. No, I don't want one I can still hand-prop. Has any of you old timers out there ever seen such a thing?

Curious Bob

[flybikefarm]

Re: A-65 starters

I have one for sale. George

[Karl Rigdon]

Re: A-65 starters

The McDowell starter was used on some Taylorcrafts and also on Aronca Chief. It was a lever on the Chief. I have not seen the Taylorcraft instlation.
Now if you want a real treasure try to find a A65-12. They had a starter and generator. I did not know they existed untill I saw one at Weibe aircraft at the Halstad Kansas airport. Do not waste your time as I told Mooney Mite Gruru Ray Allen about it and it is long gone. I am told they were used on some Mooney Mites and of all things early Ercoupe.

Karl

[GLB]

Re: A-65 starters

There were several starters for the A-65, the Mcdowell starter as used on the Aeronca's and "T"crafts, there was also a mechanical starter that used a long bungee type cord that attached in the back of the fuselage near the tail post, can't think of the name of it now. Then there is /was the A-65-12 as used in the Mooney Mites, the A-65-12 used a C-75 crankcase and accessory section. Not sure if they were every approved for any other aircraft and less than 50 ever used on Mooneys. As far as I can tell the Ercoupes never had an A-65-12 in them the 1st 40/41's had A-65-8's then in 46 & 47 they had C-75's after that C-85 and 90's
GB

[paulnuss]

Re: A-65 starters

28 years or so ago, I bought my present BC12-D1. It had a McDowell Safety Starter installed. It used a bar that when pulled rotated in a horizontal arc above one's knees. A special spinner covered the starter mechanism in back of the propeller, a glorified lawnmower recoil starter. The nose bowl had to be "recessed" (mine was somewhat roughly bashed in some) to accomodate the hardware in front. I didn't care much for it then, and removed it and sold it to someone in the Taylorcraft Owner's Club. Sometimes I have regretted getting rid of it. IF the engine was primed and all ready to start, and with a retarded-spark impulse-coupled single mag switched on, I could actually start the engine OK from inside the cabin. I do remember things not working right some times, e.g kick-back, busted knuckles, hard to pull hard enough to make a good spark, etc. And I really just barely fit in a Taylorcraft anyway, so there wasn't enough space for me to properly pull the starter arm.

[flybikefarm]

Re: A-65 starters

This is a McDowell for a flange crank a65. It has surface rust only, do to damp garage. I tried it on a motor and it will work to start a motor with impulse mags. George

[flybikefarm]

Re: A-65 starters

http://www.joea.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=848

Go here for details. George

[flybikefarm]

Re: A-65 starters

or here george

http://www.joea.com/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=18&sid=75b6fce2fccaee849ae2ac44049f6782

[Arnold Wallace]

Re: A-65 starters

Hello Bob,
Very interesting that we are next door and you ask about the starter on the BC12D. My 1946 has the A65-12 Continental with starter, battery and generator which was installed about 30 years ago. The installation is quite clean and only required 337 along with log book entries, updated W&B, etc.
Will call and discuss the particulars of the starter arrangement as springtime duties slow a bit. I like the -12 installation much better than the McDowell due to the source to run transponder, encoder, radios, GPS and the like. I'm told the accessory case for the C-75 and C-85 will fit the A-65 to make the conversion. Perhaps someone will correct me if this is not correct. Buzz

[GLB]

Re: A-65 starters

Hi Buzz one can not install a -12 accessory case on a -8 engine, so to make a A-65-12 a C-75-12 crankcase and accessory case are needed.
GB

[n6346m]

Re: A-65 starters

Buzz where do you keep your T-Craft? Homer? Private strip?
Bob