Lesson 10: Aircraft

Electrical Systems
 Aircraft Electrical Systems

• A circuit must have at least three parts.

 Aircraft Electrical Systems

• A circuit must have at least three parts.

• The source
 Aircraft Electrical Systems

• A circuit must have at least three parts.

• The source

• The electron transportation and distribution

system
 Aircraft Electrical Systems

• A circuit must have at least three parts.

• The source

• The electron transportation and distribution

system

• The load (Where the work is done)

 Series And Parallel Circuits

• Series Circuit

• All electrons must flow through all active

components.

• The amount of voltage dropped across the

filament is always less than the total.

• Voltage drop depends on the amount of

resistance of the individual load.
 Series And Parallel Circuits

• Parallel Circuit

• A portion of the electrons flow through each

filament.

• The amount of voltage drop is equal to the total

voltage produced by the source.
 Voltage And Current Measuring
Instruments
• Current and voltage are the most commonly
measured variables.

• Voltmeters

• Ammeters
 Voltage And Current Measuring
Instruments
• Voltmeters (Parallel)

• Measures current but indicates values of

voltage.

• Indicates electrical system condition.

 Voltage And Current Measuring
Instruments
• Ammeters

• Measures current flow

• Battery is charging when electrons are flowing

from the positive terminal.

• This would be a positive indication.

The Aircraft Electrical
System
 The Aircraft Electrical System

• Source

• 12 volt battery with the negative terminal

connected to the airframe (negative ground).

• Master solenoid

• Master switch
 The Aircraft Electrical System

• The Starter Circuit

• Starter switch circuit (control circuit)

• Starter solenoid circuit (motor circuit)

• The master switch/solenoid circuit must also

be connected.
 The Aircraft Electrical System

• The Busbar

• Rigid point that is a convenient place to

terminate many wires neatly and safely.

• Connected to the positive terminal of the

battery, when the master switch is on.

• Same electrical potential as the battery.

• Circuit breakers are often mounted.

 The Aircraft Electrical System

• The Alternator

• The alternator switch completes a circuit to the

voltage regulator.

• The voltage regulator samples the system

voltage and increases or decreases the field
voltage which limits alternator output.
 The Aircraft Electrical System

• Ammeters And Loadmeter In The Circuit

• Installed between the master solenoid and the

busbar.

• Senses the amount and direction of current

flow in the battery circuit.

• Installed between A terminal of the alternator

and the busbar.

• Senses current flow (in one direction), or

output, of the alternator (loadmeter).
Ignition Systems
Battery Ignition System
 Magnetos

• Completely independent of the electrical system of

the airplane.

• Primary current is interrupted by a set of breaker

points, and high voltage for the spark plugs comes
from the voltage step-up in the magneto coil.

• Rotating Magnet Magneto

Rotating Magnet Magneto
 Rotating Magnet Magneto

• Resultant Flux (E-gap)

• Maximum current is flowing several degrees

after neutral.
Rotating Magnet Magneto
 Rotating Magnet Magneto

• Dual Magnetos

• High-tension Magnetos

• Low-tension Magnetos
High-tension Magneto
Low-tension Magneto
 Rotating Magnet Magneto

• Aids To Starting

• Magnetos provide a good, hot spark at idle, at

cruise, and at high speed.

• But not when the engine is turning slowly

during start.

» Impulse Coupling
 Impulse coupling

• A small spring-loaded coupling between the

magneto shaft and the engine drive gear.
Impulse coupling
 Vibrator starting system
“Shower of Sparks”
• Pulsating DC from the induction vibrator is directed
into the magneto coil.