Start-up Checklist

[Whiskey-Charlie]

I was a non-crew ground-pounder who only flew on C-130s a few times, but I always enjoyed listening to the engine start-up check list, and it was great fun standing at the paratroop doors and watching the "whoomph" from the tailpipe as the engine started.

I've forgotten the order of the checklist. I remember "enrichment" and "ignition" and "generator on", but I've forgotten the exact sequence after the pilot (or engineer, or who?) says "Turning four". Can someone recite the engine start-up checklist once again, please?

Thanks.

[BDizzle]

I call out RPM, fuel flow, ignition, oil pressures, hydraulic pressure, parallel, starter, series, and peak TIT. Some people say more or less than that, it's all technique. You don't have to say anything at all either.

[gizzard]

Ya know, on pain of soundin' like a freakin' poet, so much of the operation of this ol' pig is like a ritual or litany or whatever...It has been, according to some stuff I found a couple weeks ago, 39 years one month and one day, but I can still recall, almost like it was live, how the engine start went.......outside, I would hear all the checklist items, clear the engine and then start countin' one, two three, up to five and watch for the prop to turn. sometimes when I heard " turning three " or whatever, the prop would bump just a bit, and then it would start turnin' , a little dribble of fuel would run out of the drain mast, then 'Whooomp", the fire would start, and, under the right conditionds, i could see the ball of fire from the front, at night, especially, then the prop was not a succession of blades but now a blur and I will always remember the sound of the engine as it started........ Yep, it might not be the experience of a lifetime, but this was just one of the many things I remember about this old bird........................

[tinwhistle]

Giz...You are a poet. And to those of us that are forever wedded to a Herk, those sights, sounds, smells, and memories are, forever,a part of our lives.

That evening last fall when I stood at the ramp and watched and listened to those two C-130Hs go through the ritual, that I once knew so well, a chill came over me; 40 years fell away. I will never, ever, forget the smell of JP-4, the "whoomp" of ignition.......shoot!you know what I mean!!!!!!

Chris

[steve haigler]

Initial start sequence when I retired in 2002 was:

Pilot stated "Clear No 3 engine": LM "No 3 Clear";Pilot"Turning 3" (after each eng. was started sequence 4,2,1.)

The engineer normally called the start.

"Start valve open light":"Rotation";"Fuel Flow/enrichment";"ignition";"Oil Pressure"(both engine and gear box);"Hydraulic Pressure","Parallel", "Starter"(If pilot forgets at 60%)"series"; Peak TIT observed, RPM stabilized low if LSGI was selected, buttons pulled up monitor RPM to normal G.I. Rpm. A stop start command could be called by any crewmember if any abnormality was observed or occured.

Much happens during this event.

Steve

[gizzard]

Sounds like what I remember, except I don't recall "Start Valve open light" I don't remember "Rotation" either.. I DO recall many times callin' "No or negative rotation ( I always thought that sounded like it was turnin' backwards)" or 'Stop Start" a few times, once just after the blades went completely blurred and it was still windin' up, the nacelle panel on top popped up.... Never figured that one out because we had flown for a couple hours to whereever we were and were fixin' to go somewhere else.. My mind says it was at Ft. Benning, but I am not sure...............

[EClark]

I remember the rotation was called out by the ground man all else sounds like what I think I remember!

[SEFEGeorge]

In spite of my CRS, I believe that the start light was a later addition/mod. I don't recall it through 1986.

[gizzard]

I remember the rotation was called out by the ground man all else sounds like what I think I remember!

ya know, now that you mention it, I think i can remember " three's turnin'" or something like that.. Is my memory correct about waitin' maybe five seconds or so for rotation to start.....I do remember callin' that a few times, and we would just start over........I reckon they had to rewind the rubber bands or somethin'

[BDizzle]

ya know, now that you mention it, I think i can remember " three's turnin'" or something like that.. Is my memory correct about waitin' maybe five seconds or so for rotation to start.....I do remember callin' that a few times, and we would just start over........I reckon they had to rewind the rubber bands or somethin'

If the prop doesn't turn within five seconds the loadmaster says "negative rotation".

[tinwhistle]

I don't recall ever being at the end of the cord for engine start for an actual flight, however, I did hold down the cord for engine run-ups, preparing for a taxi check,etc. and always said "turnin' 3", or something to that effect. After getting my engine run card and sitting in the left seat on engine run-ups I kinda missed being outside (especially at night), for all the exciting things happening!!!

That would be why my signature is "turnin' 3"......:)

[US Herk]

I used to change things up and call things in the order they usually occurred: Start light, RPM, hydraulic pressure, oil pressures, fuel flow, ignition, parallel, starter, series, peak TIT, stable.

I know there are caveats to all of these, but I used to tell my new ACs that by listening to the FE and watching those things himself, he'd see the first four and then never had to take his eyes of the TIT or RPM gauges...

[donwon]

This has brought back the memory of my first engine start.

The Flt. Crew was in the plane and I was next to Pappy Hayse, next to the LM.

#3 started rotation and when it lit a torch went from the exhaust to the ramp and lit up the side of the plane.

By the time the engine stopped turning I was about 3 planes away. It scard the crap outta me.

There was an oil leak at the rear seal and oil had puddeled in the exhaust of that engine.

Pappy just laughed about it and how fast I could run.

[SEFEGeorge]

Don, I remember a similar event when I worked on C-118s. Being the CC, we were run qualified. We were working on an engine for some reason and had to do a number of starts, stop starts, etc., during the process. Well, seems that we got a stack fire during one start from excess fuel. Guy on fireguard called out a fire, it was a stack fire, so we just ran up the RPM and blew it out. Looking down, the fire bottle was there and the guy was long gone. He got some ribbing for the rest of the week.

[US Herk]

Ahh...first engine start stories. When I was going through LRF, my stick buddy and I were regaled with stories about how much the crew messed with CPs. So, when he got into the seat the first time (I was 2nd, so on the bunk for the show), they started #3 normally, then started 4. As soon as 4 came up on speed, we got a fire light in the #3 handle. So, the IP says, "Shut it down". My buddy, the CP, looks at him with a smile on his face and says, "Really?" And the IP says, "Yes, really, cage it." My buddy looks at him again and says, "Really?" again. The IP, looks at him and says, "Copilot, this is your instructor pilot speaking, I want you to perform the emergency engine shutdown procedure on the number three engine...now."

In the debrief while waiting for MX, the IP asks him what the deal was. My buddy says, I just thought you were messing around with us. That's all they told us in academics was how much them mess around. The IP asked him how in the hell did he think he made the light come on. My buddy said that was the puzzling part - he didn't see the IP do anything to turn the light on...

I get to tell that story about once every other year and it's still funny to me to this day. It may be a 'you had to be there' kind of thing. My buddy is an O6 in the pentagon somewhere these days and I always remind him of that whenever I get to catch up with him. ;)

[DC10FE]

I think what's confusing some of the more elderly gentlemen on this forum is that some airplanes were modified and later ones came from the factory with a spring loaded toggle switch instead of the starter button. These planes also had a red "start valve open" light that the FE would call open on start & then closed.

Don R.

[gizzard]

I think what's confusing some of the more elderly gentlemen on this forum is that some airplanes were modified and later ones came from the factory with a spring loaded toggle switch instead of the starter button. These planes also had a red "start valve open" light that the FE would call open on start & then closed.

Don R.

Elderly???? ELDERLY?????? Who are you callin' elderly????????????????? Just because we have cheated Mr. Death to the point 'Depends" is a noun instead of a verb, you call us elderly?????????? Old, senile, infirm, aged, decrepit, etc but never elderly!!!!!!!!!! LMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[tinwhistle]

Elderly???? ELDERLY?????? Who are you callin' elderly????????????????? Just because we have cheated Mr. Death to the point 'Depends" is a noun instead of a verb, you call us elderly?????????? Old, senile, infirm, aged, decrepit, etc but never elderly!!!!!!!!!! LMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What Giz just said!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[SEFEGeorge]

I think what's confusing some of the more elderly gentlemen on this forum is that some airplanes were modified and later ones came from the factory with a spring loaded toggle switch instead of the starter button. These planes also had a red "start valve open" light that the FE would call open on start & then closed.

Don R.

That's what I figured Don. Just never saw them. Good idea though. Probably saved some troubleshooting time.

[nascarpop]

Seems to me I remember that when you pushed the start button in, it had to pop out in so many seconds? CRS I guess. I never heard the likes of switches! What have they done to our Herks?

[SEFEGeorge]

Seems to me I remember that when you pushed the start button in, it had to pop out in so many seconds? CRS I guess. I never heard the likes of switches! What have they done to our Herks?

If I remember correctly pop, the pilot would pull the button out if it had not popped out by 72%.

[nascarpop]

I do believe you are correct.

Dallas

[EClark]

30 Sec. on 30 Sec off so on till you get to one minute off. I am getting dizzy to much thinking! Maybe one minute on one minute off for three cycles!

[tinwhistle]

I just went to "My Gallery" and checked out a couple pics of my old bird #877 that I have of the flight deck. I suffer greatly from CRS, but if I'm not mistaken, you will see the Engine Start Buttons located on the panel just above the pilot windshield. I noticed that the windshield wiper is stoped in the verticle position and if you look at the panel just above the wiper that should be the start buttons, nestled inside their protective shields. At least that's what I think I'm looking at!!!!! Keep in mind that that bird is a 1963 model "E" !!!!!!!!

Edited February 20, 2013 by tinwhistle

[GVS]

Seems to me I remember that when you pushed the start button in, it had to pop out in so many seconds? CRS I guess. I never heard the likes of switches! What have they done to our Herks?

Other than the starter duty cycle limit,the button pop out was to take place at a stated % RPM depending on which starter was installed.Some were 53% but most were 64%.This was on the "A" models. There was a small reverseable placcard just below the starter button with 64% on one side and 53% othe other.On an engine start the pilot,C/C or eng. man would,just before pressing the starter button say "turning #(say eng.) at plarccarded RPM.

If the button didn't pop by that RPM or just above it the button was to be pulled.