How to really start an airplane

[JW Scud]

[Slick Goodlin]

I’ve always wanted to try that.

When I was a kid Bob Spence flew his Swordfish in to the airport I was at one day. I remember that airplane had always seemed a bit finicky but whatever, who else has a Swordfish, you know? Anyways, time comes for him to leave and he has to get three volunteers to crank up the inertia starter; one standing on the tire, one on the leading edge of the wing, and one standing on a couple foot pegs just behind the engine, all of them hanging onto this big-ass crank handle. Seemed like it took forever to get that flywheel up to the right pitch whine and it looked like hard work judging by the sweat pouring off his helpers. They finally get it up to speed, Bob engages the starter, that pig Pegasus engine coughs and barks and smokes... and quits. In the near-silence you can just hear that flywheel slowing to a stop.

The look on their faces was priceless.

[Scudrunner]

was expecting him to run to the cockpit to turn that over. I didn't know they had the starter right there. Learn something new everyday

[JW Scud]

To be honest, I used to dance like that.