• Question: how do aeroplane engines start? I am in junior infants

    Asked by 466beb37 to Sinead on 9 Feb 2015.
    • Photo: Sinead Quirke

      Sinead Quirke answered on 9 Feb 2015:

      Hi,

      Most engines are started from a piece of equipment on the ground called an APU. This stands for auxillary power unit. There is a cable running from the APU on the ground to the airplane. It provides electrical power to the airplane similar to you plugging in your telly. The power from the APU gets the big fan blades inside the jet engine to start turning.

      Big airplanes don’t usually start with keys – you just press a number of buttons in the cockpit.

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