'Cart-Starts' Make a Quick Launch

[unhappycamper]

'Cart-Starts' Make a Quick Launch
December 31, 2008
Air Force Print News|by SrA Ryan Whitney

ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam - Airmen assigned to the 36th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron have recently been showcasing the B-52 Stratofortress's ability to respond to threats at a moment's notice.

Throughout the month of December, Airmen from Minot Air Force Base, N.D., have been launching aircraft by a method known as cartridge starts, or "cart-starts."

During these launches, a small-controlled explosive is inserted into two of the eight engines located on the B-52.

"The charges basically jumpstart the engines, removing the need to bring out the aerospace ground equipment used on normal launches," said Tech. Sgt. Andrew Poole, 36th EAMXS crew chief. "By removing these steps we increase the aircrafts startup time from more than an hour to less than 10 minutes."

Normally B-52s are supplied with an alternate energy source and an air supply to start the engines. Using the cart-start launch, an engine with a generator is started immediately, and the remaining engines are started while the aircraft taxis to the end of runway.


Rest of article at: http://www.military.com/news/article/air-force-news/cartstarts-make-a-quick-launch.html?col=1186032369229