An air starter for starting a turbine engine that includes a housing, a turbine member, a drive shaft, and at least one bearing assembly. The housing can define an interior where the turbine member rotatably couples to the drive shaft, where the drive shaft or turbine member are rotatably supported by the least one bearing assembly. A scoop wheel located in the interior of the housing provides lubrication to the at least one bearing assembly.

A method of operating a twin engine helicopter power plant, the power plant comprising: two turboshaft engines each having an engine shaft with a turbine at a distal end and a one-way clutch at a proximal end; a gear box having an input driven by the one way clutch of each engine and an output driving a helicopter rotor; a bypass clutch disposed between the proximal end of each engine shaft and the input of the gear box; and power plant management system controls for activating the bypass clutch; the method comprising: detecting when a rotary speed of an associated engine shaft is less than a rotary speed of the gear box input; activating the bypass clutch to drive the associated engine shaft using the rotation of the gear box input; and starting an associated engine by injecting fuel when the bypass clutch is activated.

A method of operating a twin engine helicopter power plant, the power plant comprising: two turboshaft engines each having an engine shaft with a turbine at a distal end and a one-way clutch at a proximal end; a gear box having an input driven by the one way clutch of each engine and an output driving a helicopter rotor; a bypass clutch disposed between the proximal end of each engine shaft and the input of the gear box; and power plant management system controls for activating the bypass clutch; the method comprising: detecting when a rotary speed of an associated engine shaft is less than a rotary speed of the gear box input; activating the bypass clutch to drive the associated engine shaft using the rotation of the gear box input; and starting an associated engine by injecting fuel when the bypass clutch is activated.

A system and method for starting an aircraft turbine engine includes a primary starting subsystem and a secondary starting subsystem. The primary starting subsystem is coupled to a shaft of the aircraft turbine engine and has a dedicated power source. The secondary starting subsystem is also coupled to the shaft of the aircraft turbine engine and has a shared power source. A controller controls the operation of the primary starting subsystem and the secondary starting subsystem while starting the aircraft turbine engine. The primary starting subsystem may be an Auxiliary Power Unit coupled to an Air Turbine Starter. The secondary starting subsystem may be a Starter Generator coupled to a battery also used to power the Emergency Hydraulic System. The primary starting subsystem is always operated at full power during starting while the secondary starting subsystem is preferably operated in a sequence of different power levels.

A system for starting a turbine engine. The system may comprise a gearbox, a first starter, and a second starter. The gearbox may have a gearbox input shaft. The gearbox may be coupled to the turbine engine. The gearbox input shaft may be rotatively coupled to a spool of the turbine engine. The first starter may be coupled to the gearbox input shaft. The second starter may have a second-starter output shaft. The second-starter output shaft may be coaxial with the gearbox input shaft. The second starter may be coupled to the gearbox input shaft through the first starter.

A system for starting a turbine engine. The system may comprise a gearbox, a first starter, and a second starter. The gearbox may have a gearbox input shaft. The gearbox may be coupled to the turbine engine. The gearbox input shaft may be rotatively coupled to a spool of the turbine engine. The first starter may be coupled to the gearbox input shaft. The second starter may have a second-starter output shaft. The second-starter output shaft may be coaxial with the gearbox input shaft. The second starter may be coupled to the gearbox input shaft through the first starter.

A gas turbine engine starting system including an electric start generator (ESG) free of temperature sensors and configured to provide torque to a gas turbine engine. A fuel metering module is configured to provide a quantity of fuel to the gas turbine engine, and an electronic control system (ECS). The ESG includes a plurality of subcomponents. The ECS is configured to predict a future temperature of the ESG, predict that at an ongoing start or an uninitiated start will be unsuccessful, and provide the prediction that at an ongoing start or an uninitiated start will be unsuccessful to an operator. The prediction of the future temperature of the ESG is based on a plurality of historical ESG thermal trending information and an input ambient temperature. The prediction that at an ongoing start or an uninitiated start will be unsuccessful is based on the future temperature of the ESG.

A gas turbine engine starting system including an electric start generator (ESG) free of temperature sensors and configured to provide torque to a gas turbine engine. A fuel metering module is configured to provide a quantity of fuel to the gas turbine engine, and an electronic control system (ECS). The ESG includes a plurality of subcomponents. The ECS is configured to predict a future temperature of the ESG, predict that at an ongoing start or an uninitiated start will be unsuccessful, and provide the prediction that at an ongoing start or an uninitiated start will be unsuccessful to an operator. The prediction of the future temperature of the ESG is based on a plurality of historical ESG thermal trending information and an input ambient temperature. The prediction that at an ongoing start or an uninitiated start will be unsuccessful is based on the future temperature of the ESG.

An air starter for starting a turbine engine that includes a housing, a turbine member, a drive shaft, and at least one bearing assembly. The housing can define an interior where the turbine couples to the drive shaft that is rotatably supported by the least one bearing assembly. A lubricant passageway can provide lubrication to the at least one bearing assembly.

An air starter for starting a turbine engine that includes a housing, a turbine member, a drive shaft, and at least one bearing assembly. The housing can define an interior where the turbine couples to the drive shaft that is rotatably supported by the least one bearing assembly. A lubricant passageway can provide lubrication to the at least one bearing assembly.