How do you turn on one of those big commercial airplanes? i mean do you use a key like a car?

Question

How do you turn on one of those big commercial airplanes? i mean do you use a key like a car?

Answer 1

The procedures for starting big airplanes are either extremely complex or extremely simple; that is, the latest models have automatic start  capability that takes care of a lot of steps in the process that the flight engineer used to do.

Aha!  But you have to have a password to get into the software.

Big airliners and cargo aircraft can be locked, and often are if they are parked in a remote location or somewhere where security is uncertain.  But usually they are not locked when parked around a major airport with good security.  It's just that an interloper would have to get past several security checkpoints to get inside the perimeter.

So yes, your shiny new 747 will come with a set of keys, but you have to be skinny, and you will probably need  a stepladder to use them to get in.

Answer 2

haha, is this a security threat???  JK, no key needed but if you could hop into one of todays airliners and figure out how to start it, even with some small airplane experience you got skills.

Answer 3

No key...jump in turn on the batteries, start the APU, select the APU bleed, start the engines, taxi away.

There is no key but getting past security or an untrained person trying to figure out where everything is and how they all work would be almost impossible...even getting a proficient private pilot to locate and use the systems without proper training and using a checklist would be a major, major feat.

Answer 4

That, or hotwire it!

Answer 5

No boss this is not the case what you do is that just turn the fuel on prime the line and then press the srarter and there it goes then during start you have to monitor so many thing this all is not that simple you have to do it according to a set pattern and the procedure for the every air craft is different.

Answer 6

The most common procedure is to use the APU to provide compressed air to rotate the engines. When you are up to a speed known as Max Motoring(which is diffent for every engine), you introduce the fuel and turn on the igniters. No keys required.

Smaller aircraft do have keys though. They usually ground the magnetos and engage the starters.

Answer 7

I think you push the primer three times and turn the crank on the front.

Answer 8

Nope, theres no keys.

Its just a relatively involved start procedure.  Its generally assumed that if you can even reach the airplane you have a reason to be there.  And if you know how to start it you probably are at work.  And if you tried to steal it, you'd be caught almost instantly.

Answer 9

No key if you want an auto start just push the start button and the throttle lever and the electronic control unit will control the starting sequence automatically. say start valve opens apu bleed comes to rotate the engine at 3%  oil pressure comes in + the ignition and at 16%rpm fuel starts to come in etc...

there is also a manual starting where you have to monitor all before continuing the start cycle.